Month: May 2018

Ancient Justification for Democracy

The ancient Greeks fancied themselves the champions of Freedom while looking down upon the Persians as enslaving entire populations.

After the defeat of the Persians in the late 400s, a Greek known as Otanes asked: how could monarchy be a harmonious and coherent system when it permits the ruler to do whatever he wishes, to be accountable to no one? For arrogance will grow within him as he enjoys all the good things at hand…,

He went on to say: the rule of the majority, however, not only has the most beautiful and powerful name of all, equality, but in practice, the majority does not act at all like a monarch. Indeed, the majority chooses its magistrates by lot, it holds all of these officials accountable to an audit, and it refers all resolutions to the authority of the public.

You see, Otanes realized the single ruler is unconstrained and therefore a dangerously outrageous, jealous, and violent oppressor of his subjects.

Wow, it seems Herodotus, in Book 3 section 8, was commenting on something that would occur again one thousand five hundred and forty eight years later.

Red v. Purple

So, what was the Red for ED all about? It was about pay inequity – teachers who hadn’t had a raise in several years. When your pay isn’t even keeping up with the economy’s inflation, it’s time to speak up.
 
But, it was also about funding. Educational funding. Providing the necessary resources for districts to provide essential services. Like BOOKS. (I haven’t seen a text book in the hands of school children since 2004!!!!!!!) Like SUPPPLIES. (Why are teachers taking money out of their own pockets and why are districts sending home school supply donation lists?) Like physical education, art and music. Like after school sports and educational programs.
 
And for all of those morons on the Purple for Parents (anti Red for Ed protestors), idiotic bandwagon, I’ll leave you with this thought: almost EVERY dictatorship (Mao Tsa Tung, Lenin / Stalin, the entire Kim family of North Korea, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, the “re-education schools” of Vietnam, etc) kills as many educators and intellectuals as possible. Thus, eliminating critical thinking, free thought, and educated dissent and making mindless slaves out of the population. So, you’re right – it is about politics because, you fucking morons, political action is the only way to get the funding. You might know that if you were, let me think, what’s the phrase I’m looking for – oh yeah, EDUCATED.
 
For the rest of us, don’t stand by and allow your children to be cheated out of quality education. Don’t believe in this right to work bullshit. Bring back the unions. Bring back the guilds (trade schools). And, finally, remember this: one day these children are going to be making decisions for US as we age and enter in the Autumn of Life. Let’s make sure they’re making EDUCATED decisions on our behalf.