Something important is missing

Something important is missing.

Let me tell you a story. Actually, it was published in the local newspapers.

Village council convened and heard the complaints of some residents who want youth to be stopped from dropping the F-word while they listen to their loud boom boxes and shoot hoops on private property when there often is no adult supervision.

The village solicitor advised the complainants and council that they can’t stop anyone from swearing loudly in a public place. Such behavior is covered under the First Amendment: Freedom of Speech.

Published reports advise that Councilman Coleman said, “We have laws. Why in the world do people have to put up with this? I think something can be done…”

I am uncertain why Mr. Coleman believes his rights are more important than someone else’s. As a former mayor, isn’t he well aware about rights? About laws…including the First Amendment? But in a small town where you are a big fish in a little pond, maybe it’s easy to forget about others’ rights and freedoms. Maybe you don’t look past your self, past your town’s borders because the whole world—your whole world—is right here and nothing else matters. ..Kind of like the tortoise that draws its head into its shell, ignoring the real world outside.

Except there is danger in that thinking. Elders glean wisdom with age. But that doesn’t mean elders know everything. They are, however, good for guidance. But today’s youth are tougher, less likely to tolerate bullying, disrespect, from anyone else. And if you want respect, with them you have to earn it the old fashioned way, by giving it. Throwing your weight around isn’t going to make things right. I guess everyone doesn’t understand how to use power properly.

In decades past youth hanging out on the square eventually deferred to police who ordered them to disperse and find somewhere else to be. It was even reported that some of the older customers of businesses on the square were intimidated by the youth who hung out there. I’m still not sure what the older residents feared those kids were going to do. Today’s youth appear to be more of a threat. Look at the number of school shootings, the acts of violence across the country, the numbers of youth who kill the figures of authority in their lives. Why do you suppose this is happening?

In The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America, the author explains that American school children don’t learn about right and wrong any more. They are encouraged to explore, to satisfy self rather than considering the big picture. Another day I will talk about education. For today it’s enough to share the list of the top ten education systems in the world. The United States is not on that list. In fact, the U.S. education system follows France (#20) at #21.

The top ten:
1. Finland
2. Singapore
3. Korea
4. Japan
5. Canada
6. New Zealand
7. Australia
8. Netherlands
9. Switzerland
10. Germany

When I was in grade school (several decades ago) we started each day with a reading from the Bible, a brief prayer, the playing of the National Anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner) and the Pledge to the Flag, including the words “under God.” No one objected to participation. No teachers raged at students about how things were going to be or bounced them off walls, etc. Most of the time teachers were self-controlled, soft-spoken, reasoning and reasonable. They were examples for the students to emulate.

It wasn’t about “religion.” It was about having good values and acceptable morals. It was about respect and actually learning. I don’t care what anyone says, humans are above animals. Humans aren’t just intelligent, they also have the ability—when they choose to use it—of conscience.

In the Sword of Truth series of novels by Terry Goodkind, he uses the Wizard’s Rules as premises for each of the 12 books in the series. Wizard’s First Rule: “People are stupid; they will believe something because they want it to be true, or because they’re afraid it might be true.”

The former mayor, now councilman, believes something can be done about youth shooting hoops, hollering the F-bomb and jamming to loud music.

A lot of politicians believe they have the right to tell us what to do with our income, our property, our bodies. This begs the question: What is freedom?

Another question that begs to be asked: What is the true role of government?

Yet another question: Why has American education dropped so low on the list?

Something important is missing. It’s called Respect.