1967 vs. 2007

[tigra 0]

The problem is that while it claims/ attempts to criticize society for becoming too "reactionary", the post itself is "reactionary" and sites over-exaggerated examples and scenarios to support a ridiculous claim that laws against child abuse and bringing drugs and weapons into schools are somehow wrong.

How's that?

We read about the honor student who gets expelled for bringing aspirin to school but the story about the kid who OD'd in the bathroom isn't newsworthy.

[billvon 3,120]

You know, my mother was teaching high school english back then; my sister teaches in a high school today. That list is just the usual "remember the good old days!" post.

I recall one story of a kid who came to school one day black and blue. My mother was horrified. Father ended up in jail, even though he claimed that it was some other kids who beat him up.

Two kids had a fistfight a while back at my sister's school. They both got detention for a week.

I could go on. Not that much has changed. Kids are kids, parents are parents, teachers are teachers. Parents lament that things aren't like they were when they grew up. Teachers do their best to tread the line between stand-in parent and purveyor of information. Kids think their parents and teachers are totally clueless. As it was, as it will always be.

These sorts of posts take the sepia-toned memories that many people have of the "good old days" and compare them to the very worst they can find in the media about life today. You could make a list about all the drug abuse, STD's and serial murderers of the 1960's and compare them to my sister's suburban high school today and make exactly the opposite sort of list. It all depends on what you want to portray.

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Here's another example. Simon and Garfunkel performed a song, "Silent Night/7 O'Clock News" in 1966 - during that time when everyone had common sense, things were safer, the sky was bluer etc. Here's the text of what was played behind the song:
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This is the early evening edition of the news.

The recent fight in the house of representatives was over the open housing Section of the civil rights bill. It brought traditional enemies together but it left the defenders of the measure without the votes of their strongest supporters. President Johnson originally proposed an outright ban covering discrimination by everyone for every type of housing but it had no chance from the start. And everyone in congress knew it. A compromise was painfully worked out in the house judiciary committee.

In Los Angeles today comedian Lenny Bruce died of what was believed to be an overdoes of narcotics. Bruce was 42 years old.

Dr. Martin Luther King says he does not intend to cancel plans for an open Housing march Sunday into the Chicago suburb of Cicero.
Cook county sheriff Richard Ogleby asked King to call off the march and the police in Cicero said they would ask the national guard to be called out if it is held. King, now in Atlanta, Georgia, plans to return to Chicago Tuesday.

In Chicago Richard Speck, accused murderer of nine student nurses, was brought before a grand jury today for indictment. The nurses were found stabbed and strangled in their Chicago apartment.

In Washington the atmosphere was tense today as a special subcommittee of the House committee on un-american activities continued its probe into anti-Vietnam war protests. Demonstrators were forcibly evicted from the hearings when they began chanting anti-war slogans.

Former vice-president Richard Nixon says that unless there is a substantial increase in the present war effort in Viet Nam, the US should look forward to five more years of war. In a speech before the convention of the veterans of foreign wars in New York, Nixon also said opposition to the war in this country is the greatest single weapon working against the US.
--------------------------------

Is that really so different than what we see on CNN nowadays?

[skydyvr 0]

Quote

The problem is that while it claims/ attempts to criticize society for becoming too "reactionary", the post itself is "reactionary" and sites over-exaggerated examples and scenarios to support a ridiculous claim that laws against child abuse and bringing drugs and weapons into schools are somehow wrong.

How's that?

We read about the honor student who gets expelled for bringing aspirin to school but the story about the kid who OD'd in the bathroom isn't newsworthy.

Now that wasn't so hard now, was it?

Unfortunately, society HAS become overly reactionary - cited by your example that because kids OD on drugs sometimes, we need to expell a kid for bringing in unauthorized aspirin. It happens, and is a really bad idea. Bringing in social services because two kids fight REALLY IS a bad idea. Expelling a kid for having a butter knife in their car REALLY IS a bad idea, etc. etc. etc. ZERO Tolerance REALLY IS a bad idea, yet is the norm today in many arenas including school.

The post (which has been floating around for years) is definitely over the top, as you say, but has a very real grain of truth to it.

. . =(_8^(1)

[skydyvr 0]

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Not that much has changed. Kids are kids, parents are parents, teachers are teachers.

But the way we handle their actions has indeed changed, some for the better, but many for the worse. Read the news. Ridiculous stories come out often thanks to dumbass policies in effect all over the country. I think the article is meant to illustrate that.

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[Butters 0]

Quote

Quote

Not that much has changed. Kids are kids, parents are parents, teachers are teachers.

But the way we handle their actions has indeed changed, some for the better, but many for the worse. Read the news. Ridiculous stories come out often thanks to dumbass policies in effect all over the country. I think the article is meant to illustrate that.

You do realize that what is news and how it is distributed in the present is different than the past?

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[NewGuy2005 53]

There is some truth to that list. However, I was around in '67 and my daughters are 13 today. Do I want my kids to grow up in an environment/culture similar to '67? NO.

[billvon 3,120]

>But the way we handle their actions has indeed changed . . .

Yes, it has changed a bit. We are more tolerant in some ways, less tolerant in others. Compare what would happen if a white kid picked a fight with a black kid in 1967 and today.

But overall, we are far more like society was in 1967 than we are different.

>Ridiculous stories come out often thanks to dumbass policies in effect
> all over the country.

I agree. But ridiculous stories and dumbass policies were in effect back in 1967, too. Different names, different prejudices and different settings, but overall, the same level of stupidity and foolishness we see in the news today. (Of course it's much easier to _get_ the news today, so you see more of it.)

