Guest Viewpoint: Why teachers don't teach about peace

Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin ^ | 11/19/02 | Jack Gilroy

[Phantom Lord]

In a few weeks or months the United States will probably begin bombing the Iraqi people. It should be a teachable moment for teachers to address peace. It won't happen.

Only a few teachers will have debates on the impending war, and only a few will attempt to balance the overwhelming American cultural penchant for vengeance and violence.

[b4its2late]

Yeah, I know. It's hard to soar like an eagle when you live with turkeys.....

[EdReform]

The Politics of a High School Education

[ostephani]

I am a high school teacher and will probably get fired for my views. I am sure to point out to my students the differences they would experience if the flag of Islam was "flying over every building in the United States." And they also know that if any crazy wants to bring it on at my house, I'm ready. I am fierce about patriotism; fierce about my flag; fierce about being an American. Yeah...I might get fired.

[HELLRAISER II]

My wife is a school teacher too. She definately has no love for Muslims especially in the light of the recent revelations of them being Terrorists for the most part. Being a Teacher unfortunately for ya'll is one of the most Political positions that one can have, one has to deal with all people from different races & religions and no matter what decisions you make you alway's piss somebody off. But i'm also a believer of "Ask me no questions i'll tell you no lies." If they don't want the truth don't ask the damn question, Islam religion of Peace? What peace can you teach when you speak of Islam, everybody is an infidel if their not Muslims and as such are subject to killing as easy as one would kill an animal. That is the truth of Islam.

[Eva]

These idiot anti-war types are really anti-US, anti-capitalism communists. It was exposed on O'Reilly that the Workers World Party has been organizing all the anti-war protests around the country.

If these people were really pacifists, they would be in support of the use of THREAT of war to force Saddam Hussein to expose his arsenal. Saddam is never going to disarm as long as he has the support of the socialist left.

[Renegade]

Science, Grade6, but in the police state of Zoo Jersey.

[AFPhys]

Gen Butler was never a Marine Corps Commandant.

Say it ain't true! You mean a pure LIbEral, of the party of "conservative Catholic" Pelosi and 'Toon, did not tell us the whole unvarnished truth? Indeed, even deliberately distorted or made up facts???

You've shattttttered my whole world view... I'll have to go talk to my university professor and find out how I should think about this.

[dpa5923]

Yeah I was shocked too. That's why I post that huge long list. (You don't think I went over board, do you?)

[rmlew]

Butler retired as a Brigadier General. He was never promoted to Commandant, one of the reasons why he quit.
After retiring, the uneducated Quaker first ran for the US Senate as a Republican, but became a socialist.
Frankly, he pulled a McCain and became a usefull idiot for the Stalinist left. Butler opposed rearmeament up to his death in 1940.
He spouted about the reasons for US policy, even though he had no role in setting them.

Max Boot did a good job of explaining this in The Savage Wars of Peace. (Frankly, I think all paleocons should be forced to read this, just as all neocons should read Buchanan's A Republic not an Empire.)

[Billthedrill]

Ah, yes, the "Peace Studies" curriculum - I never tire of reminding its adherents - Gilroy is one such - that these horrible sanctions in Iraq that they find so objectionable were the recommended course of action by none other than their own groups. Colman McCarthy is a notable example of such a sanctimonious sufferer of spot-amnesia.

I do find it revealing that Gilroy finds, in current affairs, not an opportunity to discuss but an opportunity to prosyletize and indoctrinate. This individual is better employed as a political activist than a teacher and much less dangerous to the kids.

[Stultis]

I knew I should'na read this. Now I gotta headache from rolling my eyes.

[multitaskmom]

You really should have put a barf alert on this one...