There is an unusual opportunity presenting if we have but sufficient vision to recognize it; indeed there are dozens of opportunities forced upon us this August of 2020. The Chinese communists have done their damnedest to destroy the United States both from within and without with their spying, stealing of intellectual property, cyber warfare and financial subversion of political leaders and key administrative personnel, and, now, with the unleashing – carefully leveraged – of the Covid-19 virus strain. What an odd way to be handed so many opportunities. Where do we start?
“Covid,” defined as all of the partially wise and partially stupid effects of reactions to it, has stripped away the façade – perhaps “veneer” is more apt – of wisdom and legitimacy claimed by whole swaths of elected leadership. From Andrew (and Chris) Cuomo, Bill DiBlasio, Phil Murphy, Janet Mills and Muriel Bowser in the East, to Lori Lightfoot and Gretchen Witmer in the upper Midwest, to Jenny Durkan, Ted Wheeler, Gil Garcetti, Gavin Newsom, Kate Brown and Jay Inslee on the left coast, many city and state leaders – people who have real responsibilities to their populations – have exposed themselves as fools and worse, people who believe that criminals are forced into crime by society (which is to say white oppressors) and that it is merely further oppression to arrest and incarcerate them: they’re all innocent.
Police on the other hand, in this (can’t say “school” of thought, maybe cesspool of thought) mindset are all guilty and should be disbanded. After all, the very existence, never mind presence of police actually causes more crime. Every one of these elected executive officers swore to uphold their state constitutions and the U. S. Constitution, but they have apparently not read those written formalities. What they have sworn to ultimately do is tear down the United States and western civilization with them. This attitude helps them when it’s time to bow down so very, very low to the banner of Black Lives Matter: a communist front group. Can you say, “treason?”
We’ve spoken of the dangers of unionism in the past, and one of those is the tendency of police unions (call them what you will) virtually universally, to protect their members whenever there are public complaints, or departmental sanctions against them. Lost in the minutiae of municipal employment contracts are numerous, arcane ways to delay, compromise, trade or plead down reprimands for everything up to and including fatal events. Defense of members is understandable and a large part of union justification, but it is safe to say that many of the officers sanctioned for the death of an unarmed suspect, regardless of skin color, were sanctioned previously for failing to follow accepted, prescribed “rules of engagement,” as it were… and their unions protected them, keeping them on the job when they should never have access to the official umbrella again.
Unionism for municipal employees, so-called, “public” employees, is a bad idea in general, were it not for so many examples of poor municipal executive management. Another terrible example is teachers’ unions, poor school department management notwithstanding. Along with police and fire employment, education employment is where excellence is needed and should be rewarded, and where mediocrity or worse should never be tolerated. In most cities and towns, even with some mediocre or poor members, police and fire departments have long records of success, often marked by dramatic lifesaving. Their unions seem to encourage selflessness, even heroism, in service to others.
Education unions, on the other hand, are mere budget manipulators. Exceptional educational work outside of contracted hours and duties is frowned upon and discouraged, else other teachers may suffer in comparison. There seems to be little concern for the positive effects on children who are blessed with some of that exceptionalism. Covid-19 has provided an opportunity for communities to rearrange the nature of education in the face of teachers’ (unions) unwillingness to go back to work after the spring Covid disinformation campaign. Science makes clear that the risks are minimal for almost all school personnel and for students, while emphasizing the damages done by the absence of daily school attendance. Doesn’t seem to matter.
Some “School Committee” could have done its actual job and utilized the past 5 months or so to de-certify its local teacher union and replace those who refused to work without a union. Lots of people would be happy to teach if imparting knowledge were to become the goal of public education. Each could be interviewed and hired on the basis of their honest appreciation for the United States’ history, the theorems and facts of mathematics, the proper usage of English grammar, the ability and value of proper spelling, the meaning of words and the responsibilities of citizenship. And some serious science, of course.
Instead these 5 months have been wasted, barely utilized to advance education at all. In a way, the students have been safe from hyper-sexualized, socialistic content for 5 months. We should rejoice that so many teachers on the payrolls are so uncaring. This is an opportunity for parents to do what that hypothetical school committee might have done: Clean house and return to an education system rather than a propaganda system. The opportunity is here.
What other opportunities might there be? Perhaps there is an opportunity to replace political party leadership – both parties. Clearly both parties need to step back from lies, calumny and focus-grouped accusations. Clearly, the American people are entitled – ENTITLED – to honesty about our government, budgeting and success rates for a multiplicity of “social” programs.
We are entitled to the defense of our nation, to the clarity and defense of our borders, and to the safety of our streets, properties and persons. We are entitled to the education of our children in the history, heritage, culture and CITIZENSHIP of OUR COUNTRY.
Are these things too much to ask?
Aren’t we also entitled to honesty about communist, anti-American domestic subversion? We are in the midst of the greatest opportunity for our nation: to expose the insinuation of communist operatives into key bureaucratic points of power… and into even elected and political positions, including municipal, county, state and federal levels. Are we not entitled to leadership committed to the strength and defense of our country? Can there be no test of loyalty and patriotism? What are we afraid of?
Do American freedom and the Bill of Rights provide a process of cultural suicide? Doesn’t seem very Prudent.