This is a rule I tend to live by, especially when it comes to situations in which folks say they’re doing something for the good of society, the good of children, the good of women or minorities, the greater good or for your own good.
After some inspection, it’s easy to see what and why these folks are doing what they’re doing. It’s for their own lust for money, power or station in society —which, believe me, is well above yours.
Sound harsh? The truth usually is. But that’s what serving has become. It’s almost always about taking how someone thinks, believes or demands people think and act and then using government to force it onto others. Government does it the only way government does things — at the barrel of a gun or the threat of imprisonment.
That’s harsh as well. But it doesn’t make it not true. If you ask someone in government why they’re doing what they’re doing, their answer will usually encompass my already mentioned points of the good of society, the good of children, the good of women or minorities, the greater good or for our own good. The only problem is it’s really never good to the forgotten man — please read all of us, it’s just a phrase — because in every law, most of man is forgotten. Laws are written to benefit the government and select few.
Since undergoing open heart surgery, I’ve been living the polar opposite in almost every action I’ve taken. My recovery is completely selfish. Every time I take my vitals, go for a walk, make a meal that’s healthier and any other action I take to continue to live, it’s all about me. The reason is simple. If everything I do makes for a better, healthier, truer me, my cumulative actions benefit society. And in that sentence one thing isn’t part of the equation: forcing my ways, thoughts and behaviors on others through government.
What I’m really calling for is people doing what’s best for them, especially in the areas of responsibility we allow government to implement. That’s where we unknowingly give up almost every unalienable right bestowed on us by our creator.
For now, let’s focus on education.
I’ve had plenty of conversations over the years about education. Being the child of two teachers active in their jobs, the teachers’ union (no, not as supporters) and a former board of education member. It was the same two parents with more than 70 years combined living and working in our education system. I’ve had many more conversations about Mesa County School District 51 since moving to Grand Junction. I’ll be honest. The conversations aren’t good, and they’re getting worse.
I’m not talking about basic education conversations. When I talk to most parents, they want the simple things. Taking young, eager minds and teaching them to read, write, add and be curious about learning everything they can. They also love the other activities that expand our kids’ learning experience. Problem is, many of these things aren’t highest on our schools’ priority lists any longer.
So imagine my (non) shock when I decided to participate in a conference call promoted by our local group, Restore the Balance. The group in charge of the call was named “Indivisible CO” and the topic was “Right Wing School Board Takeovers.”
The call would have been more appropriately titled “Everything you need to know about manufactured outrage.”
I use that term because it was used many times by the few speakers I was allowed to listen in on. I say allowed because, like every other local conservative attendee who bothered to speak up during the tirades of the offended, was kicked out of the call upon commenting. Seems kind of divisible, no? Making these presentations worse, the speakers weren’t talking about kids. They were sharing their experiences as the result of elections.
In other words, their manufactured outrage.
Allow me to quote Robin Kupernik to offer some insight: “I apologize for the delay. After the call, we realized we had a number of attendees who were not aligned with our goals of keeping schools inclusive and welcoming to all. Because of this, we decided not to share the recording to protect the privacy of the speakers. In the face of anger and sometimes outright hate, it was very brave of our speakers to share their experiences.”
That doesn’t sound inclusive and welcoming to all, does it? Projecting hate and anger onto others who simply want input into our schools while dismissing them wholesale is the exact opposite of inclusion. In my experience, these folks seem to have not learned the meaning of irony or hypocrisy via our education system. But they do seem to have mastered the art of manufactured outrage.
The left’s lust to rule and force its agenda at every level of society should concern every freedom-loving American. It can only restore tyranny, never balance. Only freedom brings balance.