There are only three states with over 20 million people. California is by far the biggest state with about 39 1/2 million people. Texas is second with about 29 1/2 million people. And Florida is third with nearly 22 million people. An article out of the Associated Press told us this: "Despite their differing approaches, California and Florida have experienced almost identical outcomes in COVID-19 case rates." We are told both states have a rate of about 8,900 cases per 100,000 residents. And death rates? Florida ranked 27th with California at 28th. Which leads to this question: rather than shutting down states and destroying much of our economy, could we have achieved the same results with social distancing, the wearing of masks, and by encouraging people over 60 and other high-risk individuals to stay at home? Did many of our Governors fail us?
One online site shows the number of businesses that closed by metropolitan area. In the top ten are 4 California metro areas. The next ten (11-20) have 3 metro areas in California. The next ten (21-30) has only one metro area in California. So, California has 8 of the top 30. Florida: 0, as in zero. Another site shows California having permanently lost 14,050 businesses, with another 15,301 temporarily closed. Florida shows 5,332 permanently closed and 3,331 temporarily closed. So Florida has less than a third (29.5%) of the business closures that California has had, even though Florida's population is over half (55%) that of California's.
The California State Board of Education just approved an amended course in Ethnic Studies. It is a model curriculum; and while its use is not mandatory, the pressure to make it part of the new "equity" pedagogy will be tremendous. The original Ethnic Studies program was so extreme, and so anti-Semitic, that it was even too much for Governor Newsom. Although approved by the California legislature, Newsom vetoed it. This past week, the Board approved the amended Ethnic Studies program, which the legislature will certainly pass.
The Board of Education official site tells us this: "The Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum is aimed at empowering students by illuminating the often untold struggles and contributions of Native Americans, African Americans, Latino/a/x Americans, and Asian Americans in California." And we are told this: "Today we made an important step toward confronting and ultimately transforming racism in our society and state...we are reminded daily that the racial injustice it reveals is not only a legacy of the past but a clear and present danger." There it is - racism today is the same as it was 70 years ago. And we are told by the Board: "The fight for justice and human rights begins with education, and begins now."
Right, there have not been any fights for justice and human rights before the Board came up with this nonsense. We know how this subject matter will be taught. America is bad. America was founded on racism and slavery. Nothing has changed for the better. California is not teaching - they are indoctrinating young people with left-wing ideology. One thing is for certain. If my kids were of school age today, there is no way that I would agree to send them to public schools.
Just to give you some idea of the left-wing slant of the drafters of this curriculum, the original draft looked favorably on the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic "Boycott, Divest and Sanction" movement - a movement that ultimately seeks the destruction of Israel. The original draft also referred to Israel's War of Independence as the "Nakba," the Palestinian term for "catastrophe." With much protest by Jewish groups, those offending provisions were removed. But in a state with nearly 1.2 million Jews, the inclusion of those provisions in the original draft shows us that anti-Semitism is alive and well within the Democratic left.
An Op-Ed in the 3/17/21 Wall Street Journal makes the point that "a core tenet of ethnic studies is that a person's identity is determined first and foremost by group membership." For those of you raised as I was, that we are to treat people as individuals, and never judge a person based on factors of race or ethnicity, you can forget that. That idea is now considered racist. The Journal: "Ethnic studies wants to invert traditional American ideas of individual merit, opportunity and success." To say that anyone who works hard can succeed in America is now racist also.
I prefer the approach of Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis: "Florida civics curriculum will incorporate foundational concepts with the best materials, and it will expressly exclude unsanctioned narratives like critical race theory..." And DeSantis said that Florida has "...no room in our classrooms for things like critical race theory...teaching kids to hate their country and to hate each other is not worth one red cent of taxpayer money." Of course, that is the goal of many of these programs, such as the "1619 Project," promulgated by the New York Times, teaching that the country was founded in 1619 when the first slaves were brought here.
The path that California is on is one that will lead to greater animosity between races and ethnic groups. The idea of "E Pluribus Unum" (out of many, one) is passe. The teaching of civics, government and a sense of patriotism? Probably on the way out. Why would young students feel any sense of patriotism towards a country they are being told is racist and evil? And what feelings will they have for their fellow Americans, especially white Americans, who will be seen as their oppressors. I think Ronald Reagan said it best: "Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction." It need not be lost by war. It can be lost from within.
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