This is Proof that I am Thinking...

Ron Brown, the only mistake that God made was creating people like you who use the Bible’s unclear scripture to pass judgement on those who make you afraid. Now that we’re aware that God has made a mistake, you can pray about that too. 

A tip of the hat to you, Mr. Brown. Thank you for clarifying that the world’s issues are not black and white. Well done. 

Today in my English 354 class we had a discussion about civic education in high schools. The question was, what truly is the right way to education the youth? How can we make sure that our young voters in the next election have a solid and unbiased foundation of both politics and history?

A “solid” civic education, to me, involves obtaining and maintaining civic education that one can use to interact wholly in the American democratic process. But how do we ensure that every American teen obtains that kind of civics education in high school? How do we ensure that the education that our future voters receive covers the most relevant material, is the most true, the most unbiased, and the most accurate that it can be? Does that come in the form of text books, primary sources, propaganda films, or comics? Does it involve a revision of what is taught in class including a revision of the national standards? 

There are so many questions here. I will pick one per post. 

First: What is the democratic process? 

Throughout the course of American history it is safe to say that democracy has evolved greatly. For instance, most understand that when the Constitution was first written the words, “all men are created equal,” were inscribed within it. But most also know that regardless of those pretty words, slavery, racism, and sexism were rampant in the country at the time. In those times, the word “men” primarily meant white men. These white men were the ones that participated in the democratic process. It’s good that we have come far enough (in certain respects) to gain some equality in the democratic process.

The democratic process involves many other things other than voting. However, being educated about political issues that impact our everyday lives is paramount and (I feel) way too overlooked in our society). If we are failing to educate our youth, we are failing to promote the best intentions for our nation’s future. 

Going further on the democratic process:

1) The young minds that are being molded in American public high schools are the voters of the next presidential election. Living in a democracy means that every person’s right is to partake in the democratic process. However, civic education is not pushed hard enough into high school curriculums, therefore these future voters are for the most part uneducated in civics and the democratic process. If we fail to educate our young voters on the democratic process and all of civic education, we are asking our present system to continue. Civic education is almost treated like sexual education at the high school level—the majority of the explanation is left us to the parents. This parental involvement can be both good and bad. 

The good comes from the introduction and education into your lifestyle, culture, upbringing, values, beliefs, etc. However, I project that the bad far out weighs the good.

The bad can be seen in our political system on capital hill today. Our composition of polar politicians has been so devout about not compromising that stability of legislation is shaky at best. Politicians divided by value and belief coupled with an unwillingness to compromise has a direct effect on our potential young voters. 

This is why:

a) Civic education not being taught in an unbiased, accurate, relevant way in high school leaves that education up to the parents. The parents who have by consent of faith, belief, etc sided with a certain political faction promote that belief in the home. That is if politics are your family dinner time conversation. This polarity in the home translates to the young adult. 

b) Civic education not being taught as mentioned above coupled with the uncompromising polarity on Capitol Hill gives off this vibe: It doesn’t matter because nothing really ever gets accomplished anyway. (or) I’m only one person, politics aren’t changed by me. They are changed by the rich people in suits in Washington.

Although I agree that it is easy to sometimes feel like one vote won’t matter, but the millions of young adults that don’t vote every year is still astonishing. We need to find a way to reach out and educate these voters before millions of young voters are lost in translation over and over again. We have got to find a way to increase young voter turn out as well as young people’s interaction within the democratic process. As it is always said, the young people are the future. If the future is educated, the future looks bleak. 

Education is the key. At my high school civic education was treated as if it was lack-luster, outdated, and unimportant. In the real world that could not be farther from the truth. We need that education. We need to not only educate our next generations about the past, but we need to adequately prepare them for their futures and their futures within the democratic process. 

Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, the Christmas Day Bomber, was sentenced to life in prison today in a Detroit court room. AbdulMutallab argued that the sentencing was cruel and unusual punishment and unconstitutional although the judge dismissed that his claims. However, U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds lent a keen ear to the prosecutors who portrayed this AbdulMutallab as “an unrepentant would-be mass murderer, who views his crimes as divinely inspired and blessed.” 

