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In reply to the discussion: Activists poured concrete all over some "anti-homeless spikes" this morning [View all]woo me with science
(32,139 posts)32. Thank you. I am reminded of Scuba's post: "8 Reasons Young Americans Don't Fight Back,"
particularly #3:
8 Reasons Young Americans Dont Fight Back
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025072535
3. Schools That Educate for Compliance and Not for Democracy.
Upon accepting the New York City Teacher of the Year Award on January 31, 1990, John Taylor Gatto upset many in attendance by stating: The truth is that schools dont really teach anything except how to obey orders. This is a great mystery to me because thousands of humane, caring people work in schools as teachers and aides and administrators, but the abstract logic of the institution overwhelms their individual contributions. A generation ago, the problem of compulsory schooling as a vehicle for an authoritarian society was widely discussed, but as this problem has gotten worse, it is seldom discussed.
The nature of most classrooms, regardless of the subject matter, socializes students to be passive and directed by others, to follow orders, to take seriously the rewards and punishments of authorities, to pretend to care about things they dont care about, and that they are impotent to affect their situation. A teacher can lecture about democracy, but schools are essentially undemocratic places, and so democracy is not what is instilled in students. Jonathan Kozol in The Night Is Dark and I Am Far from Home focused on how school breaks us from courageous actions. Kozol explains how our schools teach us a kind of inert concern in which caringin and of itself and without risking the consequences of actual actionis considered ethical. School teaches us that we are moral and mature if we politely assert our concerns, but the essence of schoolits demand for complianceteaches us not to act in a friction-causing manner.
The ruling authoritarian elite *want* dumbed down citizens with a stunted morality, in which obedience supersedes questions of democracy or ethics or human decency. They are much easier to control.
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Activists poured concrete all over some "anti-homeless spikes" this morning [View all]
KamaAina
Jun 2014
OP
Yes. But it is the moral thing to do. Individuals acting to give the homeless a sheltered place to s
Luminous Animal
Jun 2014
#53
Thank you. I am reminded of Scuba's post: "8 Reasons Young Americans Don't Fight Back,"
woo me with science
Jun 2014
#32
I home schooled my daughter. When she was 9, she thought she might like to
Luminous Animal
Jun 2014
#54
Hitler invaded Poland to "free it's people" and to get control of it's vast coal fields.
Spitfire of ATJ
Jun 2014
#88
take the locks off your doors and let those that "need" partake in what you have.
NM_Birder
Jun 2014
#90
What is funny is that someone like that believes that this is what the majority Dems believe.
Puzzledtraveller
Jun 2014
#126
Ever hear of prop 13? BTW: NOBODY is dictating to you who is allowed on your property.
Spitfire of ATJ
Jun 2014
#97
Cry me a river LOL Go pay your rent .... to the landowner that pays property tax
NM_Birder
Jun 2014
#92
Ya know, I doubt an advanced alien civilization is into wealth worship.
Spitfire of ATJ
Jun 2014
#120
"Store" was in quotes because I didn't know exactly what kind of store it was.....
socialist_n_TN
Jun 2014
#80
And that is the essence of neo-liberalism and the overall capitalist system.....
socialist_n_TN
Jun 2014
#117
Wow, that window ledge will now be so nice and comfortable for homeless people to sleep on.
Nye Bevan
Jun 2014
#14
You know, laying brick and dry filling the mortar lines with PC, sand and gravel....
Spitfire of ATJ
Jun 2014
#49
It certainly sends a message to the people who only care about property.
Spitfire of ATJ
Jun 2014
#96
it's a trivial offense, compared to putting in the spikes in the first place n/t.
Ken Burch
Jun 2014
#122
The correct response to "we don't really care" is "fair enough, here's your punishment, then". N.T.
Donald Ian Rankin
Jun 2014
#27
I think they use a similar technique to stop pigeons from perching where people don't want them n/t
DotGone
Jun 2014
#44
Making the homeless invisible doesn't end homelessness. The homeless need to be seen to be helped.
marble falls
Jun 2014
#47
This is one time where the "What would Jesus do?" question, gives the correct answer.
Hoppy
Jun 2014
#59
If they want them removed have one little old lady trip, impale herself on one
McCamy Taylor
Jun 2014
#62
Oh, and if anyone has mattresses to spare, those spikes would hold the mattress down so it would not
McCamy Taylor
Jun 2014
#64
Nice. If they have a hardware store account, could send 'em some concrete money.
jtuck004
Jun 2014
#74
Good for them! And to hell with the REAL vandals and criminals who put up the spikes!
LeftishBrit
Jun 2014
#75
Why don't they just strew broken glass and concertina wire around their establishments?
Generic Other
Jun 2014
#103