Are you amazed that Herman Cain is accused of sexual harassment and of having an affair? I'm not. I do not know the man, but I know the type. He is a male of the homo sapien species, the last of the genus homo. Whether you are a creationist or are literate surely you know that no perfect human walks this earth. Headlines: a Presidential candidate sinned! Wake me up for the 10:00 news.
In fact, the news could really get interesting. I suggest that every reporter who intends to write or broadcast a story that reveals the sins of public figures should first confess their sins using the same medium. Wouldn't that be interesting? At least more entertaining. I am willing to wager my teacher retirement that we have never had a perfect President, a perfect Congressman, or a perfect journalist. Even Bill Clinton sinned, though it still appears he is confused by the difference in oral sex and intercourse. And yes, I am willing to admit that I have sinned, but I will spare you the details as this is a blog, not a Tolstoy novel.
Is the nature of the sin relevant? Perhaps. Shall we weigh sin? Perhaps. Is murder worse than adultery? Is rape worse than drug addiction? Is embezzlement worse than lust? I resist judging, but as a human both flawed and precious I will do so: (see, publicly giving into temptation!) I lean toward a "yes" for each of the above questions for a variety of reasons. For me, the issue is about doing unto others..... If I harm someone else that is worse than if I pleasure myself inappropriately. But, rest assured, I will not be sitting at the Pearly Gates to pass judgement when you get there.
I don't like Herman Cain because of his politics. Of course he sinned, as has everyone else. That is not the question. I am not as fond of Obama as I used to be because he has moved so far to the right, but I have never had any delusions that he was perfect.
"He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." Sound advice. Evidently the only perfect people in the USA are journalists. They always cast the first stones.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thanks Giving
I am giving thanks:
I do not have to hunt or gather to eat.
I do not have to build a fire to stay warm.
I do not have to build a shelter to stay dry.
I do not have to boil water to safely drink.
I do not fear the strangers I meet on the street and craft weapons and defenses against them.
I am free to believe or not believe in the supernatural.
I am comfortable, surrounded by those I love and those who love me.
I have lived a long and full life.
I have it better than almost everyone in the history of the planet, and the vast majority of the 7 billion others with whom I share this planet.
I am lucky.
I chose my place in time well, my parents well, my country well, my genes well.
I wish for all such luck, and am humbled and grateful for my own.
And, I wish for all your very own Happy Thanks Givings.
I do not have to hunt or gather to eat.
I do not have to build a fire to stay warm.
I do not have to build a shelter to stay dry.
I do not have to boil water to safely drink.
I do not fear the strangers I meet on the street and craft weapons and defenses against them.
I am free to believe or not believe in the supernatural.
I am comfortable, surrounded by those I love and those who love me.
I have lived a long and full life.
I have it better than almost everyone in the history of the planet, and the vast majority of the 7 billion others with whom I share this planet.
I am lucky.
I chose my place in time well, my parents well, my country well, my genes well.
I wish for all such luck, and am humbled and grateful for my own.
And, I wish for all your very own Happy Thanks Givings.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
B Team
As high school football narrows down to a few remaining playoff bound teams, as college football heats up with both competition and scandal, and as pro basketball follows a plan to self-destruct, it appears to me it is the time of year to use a sports metaphor to think about public schools and teaching kids.
Given the demands of rearing and educating children we in public schools are the B Team. A kid born in 2011 will graduate from high school in 2029 and in those coming 18 years the knowledge, skills, and processes that the child must master to successfully leave home and enter the world are beyond what we can comprehend today. What is clear is that when it comes to preparing that child, parents are the A Team and public schools are the B Team.
Parents are the starting Team and the fundamentals they teach are virtually impossible for the B Team to overcome, undo, or alter significantly even if we wanted to. By the time the child gets to the B Team they have already mastered much of the value structure that will stay with them through life. For instance:
If they A Team teaches the child right from wrong, good from bad, a sense of philosophical and theological morality as well as respect for others, then the child will do great with the B Team.
