[Rhodes22-list] WTF? ... Teach history anymore?

Sat May 13 10:28:10 EDT 2006

I doubt H.S. history courses spend any time at all on the "tough" aspects of 
the McCarthy era... just like I suspect they don't (or barely) mention how 
the gov stole the assets of nearly all the Japanese Americans on the west 
coast and shipped them off to "camps" (in the name of national security)... 
just like I suspect they don't (or barely) mention how the gov pillaged the 
Native Americans (continuing into recent times... remember Leonard 
Pelletier?  he's still in prison) in the name of  "we're not safe if they're 
around" and sent them off to special "camps"... I imagine the story of how 
our gov treated blacks is a little more honest due to the relatively 
stronger representation of blacks in mainstream society.

...well I can't be sure what the history books say cause frankly I haven't 
read a H.S. history book in quite a few years, but out of my belief that 
public education is a social instrument for mind-bending and conditioning 
those of our young to toe the line, I would be shocked to see anything like 
the "real" story being told...  but gawd, I'd hate to be a history teacher 
answering questions from bright, inquisitive, open minds on the social 
impact of our gov policies and practices present or past.

I guess its time us old folk make the youngin's sit down and listen to our 
stories... I was in high school and college during the McCarthy era.. I 
remember viscerally the fear and anger I felt about what was going on... I 
remember Pete Seeger coming to UCR to play his protest songs which he kindly 
allowed me to tape on my new reel-to-reel Wallensak tape recorder... I 
remember the horror of the John Birch Society activities... I remember the 
nausea I felt when I heard of protesters being shot by our gov (Berkeley, 
Kent State? Los Angeles... tmtc incidents in the South).  I remember the 
disgust and upset I felt when the body count came out from Vietnam every day 
(to stop the "domino effect" of communism in Asia -- fear of Communists? why 
China is our biggest trading partner... Italy just elected a Communist 
leader... what's to fear there?) hmmm... now how do the history teachers 
explain THAT?!... or do we still teach history by memorizing dates and 
places and ignore the social issues?

I even remember the drills in grammar school of the nuclear attack alarms 
going of and diving under the desk (remind you of duct tape and plastic? 
another useless, "feel-good" gov-sponsored recommendation to "quell the 
anxiety of the masses"... did anyone else notice the wry smile on the face 
of Tom Ridge as he appeared on TV suggesting this to us and then appearing a 
couple of months later to say "just kidding"?).  In case anyone's 
interested, here is the link to current gov recommendations of what to do in 
case of a biological attack: 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030207-10.html
plastic and duct tape are still on the list.. be sure you have yours precut 
to cover your windows... didn't see anything on how to manage the increase 
of CO2 to unacceptable levels cause your house is supposedly totally 
sealed...

I guess along with being happy I'm not a history teacher trying to "explain" 
crazy stuff that happened years ago, I'm happy I'm not a gov spokesperson 
trying to "explain" current crazy stuff...

What really sickens me is that fear-mongering is inevitably used to promote 
personal and political ambition having little or nothing to do with keeping 
U.S. citizens "safe" from terrorists...  "power corrupts and absolue power 
corrupts absolutely"... anyone notice that there is one or two new incidents 
of corruption every week out of our gov these days? I can't remember any 
time where this was true to such a degree... but then I'm "only" 64....

I'm not naive or idealistic enough to think that there is nothing to fear, 
but there have been nasty people doing nasty things throughout the history 
of mankind.. remember all the hijackings of the 80's?  Taking away our 
personal freedoms is not the answer... how about the gov increase the 
communication, cooperation and respect for the "worker bees" in their own 
organizations for a start... seems like they had all the info they needed to 
prevent 9/11 had these organizational dynamics been in place.

The irony is that the "conservatives" so to speak claim to be about reducing 
big government and leaving people to create their own fates (i.e. lack of 
gov interference in personal affairs)... somehow it never seems to work out 
that way.

ok.. I'm done kiddies... (just joking... many on this list have the same or 
similar memories)...

...next?

Saroj

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Daniel S Bodnar" <dsbodnar at earthlink.net>
To: "'The Rhodes 22 mail list'" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 1:33 AM
Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] WTF?

> Don't they teach history anymore?  Doesn't anyone remember the McCarthy
> Communist witch hunts and the lives ruined by that-
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy ?
>
> It doesn't take much to turn this into an opportunity to persecute 
> political
> opponents, or economic rivals.  The "6 degrees of separation theory" would
> say that if there are 100 terrorists in the country and if each of them
> orders a pizza, we are on the watch list, if any of us has ordered a pizza
> since 9/11.
> And if you regularly order a pizza from the same joint as a terrorist, 
> start
> listening for extra clicks when you use the phone.
>
> My ramblings aren't as ludicrous as they sound; it is just history 
> repeating
> itself. And as Saroj points out, the feds are not shy about abusing power.
>
> Dan Bodnar
> SV QOL
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Saroj Gilbert
> Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 8:50 PM
> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] WTF?
>
> ...and if someone thinks that our lackadaisical attitude towards the 
> erosion
>
> of our much-loved personal freedoms is o.k. as long as we aren't calling 
> Al
> Qaida members, google "RICO" and "forfeiture" and check out what has
> happened to this legislation that was originally intended to prevent
> organized crime from profiting from their crimes when normal legal process
> failed.  Starting in the 80's it began to be used against average citizens
> who were "suspected" of illegal activity with no legitimate "due 
> process"...
>
> "reasonable suspicion" was the criteria used for law enforcement to seize
> and keep assets... you may be surprised with how extensive the abuses are.
>
> www.acluutah.org/assetforfeiture.htm
> www.house.org/paul/press/press99/pr061799.htm
> www.aclu.org/crimjustice/searchseizure/10303leg19990802.html
>
> I have personally been a victim of this nasty legislation... cost me 
> approx.
>
> $3000 to get my van back... and the police managed to strip it and cause a
> lot of damage before I did.
>
> Saroj
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Slim" <salm at mn.rr.com>
> To: "Rhodes22-list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 1:29 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] WTF?
>
>
>> Dammit, I'm pissed!  I'm appalled, disgusted, frightened and sickened. 
>> W.
>> has the nerve to espouse "freedom" as he takes it away from us!
>>
>> Stirring the pot and ducking for cover.
>>
>> Slim
>>
>>
>> On 5/11/06 10:57 PM, "Slim" <salm at mn.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>>> So now mein furer is tracking all my calls and emails??!!
>>> He says no innocent citizen is being monitored.  No listening or
>>> trolling.
>>> I guess I don't have a problem unless I'm talking to my man about a big,
>>> fat
>>> bag of...(line went dead).
>>>
>>> __________________________________________________
>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>
>> __________________________________________________
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