The VonFrederick Group

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California Panel to Put Southeast Asian War in Textbooks

I respect Hmong veterans for their long struggle at the side of the French, and the Americans afterwards, in what used to be Indochina. We know about their plight in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. But should we dedicate them a special chapter in our school curriculum?

I went through my son’s fourth grader “Social study” book on opening day at school and asked the teacher if it was coming with a whip and if there was anything there that he should be proud – Chinese building railroads, de-possessed Mexican immigrants, Japanese camps, and the native we slaughtered. Today we are going to add the Hmongs to the curriculum and the tale of our abandoning them to the Vietnamese and Laotian revenge. Furthermore, the Gay-transgender-whatever community is also trying to add their contribution to the history of that crazy state.

Questions: Should the books cover the history of all the minorities that make the framework of America? Should our schools be responsible for the transmitting of cultures and traditions from one silent generation to a passive one? What is next? The Italian contribution to the American Pizza, the Middle Eastern love story with 7-11, the French improvement to American wines and kisses? The casino success story of the Cache Creek, Thunder valley and other Jackson Rancheria foreign nations?

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Racial Gap in Education?

A Californian State report on State wide results in California schools showed that the origins of the “racial” educational gap is more cultural than financial (“Tests show racial achievement gap. State results shed new light on wealth vs. poverty debate” Article by Laurel Rosenhall – Sacramento Bee Staff Writer).

Basically, it demonstrated that across the State, poor white and Asian students were even faring better than their affluent and Hispanic peers. Now that the myth of poverty is out of the pictures when we talk about education, it is time to systematically include the higher achievement rate of poor and wealthy Asians in all types of studies (school performances, jobs, salaries, parent involvement, success) to get the white man guilt out of the picture and show that education, like anything else, is a matter of culture indeed, but also of parental involvement and personal will to succeed. [Read more…]

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Don’t Confuse Hatred With No Respect Part 2

In the 06/13/06 blog “Don’t Confuse Hatred With No Respect“ the idea offered was that liberals view the world through a prism of hatred and project that view on anyone that does not agree with their view. Significant examples were given to support this idea. In part II this concept is additionally explored.

First, let’s define some terms. Hatred is hard to define and the dictionary does not do it justice. Webster defines hatred as the passion of hate and hate is defined as an intensely hostile aversion, compounded of anger and fear and centered on a real or supposed cause of injury. In practice the word suggest an intensity that definition does not sufficiently reflect. Webster defines respect as the special esteem or consideration in which one holds another person or thing. So, no respect would be lacking these characteristics.

The most interesting definition was that of liberalism. It was quite extensive and for the sake of brevity a partial definition by Webster will be given. It is an early 19th Century philosophy that has taken varying forms at different times in different places. It is characterized by progressive attitudes, critical of institutions and places its faith in the goodness of man and rationality. It often expresses demands for freedom of expression and equal opportunity. Economic liberalism was a phenomenon of the commercial or industrial classes, favoring free trade and the fixing of wages and prices by competition and opposing state intervention. However, in Britain it was adapted to provide welfare services and social security in conjunction with limited state intervention. [Read more…]

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Educated Ignorance: Does It Threaten Our Future?

“It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance” Thomas Sowell

Since the advent of the industrial age and transference to the information age education of our youth is essential in ensuring our nation’s ability to compete in the global economy. Yet, assessments of our education system are frightening. In comparison to other industrial nations the American youth score in the bottom half on the basic subjects and science, but score at the top in self esteem.

Thomas Sowell noted, “One of the many failings of our educational system is that it sends out into the world people who cannot tell rhetoric from reality. They have learned no systematic way to analyze ideas, derive their implications and test those implications against hard facts.” He added, “These educated people will have developed no ability to analyze opposing sides of issues… and learning only how to label, dismiss and demonize ideas that differ from what they have been led to believe. Their educated ignorance is a danger to the future of this country.” [Read more…]