Purple Mountain Majesties

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It has been happening for years. Here and there, someone tries to speak up, speak out and gets silenced. They are sent to the remote corners of Alaska, packaged and delivered to the less desireable, or otherwise shown the door. This shunned and ostersized person meekly tries to survive and recover from the backlash of words, rants and raves. Basically, their lives become a product of "hate." Changed by "hate." Derailed. Discarded. Destroyed.

Hate is the correct word for it - though many would say that it is in academia's best interest, that the student mind is being protected, that foundations are being strengthen. Basically the politically correct term for what would otherwise be incorrect and intolerable if released on the "educated."

This is changing.

Slowly, a few minds are emerging that will speak up, take a stand and withstand the berrage of discrediting comments. In the academic world - and I would further argue, the world in general - logic, thought and speech from the silence but majority view is considered intolerant, closed minded and narrow; it is extremist, hateful and illogical.

I am talking about the debate between Darwinism and Intelligent Design (ID). How many times have you heard of a student that writes a paper on ID or creationism and is nearly expelled. At the very least he/she is told to rewrite, omit or face serious consequences. What about the student wearing a simple t-shirt promoting something other than the Big Bang?

The change is slow, and...yet to be determined as to whether it will fully happen. I submit, that it must happen. Not that ID, Creationism or another theory would be crammed down others throats; no, rather that these and new theories be tested, studied, considered, free to be a part of the academic discussion rather than being ridiculed and scorned. If ideas should be championed in the world, where else but the academic stage? What would Descartes, Socrates, Galileo and a host of other thinkers say to today's so-called educators?

My challege is that you go see Ben Stein's Documentary: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The title says it all. Free speech is not being allowed; thought police are high on the hunt and if the silence majority do not speak up and act . . . who knows where we will soon be...take these words as warning:

"The philosophy in the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next." - Abraham Lincoln

Unfortunately, those seeking to destroy his very beliefs and the beliefs of so many in America, have taken his words and used them as a battle charge to ruin America. If we do not take Lincoln's words - as he meant them - and stand against the tide of liberalism, we will see homosexuality being taught to children without parental consent, abortion taken to the extreme, our Constitution thrown out the window by mis-use, history will be re-written and so much more.

posted by Captain America @ 21:34