Comments on: You’re quitting on your country http://theburnman.com/2009/09/youre-quitting-on-your-country/ life from a different perspective Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:38:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=1753 By: Burnman http://theburnman.com/2009/09/youre-quitting-on-your-country/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Burnman Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:10:31 +0000 http://theburnman.com/?p=560#comment-98 Hello Lynn, I believe wholeheartedly that a proper education is an absolute necessity in life, and we should certainly be encouraging the youth of America to make the most of their education. My point is that we should take care not to associate difficulties in learning with poor citizenship, which some of the language in President Obama's speech seemed to indicate. A student who struggles with their studies is no less patriotic, no less proud to be an American, than one which excels in their school work. Does a good education make an individual better equipped to participate in the democratic process? Of course. But that does not automatically mean that individual will be patriotic, willing to contribute, or interested in the democratic process at all. Hello Lynn,

I believe wholeheartedly that a proper education is an absolute necessity in life, and we should certainly be encouraging the youth of America to make the most of their education. My point is that we should take care not to associate difficulties in learning with poor citizenship, which some of the language in President Obama’s speech seemed to indicate.

A student who struggles with their studies is no less patriotic, no less proud to be an American, than one which excels in their school work. Does a good education make an individual better equipped to participate in the democratic process? Of course. But that does not automatically mean that individual will be patriotic, willing to contribute, or interested in the democratic process at all.

]]> By: Lynn http://theburnman.com/2009/09/youre-quitting-on-your-country/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Lynn Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:46:28 +0000 http://theburnman.com/?p=560#comment-97 As a teacher of 39 years and somewhat immersed in the history of education in the US, I have to disagree with your thought that education and Americanism/patriotism are unrelated. Since the beginning of our country, public education, funded by the government has had as one of its goals the preparation of an educated constituency in order that democracy work. (See Jefferson's writings for some thoughts). Our vast industrial-type schools exploded onto the scene at a time when huge numbers of immigrants were flooding the country and needed to learn English and government in order to participate in our democratic processes. IMHO, one of our great failings seems to be that we have trivialized what it means to be educated and I can't help but wonder if that isn't some of what plagues us when we get these tempests in a teapot over the political ramifications of the President's education speech. As a teacher of 39 years and somewhat immersed in the history of education in the US, I have to disagree with your thought that education and Americanism/patriotism are unrelated. Since the beginning of our country, public education, funded by the government has had as one of its goals the preparation of an educated constituency in order that democracy work. (See Jefferson’s writings for some thoughts). Our vast industrial-type schools exploded onto the scene at a time when huge numbers of immigrants were flooding the country and needed to learn English and government in order to participate in our democratic processes. IMHO, one of our great failings seems to be that we have trivialized what it means to be educated and I can’t help but wonder if that isn’t some of what plagues us when we get these tempests in a teapot over the political ramifications of the President’s education speech.

]]> By: Burnman http://theburnman.com/2009/09/youre-quitting-on-your-country/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Burnman Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:20:09 +0000 http://theburnman.com/?p=560#comment-96 Thanks for stopping by Mike! I am sorry to hear you didn't like my little write-up, but I appreciate your candid opinion. I am not bitter McCain lost, in fact, I have never been a McCain supporter. I would love to help get the country back on track, but I am not sure the path to doing so has yet been taken. Time will tell, and we shall see. Anyway, take care! Thanks for stopping by Mike!

I am sorry to hear you didn’t like my little write-up, but I appreciate your candid opinion. I am not bitter McCain lost, in fact, I have never been a McCain supporter. I would love to help get the country back on track, but I am not sure the path to doing so has yet been taken. Time will tell, and we shall see.

Anyway, take care!

]]> By: Mike Homan http://theburnman.com/2009/09/youre-quitting-on-your-country/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Mike Homan Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:15:34 +0000 http://theburnman.com/?p=560#comment-95 Dude or Dude-ette, Reading this entry was the BIGGEST waste of my entire life (and it's been pretty wasteful)---I feel like I have somehow become less of an American by reading your senseless ramblings and I have no doubt lost some brain cells as well...Don't be bitter McCain lost--it's over, help the country get back together instead of...wth am i even writing this for? U won't change...As you were... Dude or Dude-ette,

Reading this entry was the BIGGEST waste of my entire life (and it’s been pretty wasteful)—I feel like I have somehow become less of an American by reading your senseless ramblings and I have no doubt lost some brain cells as well…Don’t be bitter McCain lost–it’s over, help the country get back together instead of…wth am i even writing this for? U won’t change…As you were…

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