Okay, two, no three things:

1) Where were these prosecutors during the Casey Anthony Trial? This guy didn’t even get away with murder and he’s in the getting put away for a long, long time. 

2) Aren’t we used to divine intervention in this country? Haven’t our Christian duties taken us to far off places to “get a point across?” We don’t seem sorry for our colonization or our Christian manifest destiny actions. What did we expect here? 

3) Is this life imprisonment sentence really cruel and unusual punishment and therefore unconstitutional? 

Today:

1) I read and briefed and re-briefed Miranda v. Arizona. I have seemingly come to the conclusion that this case is so influential for some major reasons. One reason is because it gives some sort of legitimacy to the police interrogation and collection of evidence methods via the Miranda Rights. This legitimacy is accompanied by the concept of coercion—or a defendant admitting to something he/she may or may not have done because of serious pressure. Although this was monumental, this is not my favorite part of Miranda’s epic-ness.

Miranda set a precedent for fifth amendment rights. With the implementation of Miranda Rights, every person that was arrested and brought in to undergo custodial interrogation was educated about their rights. This leveled the playing field in the justice system. Even though justice does not mean equality, the Miranda Rights brought about equality when every person, regardless of their social status, was read and guaranteed certain rights. (Right to silence, Right to have your words used against you in a court of law, and Right to an attorney)

So now, it was not just the rich people being represented in court where they could be groomed to say and do the right things. It was everyone, given that everyone could choose to be represented by an attorney that would better prepare them to represent themselves or their case. 

2) While constructing some arguments for the Miranda case I had an epiphany about majority and minority rule in the United States. In our democratic republic we still very much value power. And power=money. Also, in our political system the majority is supposed to hold the power, but as we can see with the top three percent controlling our every move, the minority has now made their presence known and their plans have taken precedence over the majority’s outcries and needs. (Taxes, Health Care, etc.) I don’t know why I have never linked these two thoughts completely together before. It was probably because I’ve never really had something like this happen to me while studying a court case that’s half a century old. Regardless, the pockmarks between majority and minority rule in this country are everywhere.

3) Now in thinking about majority and minority rule in the United States I have come to a new conclusion. In a previous blog I wrote about how the Christians and American Patriots and American ethnocentrists love their majority rule and how in this country they will continue to love majority rule until the naturalized American is no longer the majority rule—and then obviously—they will scream for minority rights. However, linking thoughts one, two, and three together it is easy to see that our top three percent are again setting a brilliant precedent for when immigrants and minorities of all kinds make up the the majority of the American populous; They will just keep acting like the majority and the middle class will continually disintegrate until the middle and lower classes become one and the top three percent will keep running this country and GE will still have to pay no taxes. 

4) Savvy? 

Dear Lord,

This week I pray:

That everyone who needs your guidance receives it.

That the death penalty is abolished worldwide.

That the US Supreme Court finds a re-write of the the presidential term limits constitutional.. I miss William Jefferson Clinton. 

That I don’t have to listen to anything revolving around Bachmann, Palin, Perry, or any other doofus that makes my head hurt and my ears bleed. 

That I don’t have to listen to Lou Holtz talk about how good Notre Dame is.

That I don’t have to listen to Kirk Herbstreit run his mouth about Ohio State.

That the Huskers don’t embarrass themselves this weekend. Play with sureness. Please.

And I pray that TSA does not find a loaded gun in Dougie’s carryon. 

Oh, and one more thing…

I pray that people stop interpreting what they think you said once and use it to pass judgment on others when the only thing that we know for sure is that a (every) human being is sacred, fallible, and in need of forgiveness. 

I send these thoughts up in the air and out into cyberspace knowing that not a one of them will be granted. But here’s to wishful thinking and hoping for the best in 2011.