Posted on 10/12/2011 6:47:58 AM PDT by Kaslin
I hate to say it, but watching the various YouTube videos of the Occupy Wall Street protests and reading accounts of protesters' goals and "demands," prompts me to shake my head with a resigned, "I told you so."
I've been warning this was coming.
Recently, Regnery Publishing released my new book, "Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid." In it, I claim that, thanks to the left's unchecked influence on our young people through our education system, entertainment media and pop culture, our children are being molded into the first generation of American socialists.
Now, almost with the timing of a well-written script, the "Occupiers" have emerged, chanting anti-capitalist slogans and demanding "democracy" in exactly the manner I forecast.
Interviews with young protesters illustrate what my research revealed: They are patently uneducated about our system of government and generally ignorant of political theory and economics. Instead of American civics, they've been fed a steady diet of liberal Kool-Aid that has resulted in a well-formed leftist belief system.
As former speaker of the House and current Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich summarized, "I regard the Wall Street protest as a natural outcome of a bad education system, teaching them really dumb ideas."
But it's more than that. The left appears to have successfully altered the very character of our youngest generation, such that it's unlikely we can sustain our republic for want of a citizenry that understands and values it.
In short, we won't have an America like the one established for us without Americans who exhibit the same character and virtues exemplified by our founders.
Unlike our founders, the Occupiers aren't demonstrating for their rights as individuals to engage in their personal pursuits of happiness, or for religious freedom or for the liberty to make the most good of their talents and treasure.
Instead, they're demanding the opposite: equality of outcomes irrespective of effort, "economic justice" and the "security" of a bigger, more powerful government fueled by a misguided belief in the inherent virtue of democracy (with a small "d").
Worse, because of their ignorance of history, they ironically have been convinced that collectivism is the moral response to corporate and political corruption, as if there won't be ambition or avarice, apathy or abuse when "the people" are the ones with unbridled power.
Now, after nearly a month of pointless protests, the Occupy Wall Street movement predictably is attracting the unfortunate and the unmotivated: homeless folks looking for free food and young people looking for a rager and an excuse to have exhibitionist sex in a public park (in the spirit of responsibility, organizers are giving out condoms at supply tents); not to mention unionists and political opportunists from every radical leftist interest group with poster board and a marker.
Who's surprised? A directionless mob that can't articulate a concrete purpose virtually screams, "Lead me!" As the saying goes, since they don't know what they stand for, they'll fall for anything.
Perhaps there is some earnest yearning fanning the flames of outrage among the Occupiers. It's possible this generation is so in need of a moral compass that it's simply searching for true north.
Sadly, having been left for so long to the devices of liberals, this generation of would-be revolutionaries mistakes emotion and placards for ideas and ideology.
Caught up in their civic circus, they're fighting to give up the only thing that really matters: their legacy of American liberty.
Surely convincing a generation of young Americans that their very freedom is worth the guarantee of a predetermined "living" wage, forgiveness of a student loan and a lifetime of inferior health insurance must be at least as immoral as buying votes in Congress.
Isn't it?
...thanks to the left’s unchecked influence on our young people through our education system, entertainment media and pop culture, our children are being molded into the first generation of American socialists.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
yes.
i always wondered why our schools and churches abdicated to the irs and the federal government so easily in the early 20th c.
Did you see the vdeo in Atlanta where the “protesters” repeated back to the speaker each instruction as a chorus? It was completely bizarre and indicated no one could think for themselves.
in other words....as soon as enough of us move on to that great Tea Party in the sky, this country is DOOOOOOOMED!
I think this was the plan of our UNION MONOPOLY of education, all along. Responsibility for teachers’ professionalism and accountability in the process was removed altogether. ‘Responsibility’ has become a dirty word....when it was traditionally THE indicator of maturity!!
As I said earlier:
These kids are having the time of their lives criticizing the establishment and especially Capitalism. Its what young people do.
Its laughably easy AND fun to criticize when you are responsible for NOTHING.
Adults (and Conservatives) know better...so SHOULD the MSM!!!
I’m stealing this from another FReeper.......
Republican Tax Plan-——9-9-9
Democrat Tax Plan———Mine-Mine-Mine
Oh
Margarat Thatcher once said that the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money (OPM). These kids would have been dangerous if they had not been so late to the party. The reason we (and the world) are in the shape we are in is because we HAVE run out of OPM. We are seeing a collapse of the socialist policies.
And these kids are woefully ignorant. And many of them have made the leap from ignorance, to willful ignorance to stupidity. It will not go well for them.
“Mic check”
“MIKE CHECK!”
We are going through a period where every political pundit, op-ed writer, and radio talker thinks it’s some sort of great revelation to notice the inroads the socialists have made on our society in the last four decades. You’re late to the party Marybeth. Just grab a brew and mingle.
Yes,America is doomed and along with it, all of humanity.
—in other words....as soon as enough of us move on to that great Tea Party in the sky, this country is DOOOOOOOMED!—
Not to sound too fatalistic, but that is what eventually always happens. I think we are seeing the collapse before our very eyes though. Most baby boomers will live to see it. I suspect I will. I’m only 58.
Civil War II is coming.
I’m stealing this from another FReeper.......
Republican Tax Plan-——9-9-9
Democrat Tax Plan———Mine-Mine-Mine
Cracks me up.
I still think it’s stupid
And it will make the first one look like a garden party.
I’m sorry to say it, but, maybe it’s time to split the country up. Let the libtards have their socialist utopian sh!@hole and leave the rest of us alone to pursue happiness.
That is how it looks, especially the rat’s plan
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.