We are in a critical moment of History, the citizenry of the world are standing up demanding a change in governance, most wanting a “true” democracy, where the people have a voice. In our present situation people feel like defenseless victims of the ever growing conglomerate of Commerce and Government. Citizens want an equal seat-of-power in the governance of their own lives, as a democracy is supposed to provide. To understand how we got where we are, we must look at our education system, the following article articulates the severity of the issue.
America Gets an F in Civics Education
May 23, 2011, by AAUWFellow
Earlier this month, the National Assessment Governing Board released its U.S. report card on civics, which evaluates fourth, eighth, and 12th graders’ knowledge of civics. The results were very disheartening. Of students in the 12th grade — who are about to turn voting age — only 64 percent tested at or above basic knowledge of civics, and only 24 percent tested at or above the proficient level.
AAUW Achievement Award Winner and retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was present via satellite at the event when the results were announced. She said, “We cannot afford to continue to neglect the preparation of future generations for active and informed citizenship.” O’Connor has created a program to help foster civic knowledge in our nation’s youth, iCivics, which provides an interactive forum for children to learn more about the democratic process….
full article – http://blog-aauw.org/2011/05/23/civics-education/
The following article from Freedomadvocates.org shows the importance of understanding definitions within our founding documents from a historical perspective.
Understanding Unalienable Rights
The Declaration of Independence reads:
“That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…”
This means that human beings are imbued with unalienable rights which cannot be altered by law whereas inalienable rights are subject to remaking or revocation in accordance with man-made law. Inalienable rights are subject to changes in the law such as when property rights are given a back seat to emerging environmental law or free speech rights give way to political correctness. In these situations no violation has occurred by way of the application of inalienable rights – a mere change in the law changes the nature of the right….
Modern dictionaries blur the difference, as does modern intellectual thought. The modern definition of unalienable is the same as the historical definition of inalienable.
full article – http://www.freedomadvocates.org/articles/legitimate_government/understanding_unalienable_rights_20090805368/
Here is also another example of a phrase that is defined by extreme opposites.
“SOCIAL EQUITY”
Within the Conservation economy – Social Equity implies fair access to livelihood, education, and resources; full participation in the political and cultural life of the Community;… As Martin Luther King observed, “where there is injustice for one, there is injustice for all.”
Within the World Market Media – Social Equity is the perceived value of an individual, organization, or brands reputation…
link – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_equity
“Civil Rights” is thought by many to be synonymous with “Black Liberation”…. Yikees. Many people don’t understand what human rights are and have no interest in finding out… IEEeeee. If we are to become a society that reflects the beauty of its individuals we must change this detrimental trend. Educate yourself and others, your Rights are the key to a peaceful and just world.
VT 4 Evolution 