I assist do some work tutoring english-second language students, and recently came across some questions on a review that I found to be of an objectionable nature. Although it is undoubtedly pointless, it so irritated my I felt inclined to make an academic nuisance of myself and wrote this brief letter to the staff:
To Whom It May Concern:
It recently came to my attention while reading some course material for the high school government classes that some of it was of a questionable nature, especially as regards its apparent intent to bias young students minds into accepting certain dogmas and ideological prescriptions uncritically. What I will cite is hardly the only example of the matter, but it is illustrative:
From ‘Review for Government’ questions:
5. How does the government help you live a better life? Explain at least 10 things that government does for the public.
It is presumptuous, and hardly apolitical, to automatically assume that the Federal Government does provide a better life for its citizens than they would have without it, or under some other arrangement of governance. This is not a foregone conclusion in either the realms of political philosophy or everyday political debate (simply tune into anything relating to Representative Ron Paul). One might consider revising the content of questions which have a logical form similar to "When did you stop beating your wife?" I would hope that the ideological independence of students, and intellectual objectivity in general, would get more attention if the goal is to educate them, rather than indoctrinate them. I only mention it because I have worked with students who could not truthfully answer this question because they deny its premises. I will not repeat myself as to the nature of question six, but will only comment that it is hard to imagine that everyone would feel they have duties to a political agency that they may viably consider unjust, murderous, tyrannical, inept or all of the above.
As much as it may surprise some, to stridently assume things like the benevolence of the United States government or the efficacy of its form of government, would be as inappropriate and even offensive as trying to inculcate a belief in a particular religion. To some people, especially of foreign descent (i.e., Vietnam), it is akin to claiming the automatic benevolence of Bolshevik regime of the USSR. If this seems hyperbolic, one need only mention that the United States is the only government to ever use a nuclear weapon against human beings; moreover against a densely populated civilian target. Even if one thinks this is justified, it is certainly not something that ought to be assumed without argument. Nor is the undeniable fact of the existence and power of the US Federal Government somehow a ticket to legitimacy, for as Aristotle pointed out, just because something is so, does not make it right.
Sincerely,
Edmund Carlyle
Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior it
Bravo. Lilburne: take thee to the blog page!
Well said Ed!
When biting the hand that feeds you though watch out for the other hand. Perhaps better to instill these thoughts directly to your students than with the staff whom might regard you as a nuisance when your contract is ready for renewal?
We are the soldiers for righteousnessAnd we are not sent here by the politicians you drink with - L. Dube, rip
Dear sir,
"I like the venom that you spit". </streets>
Well said.
NewLiberty: Bravo. Lilburne: take thee to the blog page!
Will do! (this weekend)
Any other good "letters to the editor/statist" type threads I should group it with? I remember a long time ago, someone posted a great letter exchange he had with a mainstream economist...
V Well said, I'd be interested to know what kind of response you get.
They'll just throw it in the garbage like it never happened.
Caley McKibbin: They'll just throw it in the garbage like it never happened.
You're enjoying your dayEverything's going your wayThen along comes Debbie Downer.Always there to tell you 'bout a new diseaseA car accident or killer beesYou'll beg her to spare you, "Debbie, Please!"But you can't stop Debbie Downer!
I had a cute email exchange with my congressmen about global warming several months ago. He basically told me how voting for Cap-n-Tax was a personal issue for him and that he wanted to vote for it becuase he felt too strongly about the matter. He basically told me scientific and economic studies were irrelevent at that point. I told him that was a very irresponsible position for a politician to take.
Well I sent him another witty email after the scandal and asked him how we should view his judgement now.
I had another great, small, email convo with the CEO of Humanfactors.com. It's somewhere around here on the forums. Few typo's and mispells in it though.
I love the these email discussions. Keep em coming! Top quality entertainment
Very awesome. Keep it up.
Life and reality are neither logical nor illogical; they are simply given. But logic is the only tool available to man for the comprehension of both.—Ludwig von Mises
Life and reality are neither logical nor illogical; they are simply given. But logic is the only tool available to man for the comprehension of both.