Friday, February 19, 2010

"Uncle" Orson hits one out of the Park!

Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite authors of both fiction and essays. His latest "Civilization Watch" column in the Greensboro, NC Rhinoceros Times entitled "How to Produce Stupid Children" should be required reading for all parents who truly love their kids and want them to grow up and be able to think for themselves.

There are too many good quotes to pick one and call it the "money quote". Here's a sample:

"As long as a single child grows up to vote Republican, these educators feel that they have failed."

"The Leftaliban version of American history has clearcut black-and-white good-vs.-evil stories to tell." (I do believe he's created a new word!)

"When they stop teaching American history before 1877, that will mean that everything that has made America a great, exceptional nation that has inspired and, yes, saved the world repeatedly, and is still the inspiration for true reformers in every part of the world – all those things will be ignored."

"But, you see, that "narrative" – the story of Franklin, Paine, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Jackson and Lincoln – is useless to them. It hurts them. It encourages people to think for themselves."

As the InstaProfessor says: "Read the whole thing!"

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration

Awesome.