If the A Team insists on both a healthy respect for authority as well as a willingness to stand up, question and speak the truth they will raise a child who will do great while working with the B Team.
If the A Team raises their child to believe they are special, above the rules, and for whom whining results in rewards they will raise a child who not only does poorly in school, but will await the A Team to run to the school house door to complain about the B Team.
If the A Team raises a child who understands that there is a time for hard work and a time for play, then they will raise a child who is likely to do well when that child matriculates to B Team supervision. Learning requires hard work.
If the A Team raises a child who believes that they are owed something rather than working for something, then they will raise a child who is likely to do poorly when in the hands of the B Team.
If the A Team allows a child to grow lazy and fat, the B Team will not be able to undo that.
If the A Team assumes the poor performance of their child is the fault of the B Team, then the B Team will have a real challenge to undo that.
So, let us be very clear: The A Team counts tremendously. Those of us on the B Team count on the A Team to do their job first, then stick with us and back us up when we are in the game. The A Team must never let their child doubt that you love them, but teach them what they need to know and do when in the hands of the B Team. We'll work them hard for their own good. Each of us on the B Team is likely to have 30+ kids to raise per day, and as many as 170!. We may never love them like you do, we may never know them like you do, but we do love them and we do know them, and we are in the business of promoting student success for every child of the A Team.
But, we remain the B Team.
Given the demands of rearing and educating children we in public schools are the B Team. A kid born in 2011 will graduate from high school in 2029 and in those coming 18 years the knowledge, skills, and processes that the child must master to successfully leave home and enter the world are beyond what we can comprehend today. What is clear is that when it comes to preparing that child, parents are the A Team and public schools are the B Team.
Parents are the starting Team and the fundamentals they teach are virtually impossible for the B Team to overcome, undo, or alter significantly even if we wanted to. By the time the child gets to the B Team they have already mastered much of the value structure that will stay with them through life. For instance:
If they A Team teaches the child right from wrong, good from bad, a sense of philosophical and theological morality as well as respect for others, then the child will do great with the B Team.
If the A Team insists on both a healthy respect for authority as well as a willingness to stand up, question and speak the truth they will raise a child who will do great while working with the B Team.
If the A Team raises their child to believe they are special, above the rules, and for whom whining results in rewards they will raise a child who not only does poorly in school, but will await the A Team to run to the school house door to complain about the B Team.
If the A Team raises a child who understands that there is a time for hard work and a time for play, then they will raise a child who is likely to do well when that child matriculates to B Team supervision. Learning requires hard work.
If the A Team raises a child who believes that they are owed something rather than working for something, then they will raise a child who is likely to do poorly when in the hands of the B Team.
If the A Team allows a child to grow lazy and fat, the B Team will not be able to undo that.
If the A Team assumes the poor performance of their child is the fault of the B Team, then the B Team will have a real challenge to undo that.
So, let us be very clear: The A Team counts tremendously. Those of us on the B Team count on the A Team to do their job first, then stick with us and back us up when we are in the game. The A Team must never let their child doubt that you love them, but teach them what they need to know and do when in the hands of the B Team. We'll work them hard for their own good. Each of us on the B Team is likely to have 30+ kids to raise per day, and as many as 170!. We may never love them like you do, we may never know them like you do, but we do love them and we do know them, and we are in the business of promoting student success for every child of the A Team.
But, we remain the B Team.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
I'm Special
As I puttered to my neighborhood grocery store to re-stock all my low carb, high fiber, tasteless pantry inventory, I was confronted with a technical driving dilemma. Entering the store parking lot I am accustomed to waiting at the yellow-striped cross-walk for folks pushing carts adorned with full plastic bags and whiney kids from the store to their vehicles, but that wait is usually short and entertaining. This time I stopped four cars back, the rear end of my mini van still street exposed. An HEB jam unlike what is available at eye level on their shelves. This was a full-blown traffic jam with cars stuck in both directions. I feared a catastrophe. But no, it was a red box jam. The store installed a commercial video dispenser right on the front curb, and though the curbs are painted in bright red and clearly marked, "No Parking - Fire Lane," there were several cars parallel parked right in front of the video dispenser machine reducing the two way traffic to one lane, and with the added stoppage normally caused by successful shoppers exiting the store, all new arrivals and hopeful escapers were simply parked, nose to tail, in a bottleneck. There was a line at the video dispenser, and the current customer was not gifted with quick decision making skills nor acuity with the check-out system. We waited. I counted 10 cars stuck, 22 people, awaiting the red box customer. I knew at that moment that she was special, as were the others waiting in line behind her. 22 minutes later the line cleared, the curb-parkers re-entered the designed traffic flow, and I moved into the parking lot to begin my food foray.
