Re: Fw: crap

[QCao009@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/13/2008 11:21:32 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
gbracey1@verizon.net writes:
 
Why do  American media accept these studies(like PISA) so uncritically?   

Jerry:
 
I think your statement is half accurate.  I think we, the general  public, 
have been conned into accepting these studies uncritically by these  so-called 
experts.  I think the mission of American media since corporate  takeover is to 
serve those who pay their freight and salaries.  No  conspiracy here.  A 
simple statement of how trickle down theory  works.  If our salary is paid by 
those who peddle arms and our campaign  check is written by insurance and 
pharmaceutical lobbyists, it is not difficult  to see when the time the vote comes and 
the policy is decided which way we would  vote.  Stating the problem and then 
voting against their very  own statement and then spinning it to make white 
look black and black look  white has become the MO of both presidential  
candidates.
 
For whatever reason, and there are many, the progressive/liberal message  of 
equal education opportunity which is now admired and set as a goal for  most  
Asian and European countries has been abandoned by the "elite" in  this 
country.  Did busing and Title IX have unintended effects and  have the backlash to 
those reform efforts returned us to the McCarthy  days of hate and label?  Are 
we as a population bright enough to realize  that we have to educate Obama 
and McCain and force them to stop pandering?   It is going to be difficult to do 
this as you and Marion have found out, when  your voice of reason is not the 
one touted in the mainstream.  Instead  we have "experts" like Romer and 
Bennett still trolling for charters, vouchers  and false "choice".  
 
Fear is a stronger motivator than most of us realize.  The  problem is fear 
goes straight into panic.  Panic in itself produces its own  crisis and then we 
are faced with "do or die".  All we have to do is watch  Phil Gramm whine 
about "whiners".  It is a test for the survival of the  Republic whether the 
Constitution can survive its sabotaging by a misguided  and incompetent 
leadership, and frankly, civilization shifts and history  moves on.  It is the law of 
nature, and the tide washes away most human  insanity, or sanity, as the case 
may be.  Politicians say they are betting  on the American people, but the 
reverse may no longer be true:  the  American people can no longer bank on its 
politicians and its  intelligentsia.  For those of us who want to remain 
independent and  critically approach the issue of public education, it is not always 
easy to  publish, to teach and to do research and disconnect ourselves to 
publishing  houses, colleges and universities and foundations.  The reeducation has 
to  start with people at Bill Gates and Steve Jobs' level, which just goes to  
prove, not all intelligent people are intelligent in all things.  Power,  
money and expertise tend to limit and block imagination and  creativity.
 
Quan





**************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music 
scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com!      
(http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112)