I graduated, thank the government!

thedo — Sun, 11 May 2008 05:41:00 GMT

I am now an official graduate of Iowa State University. Yes, a government public university. I feel accomplished, rightfully so, for graduating with a degree from an institution of "higher learning." My mother is proud of me. Am I proud? Yes/no. I'm proud of my hard work and intellectual progress. I'm not proud of doing it at the expense of others who were extorted to fund my education. I certainly did not feel as proud as I should have during my graduation ceremony, which was an exercise in state idolatry.

The worshipping began fairly quickly with the "presentation of the colors," which was a 15-second staring contest with the American flag in silence. Following that was the chant of the country, the National Anthem. You know, that thing that says "the land of the free."

Following this, the student speaker was introduced. His credentials were staggering. He was a double major in political science and psychology, interned with an Iowa senator and worked with a lobbying group. What a great student, so eager to assist the State and lobby on its behalf to use other people's money! What a free land. And then the student speaker offered a wonderful speech that "said something different" with the usual platitudes about college life.

Then came the faculty speaker, head of the university's political science department. A man who appeared on CNN in NY Times Square, once! This was the highlight of the night. It was a 15 minute message of doom and gloom to the graduating class about all the ills of the world and how so many things are wrong. "We're facing a food shortage," or "oil prices are continuously rising," and a bunch of other things in between global warming and global cooling that our generation has to fix because we can't "take it easy"—and apparently make the world worse like his generation, "the generation of the 60s," did.

The highlight of this highlight speech was the plug for his own profession. "Politics is important because that's where decisions are made," he said. At this point I nearly rose from dozing off to shout, "You mean the market is where decisions are made!" I have always held a great disdain for the bromide that politics are "important because that's where decisions are made." My former news editor held to this profession, despite being a libertarian. No, politics is not, nor should it be, important because that's where decisions are made. Decisions shouldn't be made there in the first place; they should be made in the market, where real choices exist and where real voluntary exchange occurs.

There are some graduates who witness a moving ceremonial speech at their commencement. Those are the ones who will likely remember it for years and tell people about their riveting experience. Mine was not riveting, but I'll remember it because it was so filled with despair and the call for more politics. And I will tell people, as I am now, to say, "No! No more politics; things are bad enough."

But I lied. The doom and gloom speech wasn't the highlight. The highlight was crossing the stage, shaking hands, only to step off stage and receive a nice picture ... not in front of the university's logo or anything to do with the university. No, everyone had the great national pleasure to have their picture taken in front of the American flag and the Iowa state flag. All thank the state for our education! It could not have happened otherwise!

Other than the state worshipping, the ceremony was nice. I just wish I could've worn something other than a gown ... like those military men who were allowed to wear their fancy military clothes and received special recognition for their departments of military, navy, and other useless armed forces science departments. All hail the state!

A question for my rhetoric class

thedo — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:48:00 GMT

My rhetoric class is now reading articles about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. The topic is very intriguing, and many in class have professed a wonder about how they had never heard much about the subject growing up through their education, largely public. Hmm! Little coverage of the enslavement of a certain classification of people by the government in government schools? Shocking!

Today we are to listen to a professor from my university who, as a three-month-old child, was interned with his family. I plan to ask him the following question:

Sir, the internment of Japanese-Americans is very disturbing and an unfortunate history. I have been fascinated reading the thoughts of certain Japanese-Americans, such as Mike Masaoka, who have written on and described their experience during the time. In a piece we read for class from They Call Me Moses Masaoka, Mr. Masaoka explains the willingness of many Japanese-Americans to comply with the American government's harsh and unjust curtailment of their constitutional, natural, and inalienable rights. This willingness occurred, in part, because of the want to be seen as loyal and faithful to the American government. Many faithfully believed they would receive their property after the end of their internment, and would, in the end, be treated properly. Such was not the case. Now, in the War on Terror, we have seen many strikingly similar moves on the part of the American government to pass legislation severely curtailing the liberties of people and many unjust incarcerations of so-called enemy combatants. Yet many continue to put stock and faith in the actions of the American government that it is only doing what is safe, right, just, and proper. But history shows the exact opposite, for when a government grabs excessive power it does not relinquish it easily and satisfactorily. Many people do not believe the recurring problem resides with government itself but merely the inadequate elected to government. My question, for you, then, is: Why do people continue to blindfully believe in the just and proper exercise of government when it continually displays an egregious attitude for injustice?

Apropos Austrian Aphorisms : public education

I graduated, thank the government!

A question for my rhetoric class