2012 02 08

My G-man has been watching a BBC series on Auschwitz in particular and, more generally, the history of persecution and the Nazis in Germany from the end of World War I to the end of WWII.  This led the G-man to remark that he hadn't learned anything much about this in school and he quoted some examples of what he found surprising.  Some of you may remember that this is not a stupid man, he has a BA in Biology and an almost Master's in social work.  From ordinary middle-US schools in Tennessee to U of Minnesota.   Because the BBC is known for trying to get all the research done before they film anything, one is predisposed to believing that the series was accurate - and there were a lot of interesting things that I had not heard before, too.


The second thing that pushed the Education Button was the translation of a line in a US-made movie so memorable that I can't recall what it was called.  We were watching it on Netflix with subtitles for our friend Lalo, who speaks English pretty well, but sound-tracks and movie actors being what they are, the subtitles help him keep abreast of the action. Anyway, for some reason one of the female characters stole some Shakespeare:  "[character name equivalent to Romeo, Romeo] - Wherefore are thou [Romeo]?"  which got translated to the Spanish by the indubitably US-educated service as:  "[character name equivalent to Romeo, Romeo], dónde estás [Romeo]?"  Clever readers have already figured out that it should have read:  "¿por qué estás Romeo?" because wherefore did not mean where, it meant why.


The third push was a Republican candidate named Rick SanctimonousVomitori-um spewing hate and misinformation.  I know, that is basically the definition of 'Republican' in the US, but still, this one is a real piece of uneducated unthinking work, even by the low standards of the US.  I should of course feel flattered that he is an equal-opportunity hater, but equating being gay with the evils of Islamic terrorism, abortion, social conscience and, just generally, thinking for oneself, is a new low even for the party that gave us Reagan and the Bush Clan.  Here's the link to the quotes:  http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/01/05/31-rick-santorum-quotes-that-prove-he-would-be-a-destructive-president/

The positive upshot of this crap in a thinking country would be the re-election of Obama.  In the non-thinking US, no-one knows for sure what will happen.  Obama has been ineffectual and less than perfect, in large part but not wholly because of pointless obstructionism from the opposition, but that is a treatise for another day.  This one is about education.  Or lack thereof.  I know that general education in Canada and England has slipped to new lows as well, but I fervently hope that it is not nearly as low as in the US.  The brass-plated-shite standard, I call it.  A really good education can be had in all three countries - if you have enough money to buy it.  Unfortunately, by the time one gets to university age, it is really late to start trying to learn how to think logically, so the expense starts in kindergarten.  We know who can afford that, right?  And you probably remember how I feel about private 'charter' schools and home-schooling:  may as well just run out a kill the T-Rex (dinosaur) living next door  watch out for the glacier.  The Republican method of surviving is to kill any hope of actual education in the general public:  keep them ignorant and afraid and you can do what you will.

It is unfortunate that the rest of the world - and more sadly, I -  needs to pay so much attention to the bullshit in the US, but that is a fact of life:  they are bullies with big guns, and they need to be watched.  Yes, Virginia, even the Democrats, however much better than the other guys they may be.  If you can only chose between certain death and probable death, what kind of choice have you got?