Mandatory patriotism/marksmanship class for freshman

[Perd Hapley]

At the school also known as Hard Work U.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-25/private-missouri-college-creates-mandatory-patriotism-class

An evangelical Christian college in Missouri is now requiring freshman to take a class aimed at encouraging patriotism. The College of the Ozarks has unveiled a military science class called Patriotic Education and Fitness. The course aims to educate students on modern military customs, U.S. politics and flag protocol and procedures. It will also teach rifle marksmanship, map reading, land navigation and rope knotting.

http://www.cofo.edu/content/PR/pressRelease.aspx?id=125e0556-3815-49b9-84e5-3c9b730b9f90

Well, that's one way to keep out the snowflakes.

[MillCreek]

I thought the most dangerous thing was a Second Lieutenant with a map and compass.  Let us see if a college freshman can give the butter bar a run for their money.

[Perd Hapley]

Don't most 2Ls start out as college freshmen? Besides, you've never heard of ROTC?

[Jamisjockey]

There is such a thing as swinging the pendulum too far one way or the other.
Blind ignorant Patriotism can be a disease.

[charby]

There is such a thing as swinging the pendulum too far one way or the other.
Blind ignorant Patriotism can be a disease.

x2

[Perd Hapley]

There is such a thing as swinging the pendulum too far one way or the other.
Blind ignorant Patriotism can be a disease.

This seems like the kind of thing that happens when the pendulum has swung too, too far to the left; and blind, ignorant oikophobia* provokes a reaction.



*for lack of a better term

[Pb]

There is such a thing as swinging the pendulum too far one way or the other.
Blind ignorant Patriotism can be a disease.

Good thing this isn't going to far then.

[bedlamite]

This seems like the kind of thing that happens when the pendulum has swung too, too far to the left; and blind, ignorant oikophobia* provokes a reaction.



*for lack of a better term

You might want to pick a word that isn't already defined, because I don't think that's what you meant.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/oikophobia?s=t

[Perd Hapley]

Yeah, hence the disclaimer. "Oikophobia" is being used (by some) to mean a fear (actually a hatred of) one's own community or nation. We definitely need a better term for it. "Left-wing nuttery" is a bit clumsy.

[Hawkmoon]

I first read "oinkophobia," and I wondered what fear of pigs has to do with patriotism and marksmanship ...

[230RN]

There is such a thing as swinging the pendulum too far one way or the other.
Blind ignorant Patriotism can be a disease.

PENDULUM-PUSHING, RIGHT WINGERS, INDEPENDENCE DAY 2016:

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=52017.msg1062901;topicseen#msg1062901

From me, abridged, annotated:

[... ]
 
Some [OLDER FOLKS} harden their [RIGHT-WING] views because they have observed first-hand the long-term decay in the U.S.'s core principles and want to push the pendulum back the other way.

They, in other words, lived through times when freedom meant something.

Me, just as a f'r instance.

As I said before, "strict scrutiny for every constitutional question, and the hell with the government's 'compelling interests of the state' argument."

"Compelling," hah.

Nuts to you and your viewpoint, Posner.

So there.  I pushed back on that massive pendulum bob.

Happy Independence Day, y'all.

Terry

Now let the yeah buts and what ifs begin.

Note avatar.

Terry, 230RN

[Fly320s]

Now let the yeah buts and what ifs begin.

Note avatar.

Terry, 230RN

You won't find much argument on these pages, but like Jamis said, mandatory patriotism is no better a solution.  There is a difference between "We should all respect and celebrate our successes as a country" and "We are required to respect and celebrate our successes as a country."

[Hawkmoon]

Winston Churchill is reputed to have said, “If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you're not a conservative at forty you have no brain.”

My late uncle ascribed this statement to Churchill. Research on the Internet suggests that Churchill may not have said it at all and, if he did, he borrowed it from older sources. Wherever it came from, it makes a nice sound bite.

[230RN]

Well, the thing is, most college-age "kids" seem to have been rather formally immersed in left-wing philosophies for decades, and to have any formal training in a more comprehensive outlook can't hurt.

"1984" and the Ayn Rand books can only go so far.

With respect to my party affiliation, it's just been that way for, well, "ever," and actually, my first contact with conservatism was through Ayn Rand's books in college.  I recognized them as imperfect*, but not bad.  However, I remember wayyyy back in eighth grade, a teacher espousing "wealth redistribution" philosophies and I lived with that outlook until college**.  (The Ayn Rand books were not part of any class curriculum; they were given to me by a fellow student.)

So.... no autobiography intended, but that's more or less why I outwardly espouse what seem to be extreme conservative positions.  (Not, mind you, so-called "fascist" positions... which actually seem more characteristic of today's so-called "antifa" nut jobs.)

Terry

*Especially WRT helping those who can't help themselves.  The idea that private charitable institutions could accomplish this was a little beyond what I figured was reasonable.

** High School was pretty much all business/technical and any political stuff was pretty straightforward civics "here's how it works" stuff, without "here's how it should work" stuff.  (Brooklyn Technical High School.)

[Perd Hapley]

You won't find much argument on these pages, but like Jamis said, mandatory patriotism is no better a solution.  There is a difference between "We should all respect and celebrate our successes as a country" and "We are required to respect and celebrate our successes as a country."

I think you may be misreading the situation. Firstly, taking a mandatory class doesn't necessarily mean that anyone is being forced into patriotism. Secondly, I get the impression this is a school that students choose because of the right-wingery and patriotism, and not in spite of it.

[Scout26]

It's a private* Christian college.   Patriotic Education and Fitness sounds more like what used to be called "Civics" which was all about the founders, their writings and the Constitution (You know, the "Owners Manual" for this country's government).

The map reading and Rifle practice sounds like they added in come the elements of  the "Outdoor Club" and "Rifle Team" that we had in High Screwl.

And much like Terry's education, it did lead to more questioning of the .gov, then blind, jingoistic following every pronouncement from Washington (And Indianapolis). 

[Hawkmoon]

Patriotic Education should include the fact that questioning the .gov IS patriotic. Questioning the .gov should be mandatory for all citizens.

[Scout26]

It's a private* Christian college.   Patriotic Education and Fitness sounds more like what used to be called "Civics" which was all about the founders, their writings and the Constitution (You know, the "Owners Manual" for this country's government).

The map reading and Rifle practice sounds like they added in come the elements of  the "Outdoor Club" and "Rifle Team" that we had in High Screwl.

And much like Terry's education, it did lead to more questioning of the .gov, then blind, jingoistic following every pronouncement from Washington (And Indianapolis). 

* - For varying values of private.   I know that the argument has been made that by accepting Student loan money and providing any .gov financial assistance, the school would no longer be "Private", but "Public".

[230RN]

This generates more questions than answers, but:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_Lands

That's for public education.  Look at the dates involved.

[MillCreek]

^^^Here in Washington, we still have about 3 million acres of timber that is managed by the State for the benefit of public education and some other government entities.  The State holds periodic timber sales, replants, and does the cycle all over again.

[grampster]

I wonder what would happen if a large group of people started going to public school board meetings and demanded that civics be brought back into the public schools?  It should start in about the 7th grade and be part of the core curriculum through the 12 grade.  It should include a study of The Federalist Papers.  (That is if they could find a teacher who actually had studied The Federalist Papers or had enough reading comprehension to have been actually able to read, study, and understand them)  Six years of Civics and The Federalist Papers would change this country drastically because those students who went on to college would shame all of the college profs into resigning.

[Perd Hapley]

Public schools teaching civics in the age of The Resistance - that should go well.