Ignorance

(from L. ignorantia "want of knowledge")

I called the local Library, to see about getting a book through the Interlibrary Loan System, and was informed that those programs, and much more, were being cut…literally, to the Bone. Some due diligence, and a few phone calls, quickly cured my Ignorance of this matter. The State Government, in Austin had indeed cut Library Funding by around 80%. While this is much better than the “proposed” 99%, it is still what can only be termed Catastrophic for the Public Library System, in Texas.

Add this to the already well known Disaster that is Public Education Funding, in Texas….as well as the actions of the State Board of Education, last year…and a pattern emerges.

“By their Fruits, shall ye know them,” said Jesus, in Matthew 7;16.

If these actions are the Fruits whereby we shall know the intentions of “Our” Elected Representatives, what manner of Tree are we seeing?

It would appear to me that the Republicans sorely dislike all things Public…that is no surprise for anyone who has paid the least attention these last 31 years. It seems that Education is the recipient of a special dislike.

Ignorant People are easier to Govern, one could say. This is entirely Cynical, on my part, I admit; but what other conclusion can one arrive at?

It is my opinion that We should not ensure even more Ignorance…that way lies Dark Ages. We should, rather, seek to cure what Ignorance there is.

But, they will say, We don’t have any money!...There is a Budget Crisis!

This is True, as far as it goes…but it only tells a portion of the story.

In 2006, then Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran the numbers, to determine the likely effects of a proposed “Business Margins Tax”…Rick Perry’s Magic Elixir, to fix Our Budgetary Woes. The results?

(from the Washington Spectator, by Lou Dubose | September 1, 2011)” The comptroller warned that "no economic miracle will close the gap your plan creates. Even if every dollar of the current [2006] $8.2 billion surplus was poured into the plan, it would not cover the plan's cost for more than two years, 2007 and 2008. The gap is going to continue to grow year by year." The shortfall the bill created could only be closed by tax increases, the comptroller warned, "or massive cuts in essential public services — like public education."”

This current Budget Disaster is entirely Contrived….brought to You by Rick Perry, and his Cronies in Austin. They purposely Destroyed the Budget, so that the Republicans could gut all things Public…and, in the process, keep the Favor of large Corporations, and the Obscenely Wealthy.

Ignorance differs from Stupidity, in that there is a Cure for the former…Education. The latter, on the other hand, is usually terminal.

Thomas Jefferson said "I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power."

This is the same Jefferson whom the SBOE, in its mendacity, has removed from the Public School Curricula. Civilization, itself, depends on Our Education….and Education depends on the availability of Information…even, or especially, unpopular Information. The Republicans have shown their disdain for these Truths. Do not stand idly by while they work to promote Ignorance.

Edo Dives ,