Friday, August 20, 2010

The next generation of the entitlement mentality.

Yet more fun with letters-to-the-editor, this time from today's paper:



Student speaks out



As a student at Johnson High School, I'm disgusted that Gov. Rick Perry has the audacity to say he cares about education.
At a time when every student in South Texas has seen a beloved teacher leave or a favorite class drop off the curriculum, how dare he gamble with our money?
Yes, our money. The $830 million belongs to us, Texas students; it's a serious investment in our future, not another excuse for the governor to fluff his feathers.
Perry is playing dice with our trust fund in the name of political posturing. Let's see how that pays off when we're old enough to vote.
Rachel Cheong

Ms Cheong, the money is not, in fact, yours.  Nor does it belong to any other "Texas student."  Part of it is money taken from tax-paying Americans.  Part of it is money borrowed from other nations, including the one your family left for a very good reason (although, apparently long enough ago to have not imparted to you the stereotypical Asian self-reliance).  The bulk of it isn't really money at all, but merely the agreement on the idea that it exists (read: Terry Pratchett's Making Money).

Even were it real money shit out by the unicorn the Big O rode into town on, Governor Perry isn't "fluffing his feathers," he's abiding by the Texas constitution, which forbids the sort of "trust fund" you accuse the governor of playing dice with.  And frankly, people who lack respect for the State's constitution aren't likely to vote Republican anyway, so your threat is hollow.

I'll tell you what I tell my oldest daughter on a regular basis: When you don't know what you're talking about, keep your mouth shut.  You look stupid otherwise.

4 comments:

Charlene said...

I respect the student for speaking up. Apathy will allow more high crimes than most anything.

Sabra said...

You are correct that it's good to speak up. However, it's far better to research an issue first. Voters who are willing to be fed information which may or may not have basis in fact rather than looking into it themselves scare me more than people who don't vote.

Keith Alan K said...

Sabra--how are you related to Erica and Conrad H?
Sylvia and I are almost positive that we have met you at an event with them.
If so, small world.

Sabra said...

Keith, if I have the correct Erica & Conrad, we aren't actually related. Erica & Esther & I went to school together starting in sixth grade. My youngest daughter, in fact, is named after Esther.