Despite my rants against what I perceive as a total over-emphasis on athletics, I purchase season tickets to the local high school football games. I do love sitting with my neighbors cheering the local boys on, watching the band and dance team and cheerleaders. There is, I admit, something very communal about Friday nights, especially now that the temperatures have dropped. The reserved seat section of our local stadium is clearly marked and my tickets assure me of the same spot on the cold aluminum bench for each home game. I arrived at my purchased and assigned seat Friday night for the last home game of the season, only to discover an entire family sitting on the row where I nest. I pulled my stub, double-checked the row and seat, looked at them and they looked back at me. "You are in my seat," I said. Rather than exit, they scooched to the right allowing me access. These folks had general admission tickets, but sat in the reserved seat section hoping no one would arrive to claim the spot. I knew they were special.
I traversed the 4 lane freeway to a nearby town, signs clearly posted, "Slower Traffic Stay Right." That's a law in Texas. If you are not passing someone, you should drive in the right lane. You guessed it. There ahead was an 18 wheeler in the right lane where he belonged, but next to him in the left lane was a pick-up truck driving the same speed blocking all other cars. We drove in a multi-car formation for 10 miles before the pick-up finally inched ahead of the 18 wheeler and cars began a dance of sorts, moving ahead of the big truck, moving to the right lane, passing the pick-up on the right and continuing on their journey at the posted speed. I knew the driver of the pick-up was special as he stubbornly refused to leave the left lane.
We claim to be a civilized society, grounded in rational thought, respect for the rights of others, and adherence to our laws. Not so true anymore, it appears to me. It appears that most everyone has a reason at certain times and places to consider themselves special, above the law, above common courtesy, and empowered to do what works best for them, rather than consider the impact their behavior has on the larger group.
That frightens me. Can I trust you with my life when I approach a green light at an intersection? Can I be assured that if I wait patiently in a line you will not cut in front of me? Can I trust that if we all agree the following rules promote the safety and common welfare of all of us, that you will adhere? Or, must I assume as I more and more frequently observe, that you might consider yourself special, above the law, above the rules of our society, and given whatever rationale you have developed for such a position, act on it in your own self interest placing me and all the others at risk?
The real problem with assuming the position, "I'm Special" is that the message is "You're Not."
We can ill afford a policemen on every corner to enforce the laws, nor can the local high school afford to hire ushers to ensure that folks in reserved seats purchased the right to be there. We can ill afford a teacher for every student, a menu for every palate (thanks BG!), a starting position on every team, enough lines so that everyone is first. Our basic societal glue is our willingness and self-discipline to follow the laws, even when no one is looking or monitoring. Self-control and self-sacrifice is necessary for a large group to avoid war. If we do not like the law, we can work to change it, we can organize a protest to speak up against it, but we cannot simply choose to ignore it because it is more convenient for us. We cannot all be that kind of special. If we are all above the law, there is no law.
I know and deeply believe that each human being is special, unique, gifted, precious and flawed. Each person on this planet, all 7 billion of us, should, in my humble opinion, have freedom from tyranny, freedom to vote, freedom to aspire to an education. Perhaps more basic, each person should be able to eat and drink enough to survive, sheltered from the elements. I also believe that when my brother or my neighbor is at risk from losing any of the above, those of us who "have" should come to the aid of those of us who "have not." I believe that because I picture human beings as part of one large group. I ask no more of my neighbor than I am willing and able to give. Unless we wish to return to the days where the strong survive and might makes right, we must all agree to abide by certain ground rules.
