Comments on: Believing in McCain

By: Marktropolis

Marktropolis — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:53:14 +0000

While Brian is clearly a man on a mission (posting on school choice, whether that’s the topic or not) I do feel the need to reply to what sounds like some kind of attack. Why would I defend hypocrisy? So I’m getting accused of not doing something, because I haven’t done it? And the evidence is… that I haven’t done it. Brian sweeps into the middle of a conversation, drops his screed on choice, and then evaporates (as he did more than once last week). Also, I don’t actually see it as hypocritical. I can send my kids to private school, and still work diligently for the public schools that others’ kids attend. Using your logic, if I’m going to do anything for those kids in Anacostia, I have to move there.

My view of hypocrisy is along the lines of someone who doesn’t know how many homes he has, claiming to understand what struggling to pay your mortgage feels like. Or criticizing your opponent for his lack of experience, and then you bring someone in to be your number two with even less.

By: tfteacher

tfteacher — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:56:36 +0000

I’m calm, baby. Just holding you accountable!

By: DK

DK — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:24:22 +0000

I’m sick of hearing about the schools that Obama’s daughters attend. It’s been in all of these McCain team posts. It is a blatant personal attack. Whether Obama or McCain will be a good or bad education president will depend on the effectiveness of their policies. Obama’s education policies don’t depend on his daughter’s school any more than McCain’s economic policies depend on the number of houses he owns.

On a day that, Obama himself has said, “Let me be as clear as possible. I think people’s families are off-limits, and people’s children are especially off-limits. This shouldn’t be part of our politics. [Her daughter’s pregnancy] has no relevance to Gov. Palin’s performance as governor or her potential performance as a vice president.”, I just needed to speak out about how stupid some of these debates have become.

(http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/01/palin.daughter/index.html?iref=mpstoryview)

By: rory

rory — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:04:21 +0000

Calm down tfteacher…

Take a deep breath.

My opinion, and the majority of opinion here in Alaska is that she has no intention of forcing her personal beliefs on schools. She has stated it. As Governor she had way more opportunity to push creationism that she will as VP or POTUS, and she didn’t even attempt it, despite record popularity.

Wait for the first couple of interviews, see what she says. The question will be asked.

Peace baby!

By: tfteacher

tfteacher — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:16:06 +0000

I don’t care what she “meant”, I care what she said. She added that she wouldn’t push for, but not that she wouldn’t allow, creation-based alternatives. So, who the hell knows what she intends, or how she would vote, of for what she would push. But it is clear from her record she is a “conservative” dream, and her willingness to pander to creationists is bad enough for me, and should be for everyone.

It’s a bit disingenuous, rory, to quote that part of the story, as it does not refute my assertion (or sketch’s). She is pandering, out of both sides of her mouth.

By: rory

rory — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:57:23 +0000

From that article:

“In an interview Thursday, Palin said she meant only to say that discussion of alternative views should be allowed to arise in Alaska classrooms:

“I don’t think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.”

She added that, if elected, she would not push the state Board of Education to add such creation-based alternatives to the state’s required curriculum. “

By: tfteacher

tfteacher — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:46:42 +0000

Hey rory, you might want to look at this article from The Anchorage Daily News; it seems to back sketch up:

http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8347904p-8243554c.html

She wants creationism and science to be taught. You know, like alchemy and chemistry. Creationism is not being taught in Anchorage….yet!

By: rory

rory — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:23:48 +0000

I was about to post a rebuttal to the claim that Sarah Palin wants creationism taught in the schools, but this past few days have taught me that common sense in political discussion is impossible. Besides something tells me that there is exactly zero chance of swaying your political opinion.

My kids go to school in Anchorage. Creationism is not taught. There is no movement by the Governor to push for creationism being taught.

By: tfteacher

tfteacher — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:34:57 +0000

Go sketch!

By: sketch

sketch — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:19:16 +0000

So… “creationism” is what Sarah Palin wants our science teachers to focus on? With that misplaced and misguided (and surely it is guided from a small minority of right-wing power brokers) perspective, we as a country will surely head down a road toward bigotry and fearmongering, let alone ignorance. With narrow-minded un-science backgrounds being promoted, our youth will grow up into a world dominated by informed decision making lead by those in other countries… or they will resort to using shock and awe (relying on the misguided use of science they no longer understand) rather than awe and inspire – from a wisdom grounded in openness to multiple perspective and respect for the rigors of “Evidence-based” science-informed decision making.