Florida's Darwinian Interlude

By Ben Stein

I don't know about anyone else out there, but I'm getting a little frustrated with  our education system, and based on the tone of this article so is Ben Stein. More and more we are being told what we can and can not do and what we can and can not talk about in schools when it comes to religion and science. According to Mr. Stein, in 2008 the state of Florida wanted to pass a law that would not permit anyone in the school system, such as faculty or students, to discuss how life on earth began weather it be by a higher power or a scientific hypothesis. However it would be permitted to discuss the Darwinian theory of evolution. They ended up dropping the pursuit, but I'm not sure how long it will be before someone in another state will try and bring it up again.

As we all know, when the Europeans first came to America they did it because they wanted a change in the way they lived. One of those changes was they wanted the freedom to worship (or not worship) however they pleased. What happened to that freedom? Now you can't pray or talk about God in schools or the work place because you might offend somebody, but children are being taught the theory of evolution in some schools. Even in college. In order to continue my education I was required to take a class that taught the theory of evolution. But no one seems to care that that is also offensive to many.

In the last paragraph of this article Ben writes a sentence that I very much agree with. "Freedom of inquiry is part of freedom of speech." To me this means, I can believe in whatever I want, and my neighbors can believe in whatever they want, and we can still live side by side in peace. 

The Right Vision of Health Care

 By Yaron Brook

   In this article, Yaron talks about the difference of opinions between the Democrats and the Republicans on Healthcare. Though I believe his conclusion is flawed, I do however agree with one point that he made: "...although they [Republicans] claim to oppose the expansion of government interference in medicine, Republicans don't, in fact, have a good tract record of fighting it." Translation, Republicans will say anything to get elected. He seems to hint at the fact that the two parties, at least in action, have more in common than the average voter might think.

   Brook then reverts to how we need to get back to the principles of those who founded the country. The same argument I hear all the time from white upper and middle class men. When will we finally admit that those principles did not include everyone? Such as all women and any minorities. I'm sure it would be good for him to get back to those principles, because he represents the people witch those founding principles were intended to help.

   Lastly, he proclaims that "free-market capitalism" minus governmental interference is the answer to all of Americas financial problems. A very typical argument for once again a white upper middle class man. It is very easy from his perspective that a person only has a right to live if he can afford to pay for it.

   

Supremacy Crimes

February 15

This article was written by the author Gloria Steinem, who is a self proclaimed feminist, as well as the co founder of Ms. magazine where this article was published. While I did enjoy reading this article I feel an acknowledgement should be made to her bias based on who she is and what she does. It is Miss Steinems opinion that when a horrible crime has been committed, like a mass shooting or serial killing, it is often because there is a  white heterosexual male exerting his dominance over a particular group. For example Steinem mentions two young men who where repeatedly picked on at school. One day they deciede to show up at school armed and dangerous. This is a day our nation will never forget as many people were killed in Columbine High School. Was it just a random act of violence by misunderstood teens or the act of two white heterosexual males asserting thier dominance over thier fellow students and teachers? She mentions several other serial killers and in each case the group that they chose to dominate. I do feel that maybe she has a point but since the article felt like it was more of an opinion piece than a factual piece I'm left wondering, is our society guilty of making the white  man feel the need to be superior and if so, then who is to blame when they crack and people get hurt or are killed?