If I have and you do not, I will share. If I do not have and you do, I will not seek to steal it from you, but might ask you to share. I will stay to the right, stand in line, and park where designated for your benefit and mine.
I am special in my own way, but I am not more special than you.
Despite my rants against what I perceive as a total over-emphasis on athletics, I purchase season tickets to the local high school football games. I do love sitting with my neighbors cheering the local boys on, watching the band and dance team and cheerleaders. There is, I admit, something very communal about Friday nights, especially now that the temperatures have dropped. The reserved seat section of our local stadium is clearly marked and my tickets assure me of the same spot on the cold aluminum bench for each home game. I arrived at my purchased and assigned seat Friday night for the last home game of the season, only to discover an entire family sitting on the row where I nest. I pulled my stub, double-checked the row and seat, looked at them and they looked back at me. "You are in my seat," I said. Rather than exit, they scooched to the right allowing me access. These folks had general admission tickets, but sat in the reserved seat section hoping no one would arrive to claim the spot. I knew they were special.
I traversed the 4 lane freeway to a nearby town, signs clearly posted, "Slower Traffic Stay Right." That's a law in Texas. If you are not passing someone, you should drive in the right lane. You guessed it. There ahead was an 18 wheeler in the right lane where he belonged, but next to him in the left lane was a pick-up truck driving the same speed blocking all other cars. We drove in a multi-car formation for 10 miles before the pick-up finally inched ahead of the 18 wheeler and cars began a dance of sorts, moving ahead of the big truck, moving to the right lane, passing the pick-up on the right and continuing on their journey at the posted speed. I knew the driver of the pick-up was special as he stubbornly refused to leave the left lane.
We claim to be a civilized society, grounded in rational thought, respect for the rights of others, and adherence to our laws. Not so true anymore, it appears to me. It appears that most everyone has a reason at certain times and places to consider themselves special, above the law, above common courtesy, and empowered to do what works best for them, rather than consider the impact their behavior has on the larger group.
That frightens me. Can I trust you with my life when I approach a green light at an intersection? Can I be assured that if I wait patiently in a line you will not cut in front of me? Can I trust that if we all agree the following rules promote the safety and common welfare of all of us, that you will adhere? Or, must I assume as I more and more frequently observe, that you might consider yourself special, above the law, above the rules of our society, and given whatever rationale you have developed for such a position, act on it in your own self interest placing me and all the others at risk?
The real problem with assuming the position, "I'm Special" is that the message is "You're Not."
We can ill afford a policemen on every corner to enforce the laws, nor can the local high school afford to hire ushers to ensure that folks in reserved seats purchased the right to be there. We can ill afford a teacher for every student, a menu for every palate (thanks BG!), a starting position on every team, enough lines so that everyone is first. Our basic societal glue is our willingness and self-discipline to follow the laws, even when no one is looking or monitoring. Self-control and self-sacrifice is necessary for a large group to avoid war. If we do not like the law, we can work to change it, we can organize a protest to speak up against it, but we cannot simply choose to ignore it because it is more convenient for us. We cannot all be that kind of special. If we are all above the law, there is no law.
I know and deeply believe that each human being is special, unique, gifted, precious and flawed. Each person on this planet, all 7 billion of us, should, in my humble opinion, have freedom from tyranny, freedom to vote, freedom to aspire to an education. Perhaps more basic, each person should be able to eat and drink enough to survive, sheltered from the elements. I also believe that when my brother or my neighbor is at risk from losing any of the above, those of us who "have" should come to the aid of those of us who "have not." I believe that because I picture human beings as part of one large group. I ask no more of my neighbor than I am willing and able to give. Unless we wish to return to the days where the strong survive and might makes right, we must all agree to abide by certain ground rules.
If I have and you do not, I will share. If I do not have and you do, I will not seek to steal it from you, but might ask you to share. I will stay to the right, stand in line, and park where designated for your benefit and mine.
I am special in my own way, but I am not more special than you.
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