Smackie the Frog

Two things are bothering me right now.

Thing #1. The Texas Board of Education just ruled that schools do not have to teach that the Universe is ~14 billion years old, as is stated by science. They now can teach that the Universe is around 6000 years old, as stated by some fringe religious elements.

Thing #2. South Carolina has a budget shortfall in education, such that they are possibly going to have to lay off hundreds of teachers. And in response to this, Mark Sanford, the governor who obviously is hoping to be President someday, is turning down 700 million in Federal stimulus money specifically earmarked for education.

I’m constantly amazed that education is something that is so easily cut from government budgets. It makes no sense to me. It has somehow been tagged as a liberal thing, and the Republicans don’t want government interfering with local stuff, but come on. Education is the most important thing, in my view, in a country. You’d be hard pressed to convince me that defense is more important. I would argue that education IS national defense. Who do you think has been designing all of the weapons and systems that we’ve been using to be the world’s strongest super power? Magicians?

It baffles me, because I think that some people think that the USA is the “greatest” either because of God, and that he wants us to be the “greatest”, or simply because we are. We are the USA, and so we are the best because we are the USA. That’s the kind of vibe I get off of mouthbreathers who claim that you can’t say anything bad about “Amurika” because it isn’t being patriotic. It goes hand in hand. The country can do no wrong because it is the best country in the world. It is the best country in the world because it can do no wrong. Because of God.

I’m becoming very disillusioned lately. I fear for the future, and I don’t know that there is anything that can be done to change it.