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Solar Systems

We live in the same universe and share the same planet. Why can’t we live on it in peace?

Acrylic on Canvas/ 16” x 20”/ $ 299

  A Way Out of Madness

People are concerned about how our country is going to heal the current political divide before it leads to a full fledged civil war. If you don’t think  that scenario is possible they say, look at Syria. It used to be a vibrant country of 22 million that was considered a political and military heavyweight in the region. It’s rich history is both complex and diverse. Before the war, it boasted bustling marketplaces in Damascus and Aleppo with an innovative IT industry despite economic sanctions imposed by the west. It was known for having a sophisticated literary tradition, film industry, supermarkets and modern shopping centers to go along with the old. Friends and family welcomed all who knocked on their door. It was a melting pot of religion and ethnicities, allowing for mixed marriages between Christians and Muslims. Now it is in shambles. Are we headed in this direction? Is this image from Syria a possibility for us?

A friend told me how upset she was because her conservative brother-in-law made demeaning, nasty comments on Facebook about her liberal leaning brother. She now understands how families, split over political beliefs, were devastated by the Civil War. Hopefully this will not happen for most people realize that war is not the way forward.

Wars benefit ammunition dealers, financiers and those hungry for power. They rarely help citizens who are instead used as fodder. They kill thousands of ordinary people, destroy homes, and leave families and friends destitute and bitter. As with our own Civil War, some people never heal and put the conflict behind them. PTSD and long lasting grudges spill into future generations. Is war the training we want to give our children?

Who will stop the madness taking over America? It has to be tackled on many fronts, but I look to our children and challenge schools to cover topics that will turn them into competent adults. Youth today view the world differently than their elders. They are more accepting of differences and better educated in environmental issues. However, the quality of their schooling is not evenly distributed throughout the country. Our job as adults is to change that trajectory and insure that everyone receives a comprehensive education. Certain subjects have tools hidden within that can help heal the nation and should to be included in curriculums.

a)  Let’s start with bullying, a problem that makes young people afraid to attend classes.  According to Do Something, a global organization of 6 million youth making positive change, 3.2 million students  are victims of bullying each year. In the U.S., 1 in 4 students say they’ve been bullied at school. Parents are coming together to change this harmful situation making schools pay attention to harassment. My grandson’s school has an anti-bullying program that begins in kindergarten and continues through twelfth grade. These types of programs are spreading throughout the country. My hope is that graduates will put a stop to the derogatory rhetoric that has invaded the highest levels of government.

  I was taught that  “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never harm me.” Unfortunately, that’s not true. Labeling people Horseface,  Black Jackie, Pocahontas, Bimbo, and dumpy pundit, is not hurtful, ugly and childish. With early indoctrination in kindness and tolerance, the next generation may lead the country in more civilized ways.

b) Another subject for inclusion is history, for it is not only a presentation of facts from the past, but it is a search for interpretation making it useful for today. To be insightful, history has to be presented in honest, complete and unbiased ways. Textbooks slanted towards the white race at the expense of other groups will not heal the divide. Topics need to be included that are often glossed over, such as the Indian Wars of the late 1800s, the growth and suppression of labor unions and  racially motivated immigration laws. By hearing all sides of issues minds become open to understanding divergent concerns. Studying the past enables youth to see why people act the way they do. It helps identify where nations have gone wrong so we can avoid their pitfalls.

c) It is important to learn how to search for truth, but even more important is binspired to want to do so.  Encouraging curiosity is a difficult task for educators. From an early age questioning should be encouraged. There are negative consequences to society for complacency and ignorance. If a parent or teacher does not have an answer then the child should be challenged to discover what it is. What they learn and experiences has to be discussed for full impact. There is no substitute for talking to children and encouraging them to analyze what they are reading. Deep explorations will prepare them to be thinkers and intelligent voters. 

d) With the exception of a few states, most students are introduced to environmental issues around global warming. The teens I speak to are knowledgeable and concerned, often more aware of the human influence on climate change than older adults. It is important to understand the scientific reasons for warming, but it is also useful to bring economic factors into discussions, for they are the crux of the reason congress is unwilling to act. To combat rising temperatures, w have to change the way the live, eat and transport ourselves. Climate change a subject that can not be glossed over if we want our children to flourish.

e) Identifying winners and losers, and debating pros and cons of various economic, religious and political systems is challenging but also interesting tp young minds. Most youth I speak to love to philosophize. If you want to have a lively discussion, choose to explore the notion of “the common good,” for it is at the base of political and economic beliefs.  

My neighbor said to me while we were riding exercise bicycles, “ I don’t believe in the common good. I believe people should sink or swim on their own merits. I started out dirt poor. I’m a self made man. It wasn’t easy, but I was determined. Anyone who works hard can do the same.  I probably will wind up living in a gated community.”

This man of color pulled himself out of poverty.  He is intelligent, college educated, earned a pile of money that allowed him engage in entrepreneurial ventures. Unfortunately, most people do not have his skills nor the support that helped him become an NBA player. Thousands fall through the cracks of poverty, poor schooling and parental ignorance. 

f) Lastly, Public education has the potential of being the great equalizer. But adults need to provide schools with resources and teachers who are unafraid when students express concerns and think for themselves. They need to hire educators to shown them how to find information so they know when they’re being duped by fake news. Collecting  and considering information is something curious people do.

Above chart was developed by my creative son Talik. It shows what happened during the presidency of nine men. You might like to expand it's size to explore.  

Education is under attack and we can not let that happen. The move to use public money for private schooling through vouchers will only exasperate the divide. Religious indoctrination doesn’t belong in public education. I would like to see integrated schools maintained, marginal  students given extra help, and pre-schools available for all little ones. I hope we maintain school meals for the hungry, special education for those with disabilities, and add programs for the gifted and talented and vocationally minded.  I see sound reasons for subsidizing college tuitions and decreasing the space between haves and have nots. Good schooling will allow our children to heal the social divide and make America great again.

I’m not hopeful about our country right now. I don’t like being marginalized and told I’m not a true patriot. We are all Americans and need to work together to maintain a democracy. If we don’t have the ability to join together an compromise, let’s make sure our children do. Let’s give them the tools to govern rationally. 

 References:

--Do Something web site. (2018) 11 Facts about Bullying. DoSomething.org, retrieved from 

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-bullying

--Saleh,S. (2014) Five things you never knew about Syria before the war. news.com.au. retrieved from https://www.news.com.au/world/five-things-you-never-knew-about-syria-before-the-war/news-story/50aee87307f613edcd8505f7bce12d0b

 --Krueger, H., Hardiman, K., Kelly, C. (2015)Trump’s most notable insults. The Hill. retrieved from https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/249102-trumps-most-notable-insults

 --Lynn,R & Vanhanen,T., (2010)All Countries: What is the Average I! in the United Sates? IQ Research. retrieved from https://iq-research.info/en/average-iq-by-country/us-united-states

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