Sunday, May 30, 2010

On the Texas textbook battle ... | OPINION Blog | dallasnews.com

On the Texas textbook battle ... | OPINION Blog | dallasnews.com

On the Texas textbook battle ...

3:49 PM Sat, May 29, 2010 |
Letter to the Editor E-mail | Suggest a blog topic
Losing our decency
At the Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954, Special Counsel for the Army Joseph Welch asked Sen. Joseph McCarthy, "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?"
Welch was justifiably questioning McCarthy's scandal-mongering, lies and distortions that ruined many good Americans' lives and reputations. Now, due to the blatant politicalization of the educational curriculum of our youth by the right-wing elements of the State Board of Education, McCarthy's charges must be positively examined.
Have we, as Texans and Americans, forgotten that our greatest asset is and always has been the minds and hearts of our youth? Throughout history, filling these minds with half-truths, falsehoods, omissions and distortion of the facts has led to disastrous consequences. The hatred directed to African-Americans, Mexicans and other minorities over a hundred-year period in Texas was caused not only by the culture of the time, but by miseducation as well.
Nazi and Communist youth were brainwashed, propagandized and misled. How about Chairman Mao's "re-education" disaster? Far out examples, you may say. But they had to start somewhere. Might this be a start here?
Shame on the State Board of Education. I ask its right-wing members, "Have you no shred of decency?"
Hugh O'Brien, Dallas
A nightmare, but real
Your worst Orwellian nightmare, right here in Texas: The official conservative revision of reality is now complete. After previously redefining science, the ultra-conservative, paranoid Texas State Board of Education has now succeeded in revising historical fact as well.
I'm so glad I don't have any children who could be brainwashed by these lunatics, who legally dictate state policy on education. I'm making my plans to relocate to a saner state not governed by troglodytes and taking my money and talents with me.