Is This The America You Want?

* According to Foxnews.com, the City of Seattle has a new policy regarding certain words; words that government employees were told are not to be used in either government documents or speech. (No, not "swell" or "so's your old man.") Rather, "citizen" is an inappropriate term. Not everyone is a citizen. Some are legal residents, and probably a whole bunch are illegal aliens. Either way, we cannot be offending anybody, so let's get rid of the term "citizen." Of course, when we eliminate the term we also eliminate the concept. But isn't that the goal of the left? To eliminate distinctions. (See the 4/1/13 post: "What's the Difference? Why Do We Make Distinctions?") Why should citizens get to vote but not legal residents or even illegal aliens?

* Seattle also says no to the use of the phrase "brown bag." Instead, government employees should use "lunch and learn" or "sack lunch." I had no idea that those little brown paper lunch bags had racial connotations. According to the story, they were used as a way to determine skin color. (Anybody know this?)

* Seattle's policy comes on the heels of a New York City Department of Education policy from 2012. They determined that companies that provided standardized tests to the City should not use certain words that might cause "unpleasant emotions in the students." A few examples were given. "Birthdays" is inappropriate because Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. "Halloween" clearly no good as it is a pagan holiday. "Dinosaurs" even? Yes, "dinosaurs" might upset fundamentalists.

* Here is the rest of the list of what might provoke "unpleasant emotions" in the students: abuse, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, bodily functions, cancer, catastrophes/disasters (such as tsunami or hurricane), celebrities, children dealing with serious issues, cigarettes, home computers, crime, death, disease, divorce, evolution, expensive gifts, vacations, prizes, gambling with money, homelessness, homes with swimming pools, hunting, junk food, in depth discussion of sports, loss of job, nuclear weapons, parapsychology, occult topics, politics, pornography, poverty, rap music, religion, religious holidays, rock and roll music, running away, sex, slavery, terrorism, excessive TV/video games, vermin, violence, war, bloodshed, weapons (guns, knives), witchcraft and sorcery.

* While some of these might be understandable, especially depending upon the age of the student, I still see two major problems. One, is that any unpleasant emotion must be avoided. So how does one discuss history without discussing wars? Should the tests refer to World Event One and World Event Two? It is far too much politically correct nonsense. The second problem is the creeping socialism/equality philosophy. No mention of "homes with computers" because not everyone can afford a computer. No use of "vacations" because not every family can afford one. The same applies for "expensive gifts" and "homes with swimming pools." Does the NYC Department of Education really think that their students do not know that some families are better off than others?

* The NYC Department of Education dropped their insistence on these banned words/concepts after much protest, according to the Huffington Post. But officials said that they would "continue to advise companies to be sensitive to student backgrounds." So, after considering socioeconomic and religious differences, they need to consider the hundreds of ethnicities that populate the NYC school system? It would be easier to forgo all testing; which has the added benefit for the left of precluding unequal test results. After all, such unequal results might produce "unpleasant emotions in the students."

* Speaking of schools, Hannity on 7/31/13 reported on an interesting history textbook being used in Brevard County, Florida. According to Hannity's guest, Todd Starnes, chapter 10 of the textbook is devoted to Muslim Civilization from 622 to 1629. Jihad is no different than the Crusades; one is a holy war to defend Islam, the other to defend Christianity. The text apparently describes the wonderful way women are treated under Islam. And, best of all, Mohammed is said to be G-d"s messenger. As Hannity noted, imagine a book that declared Moses or Jesus to be G-d's messenger - how fast would the ACLU move to stop its use as a violation of the separation between church and state?

* Do not bother to look for the chapters on Judaism or Christianity - there are none. (The book is said to be published by Pierson Publishing.) According to Starnes, there are at least 80 textbooks that are filled with a pro-Muslim bias that are in use across the country. The adviser on the text is said to be the Institute on Religious and Civic Values. Innocuous enough name, except that it used to be the Council on Islamic Education.

* I have discussed previously how Saudi money is influencing/buying content in numerous textbooks being used in this country. You want to know why the conflict between Israel and the Arabs has gone on for so long? Because the Arabs brainwash their children from the beginning of their schooling that Jews are evil, that Jews are descendants of apes and pigs, that Jews need to be killed. Then, as adults, they get more brainwashing from their media which repeats all the lies on a regular basis. The conflict is not about land, it is about a never-ending religious hatred promulgated by one side only. Think it is different here? Look at what is in our children's textbooks. Consider how left wing (anti-American and anti-Israel) professors dominate our colleges and universities. Look at The New York Times one volume encyclopedic desk reference. I purchased one years ago. Sometime after 9/11 they updated their book, significantly enlarging the section on Islam. After all, the media told us that after 9/11 Muslims were the victims. (Plus, if we just understand them they will not hate us.) Look at how the mainstream media reserves all of its criticisms for Israel and Christianity; none for Islam and the Arab world. (See the 6/6/13 post "Are We At War With Islam, Part IV.)

* I am often criticized for saying that our schools and mainstream media engage in a form of left-wing brainwashing. But what else would you call it when the leftist side is always presented as fair and just, and the other side is always depicted as evil, oppressors, haters, bigots and so on. The Republicans/conservatives in this country are spoken of in the mainstream media the way Jews are spoken of in the Arab/Muslim media. And sadly, the Republicans/conservatives in this country are spoken of by Democrat leaders and pundits in a manner that is quite similar to the way Jews are spoken of by Arab/Muslim leaders. If you disagree, I would love to hear from you. But remember, it was then Chairman of the DNC, Howard Dean, who said Republicans want children to go to bed hungry. It was the NY and/or LA Times which said you were a bigot and a hater if you disapproved of gay marriage. And it was Obama who said the Republicans want dirty air and dirty water. The left demonizes Republicans/conservatives the way the Arabs/Muslims demonize Jews.