The
TNA
News with Commentary
Thursday 26 April 2001
Our local newspaper is
running a series called The Age of Dissent, looking at the
relationship between parents and their children in the 21st century. The
treatment of adolescent behaviour has become so politically correct that it
more than amply demonstrates the unintended consequences that flow from
inverting a proper hierarchy, as well as removing discipline and affording
children unearned “rights”.
Teachers, as well as
parents, are rueing the day they lost the ability to physically discipline
their children. The result is a predictable ‘smart alec’
attitude which inhibits the child’s progress towards becoming an independent
and respectful adult. How often have we witnessed a child of 10 or 11
threatening their parent or teacher with the words “you touch me and I’ll
report you to social welfare!” Oh yes, our children know their “rights” all
right, but what damage is it doing to their thinking?
As a child, I remember
vividly, the threat of the wooden spoon coming out when my brother and I had
disobeyed direct instructions and run outside in the snow in bare feet. We
didn’t have to be smacked on that occasion, but we did catch on pretty quick
not to push our luck. And looking back, I haven’t been scarred for life from
the threat of parental punishment, quite the opposite in fact. It taught me
respect for my parents, indeed it taught me self-respect. And it taught me that
there is good reason in learning right from wrong.
Looking at the way “youf” interact with each other, it is clearly obvious that
they are left wanting in knowledge on basic discipline and self respect. And
the reason is clear. In this age of liberalism and political correctness, they
are being brainwashed into thinking that their is a
valid reason for, and justification of, any type of behaviour; “He had an
abusive upbringing”, “he doesn’t have a male role model”, “his mother never
breast fed him”, etc etc.
And so children grow up
with mixed messages about what is right and wrong. Mum yells at him for talking
about his mates smoking dope but he hears a Member of Parliament on campus
telling them it should be legalised. Dad tells him to take out his nose ring
while he’s at the dinner table, but he hears on the news that a grocery store
owner was forced to rehire a girl he fired when he was found guilty of
discrimination after she refused to remove her nose stud when he asked her to.
Remove basic values and
discipline from the home and school and what you get is what you see on the
streets today, kids that have no future unless they are taught to respect
life’s hierarchies and take responsibility for their actions.
Parents may have good
intentions to teach their children basic values and survival skills but they
are fighting a State with a very different emphasis. A State that has put a
curriculum in place to educate your child, not on the values of developing a
good work ethic so that one day they might own their own business, but rather,
one that is preaching that business owners are evil because if they are making
money, they must be exploiting someone else in the process.
On one hand you might teach
your child the importance of being a skilled speller so that they can know and
appreciate the gift of words and their meanings, but at school his English
teacher, who can¹t spell by the way, tells him that as long as the word looks
like it sounds, he’ll have no problems. And so on it goes. Here in
Education is always topical
with voters. Few are happy about the state of it, but even fewer understand
that throwing money at the problem will not somehow fix it. The future of our
children lies in actually getting the State as far away as possible from the
minds of our children. The future of our children lies with responsible parents
— that they reclaim their children and instil in them basic values such as truth,
honesty, self discipline perseverance, high standards, and a strong sense of
self belief. Teach them that yes, life is hard, but being a victim of their
circumstances is even worse.
Why, with a healthy dose of
determination, hard work and integrity, there is no reason why they couldn’t
overcome any obstacle and eventually be the CEO of their own large company.
Now Prime Minister, how
often are you teaching THAT message in today’s schools?