[skydyvr 0]

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You do realize that what is news and how it is distributed in the present is different than the past?

Yep.

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[tigra 0]

Kids are not expelled and/or arrested across the country on a daily basis for taking aspirin or having butter knives in their cars. The post would have a lot more merit if they were. As it stands, it is just as reactionary and ridiculous as the actions it attempts to ridicule and protest. And YES, for the record, I do agree it is ridiculous to expel a kid for bringing a couple of aspirin into school.

[skydyvr 0]

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Different names, different prejudices and different settings, but overall, the same level of stupidity and foolishness we see in the news today.

Exactly true. We move forward on some stuff and backwards on other stuff. Net effect = humanity is still a goofy thing.

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[jcd11235 0]

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Different names, different prejudices and different settings, but overall, the same level of stupidity and foolishness we see in the news today. (Of course it's much easier to _get_ the news today, so you see more of it.)

Do you (or anyone else) know when it was that news programs transitioned from being subsidized by other network programming to being profit generating vehicles themselves?

I'm also curious about the number of owners of news outlets in ~1967 versus today. I suspect that there are fewer owners today, but the average owner owns more news outlets. However, I would not be surprised to find that the number of owners is increasing again, due to lower costs and widespread internet availability.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[skydyvr 0]

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Kids are not expelled and/or arrested across the country on a daily basis for taking aspirin or having butter knives in their cars. The post would have a lot more merit if they were. As it stands, it is just as reactionary and ridiculous as the actions it attempts to ridicule and protest. And YES, for the record, I do agree it is ridiculous to expel a kid for bringing a couple of aspirin into school.

Agreed, it doesn't happen every day, but the article merely pokes fun at the mentaility that leads to stupid rules like that, and that mentality IS prevalent today. It's a similar mentality to those who believe we shouldn't keep score at soccer, or paddle our kids when they're brats.

Now I won't name the political persuasion that's behind that type of mentality, 'cause that always gets me in trouble around here.

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[Thanatos340 1]

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won't name the political persuasion that's behind that type of mentality, 'cause that always gets me in trouble around here.

And THOSE people can surely point out just as many extremist on this side of the Fence that have some pretty stupid ideas as well.

Lots of Rightwingers are just as scary as Lefties.

[skydyvr 0]

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Lots of Rightwingers are just as scary as Lefties.

Touche. Removing teaching of the established science supporting evolution from schools is a ridiculous idea.

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[lawrocket 3]

1. Scenrio: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1967 - Vice principal comes over to look at Jack's shotgun. He goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock-down, and FB I is called. Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again.. Cunselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
2017 - Jack faces charges of animal cruelty and violation of FAA rules for shooting quail in flight. On top of that, all firearms have been banned.

2.Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1967- Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.
2007 - Police called. SWAT team arrives. Johnny and Mark are arrested and charged with assault. Both are expelled even though Johnny started it.
2017 - Johnny and Mark are ordered to kiss, makeup and hug in public, whihc policy makers believe will cure the resentment they have with each other and society.

3. Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1967 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the principal. He returns to class, sits still, and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey is diagnosed with ADD and given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from State because Jeffrey has a learning disability.
2017 - All student provided free Ritalin at school under socialized health care because well-behaved students make better productive society members.

4.Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1967 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for c hild abuse. Billy is placed in foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist convinces Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself, and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
2017 - The neighbor is an ex-felon. Neighbor goes to kill Billy and his fucked-up father. Neighbor is a criminal in possession of the gun. Billy's family is law abiding. Billy and his family are dead when the "student accountability officer" comes to check the next day on why Billy has not received his Ritalin or gone to educational training.

5. Scenario: Mark has a headache and brings some aspirin to school.

1967 - Mark takes aspirin in lunchroom and headache goes away.
2007 - Police called. Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. Car is searched for drugs and weapons.
2008 - Mark is sent to the hospital for a medical screening and given an analgesic. Headache goes away. 12 hours later, while waiting for further examination. Headache returns. Points to his head when asked what the problem is. Federal Quality Assurance Board diagnoses him with mental problems and begins treatment of antidepressants.

6. Scenario: Pedro fails English in high school.

1967 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given a diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
2017 - Pedro's cause taken up by labor union. Pedro becomes English teacher with tenure under new collective bargaining agreement. Pays $2,500 in dues, but under CBA is immune from termination for bad student test results.

7. Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a fire ant hill.

1967 - Ants die.
2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Homeland Security, and FBI called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates parents; siblings are removed from home; computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad goes on Terror Watch List and is never allowed to fly again.
2008 - Johnny faces charges of illegal disposal of native insect species, on top of weapons charges.

8. Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher who hugs him to comfort him.

1967 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Teacher is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in state prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy .
2017 - Johnny cannot scrape knee because, under new laws, full protective suiting must be worn, to increase breathing apparatus of purified air.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[wmw999 2,589]

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[shropshire 0]

Very good.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[happythoughts 0]

The problems will always be the same, but the difference is the resolution.

It seems like that there used to be a more cohesive definition of what "society" meant. That definition was generally accepted. Therefore, parents and teachers were in agreement as to what defined acceptable behavior.

If a student was disruptive in class, they went to the dean. When the parents were called, their expectations of classroom behavior were the same as that of the school.

Social models have changed. When I was 12, only one student out of my class of 30 students had divorced parents. When my child was 12, he was the only student in the class with married parents.

The difference between the years seems to be that new parents don't have a model to work from. The care of children is left to the government.

Children have been abandoned.

[mnealtx 0]

Those must be the kids of the current "Gen BW" - the Bubble Wrap Generation.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706