tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18283131.post4252129121857445628..comments2024-03-12T19:34:23.734-04:00Comments on Everyday with dan...: Politics and abortiondanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088260285661911833noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18283131.post-81348649780470053722008-09-20T12:51:00.000-04:002008-09-20T12:51:00.000-04:00Yes, I concur. I just mentioned it because it's th...Yes, I concur. I just mentioned it because it's the first, and usually the only thing people offer as a solution to a very complex problem. Like they can just throw money at it and it'll go away. I think they've thrown the money with very little return on investment.<BR/><BR/>A lot of people freaked when Geo. W. Bush said that he was going to filter goverment resources through the churches in a faith-based initiative to help communities, but it made a lot of sense to me. Empowering the churchs sent a very clear message of what he thought the answer was.<BR/><BR/>As for all people having value--there's a great quote carved in stone out in California that says: <I>"I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life."</I> On Ronald Reagan's grave.<BR/><BR/>Illinois boy, dontchaknow.MRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03543269000083131799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18283131.post-6631904609335965192008-09-20T12:13:00.000-04:002008-09-20T12:13:00.000-04:00I see what you mean, and that's why I'm saying tha...I see what you mean, and that's why I'm saying that we can't think of education as merely "presenting the facts." You are right, it IS something harder to change, and it needs to encompass helping people see that they, in fact, can change. <BR/><BR/>To use an older program as an example, we can tell people to "just say no" all we want, but until we've helped people (educated them) in ways where they discover that they, in fact, really CAN do that, then we're not going to accomplish anything. <BR/><BR/>So Sarah Palin can make fun of community organizers all she wants - and I think she has done a huge disservice by doing so - but I think what we need are more of these type of people who do actually give a damn about people, rather than just politicians making laws and programs and expecting people to change with no motivation to do so. Just because someone is "able" to do something doesn't mean they are "capable" - and oftentimes it's because of how they perceive things.<BR/><BR/>I've always been taught that there is a difference between someone employed to "give information" and someone who is actually a "teacher." The true teachers are those who help people to L-E-A-R-N. Granted, some people aren't going to learn no matter what one does, but it's also true that there are a lot of people who describe themselves as teachers, but they don't really care whether anyone learns anything or not. They just want their paycheck, or their resume padded, or whatever. And I am referring to teachers not just in the school teacher sense, but any endeavor at educating people.<BR/><BR/>So I would agree with you that simply establishing programs isn't much help, but I believe an underlying intent with Campolo is that it depends on the 'types' of programs. People need to learn that cycles of poverty can be broken; that women are not 'play-things' for men; that all people do have value; that money does not buy privilege; etc., etc., etc.<BR/><BR/>We may be saying the same thing, just looking at it from different angles. Plus, my dad was a high school principal for 30+ years, and a truant officer after that... so education is kind of in my blood. :)danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10088260285661911833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18283131.post-87884828571105197302008-09-20T11:51:00.000-04:002008-09-20T11:51:00.000-04:00It may be "a" solution, certainly you can remind t...It may be "a" solution, certainly you can remind them of the facts, but from what I hear it's about self-esteem. Using contraception in some cultures makes you less of a man, getting pregnant makes you more of a woman. Just for the staggering numbers I have to mention that in the poorer black communities, education was not "the" answer. As revered Principal Joe Clark (from "Lean on Me") said: "you girls are havin' babies just to prove you can do something!" I think if education were the problem, we'd see more change when programs are applied. I think it's something harder to change, like how much these people value themselves.MRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03543269000083131799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18283131.post-27856881621932374432008-09-20T07:26:00.000-04:002008-09-20T07:26:00.000-04:00As someone who works in an education-related field...As someone who works in an education-related field I don't think I can agree with the assessment that education isn't a solution. Unless it's seen as nothing more than the giving of information. I think that's kind of the underlying issue of the article.danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10088260285661911833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18283131.post-61046020076113587322008-09-19T11:06:00.000-04:002008-09-19T11:06:00.000-04:00I hate to be the one to point this out, because it...I hate to be the one to point this out, because it's a knee-jerk answer to the problem of unwanted pregnancy, but education isn't the solution. To say that the economically challenged people getting pregnant don't UNDERSTAND how they arrive in that condition is really treating them like animals. It's not like they're on the table at the clinic saying "but I thought it had something to do with a STORK!" They KNOW, it's something else, something cultural.MRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03543269000083131799noreply@blogger.com