NEA LEFTISM ON DISPLAY

While perusing my NEA Today March issue I was skimming the worthless crap in the magazine as usual looking for the normal leftist junk that fills the magazine. I was confronted on page 54, under the title BRINGING THE TROOPS HOME, with the heartwarming information that that noted policy wonk Reg Weaver, the well-compensated president of the union, had written a letter to President Bush "to convey NEA's concerns about the ongoing war in Iraq, its impact on students whose parents have been deployed, and its drain on the nation's financial resources." The next sentence gave the standard leftist rhetoric about "fully supporting the troops in Iraq and insisting they be provided with the necessary resources."

While becoming irritated with the unnecessary use of Reg's time and my money writing the president about a policy which does not impact education, I was particularly disgusted with the lame attempt to come up with some connection to education so it would look as though the NEA had some business giving policy advice on non-educational issues. As a coerced member of this leftist union that spends an inordinate amount of time and my money on non-educational issues, I have become used to them spending my coerced dues money on their leftist agenda.

The next part then helpfully provided several websites for the concerned teacher to make sure their students are properly inculcated in the anti-war movement. Again, this is standard fare, after this magazine has published several anti-Wal-Mart articles. The websites were particularly galling. Among them: Rethinking Schools, which will provide the enterprising left-leaning teacher with curricular resources such as Whose Wars? Teaching about the Iraq War and the War on Terrorism. That will be a fair presentation of both sides of the debate I'm sure. How about "United for Peace in Justice, U.S. Labor Against the War, and last but not least, that bastion of fairness and balanced debate CODEPINK. I'm sure a lot of people were impressed by their performance at Berkley recently.

It is very impressive Reg and his minions attempted to hide their leftism on page 54. I, as a member of this paid mouthpiece of the leftist agenda am greatly irritated that my money is spent on a massive amount of propaganda with which I don't agree. Is it any wonder that the Democrat Party fought tooth and nail to defeat a piece of legislation that would have required unions to come clean on the misuse of union members money and steadfastly supported legislation that would have made secret ballots a thing of the past.

Closed shops are a violation of individual freedom and a stain on America and I resent being compelled to support unions and leaders unworthy of my money and support.

McCAIN RUNNING MATE

After I worked at a McCain phone bank I went home and watched some of the "State of the Black Union" on C-SPAN. I normally turn off crap like this, but when I tuned in Michael Steele was speaking. He is the former Lt. Governor of Maryland who ran for U.S. Senator in 2006, and was defeated in the bloodbath of the election. He probably would have won in any other year. He narrowly lost to Cardin the Democrat Party machine candidate. He is now the chairman of GO-PAC.

First, I give him courage points for addressing this Democrat party love-in. He surprised me and I think the audience too, with his wit and wisdom. He spoke of growing up in the segregated south and connected with the audience. As he spoke I thought what a great running mate for McCain. He would be a great spokesmen for the inclusion of the Republican Party and would be an asset to McCain with all audiences. Unlike Obama, this guy has a track record and one of achievement. Next to Steele, Obama looks like the amateur he is. I would love to see McCain step away from the ordinary and look at someone like Steele.

Steele strikes me as someone who is willing to buck the trend of black Democrats because he realizes that the Democrats have used blacks to get votes and very seldom have they delivered on their promises. The Democrats' strategy of victimhood has been a failed strategy and it's about time to call them on it. We'll see.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THEM AND US?

I just again watched the movie "Gettysburg." As I watch it amazes me each time the courage and honor that the armies had in this war. Don't get me wrong, war is not a glorious undertaking, I know. One of the main characters in the movie, Joshua Chamberlain was wounded six times, received the Congressional Medal of Honor and was elected four times as the governor of Maine. Simply an amazing story.

But in this instance and in others it is hard to believe the courage of the soldiers. My grandfather was in the First World War. Most of the Americans involved were drafted. My grandfather was 27 years old when he was drafted in June 1918. He went and trained at Camp Sherman in Chillicothe, Ohio. He arrived in France September 2 and was in the line by the middle of September 1918. He fought until the armistice November 11, 1918. Most of the soldiers fought right up to the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. Even though the arimistice was signed at 5 AM on November 11th. Over 2,000 soldiers lost their lives on that last day.

I wonder what Americans would think of such a circumstance today. The courage and sacrifice of Americans throughout our history is a story that needs to be remembered. We are quick to forget each war as it passes until the next one. The First World War was followed by the Roaring 20s and the Great Depression. After the Great Depression the Second World War occurred. The First World War veterans were essentially forgotten.

I hope the same doesn't happen to the veterans of today. As much as we want to get back to normal after a war, please don't forget the veterans who gave everything they had. For the most part they, too, wanted to get back to normal, but they have an amazing burden to leave behind. It takes time. Please don't forget them.

I NEVER WILL.

Teaching Myself

I have a student teacher this semester. We have assigned a project that we call a "decades project." The students are assigned different decades in US history and through their research they can find the political, social, and cultural aspects of that decade and report on them to their classmates. It is a great way of finding out about the different aspects of each decade we will study and it forces the students to help teach the decade.

One of the students asked me today about the 40s and its music. I told her about the swing era and how much fun it was to listen and dance to the music of Glenn Miller and other big bands. She was very interested in the music and dancing of the era. I found myself telling her a personal story.

My daughter has always loved music and dancing. When she was very young, about 5, my wife and I and her parents took our kids to a theme park. We went to a show that included swing music. My father-in-law is a WWII veteran. He loves to dance and especially loves swing music.

I told my student about my father-in-law dancing with his grand daughter to the music in the show. It was really cool that the other people at the show all were loving the two of them dancing to the music. They watched and clapped to song after song as my daughter and her grandpa danced. At the time it was hard not to cry as I watched them. My daughter was so thrilled and her grandpa was too.

These are memories of my daughter that flood my mind as I try to deal with her MS. As I thought about this memory I pledged to never give up in the search for a cure for her and all people inflicted with this disease. This represented an epiphany for me. I want to remember all the good things about my daughter that have made me love her with all my heart. I can accept whatever happens and I am going to work for the best for her.

I will always try to remember the soccer games and the dancing. That is what I can do for her.

RESUMING

I have been gone for a long time. I wanted to return, but I felt that blogging was trivial. Some things have kept me away. First, my daughter has been diagnosed with MS. My wife handled it with her usual grace and aplomb. I, on the other hand was devastated. I tried to hide it, but I was basically nonfunctional over and above my teaching. I have done some research on the disease and I have tried to put a good face on it. But I have basically failed. I turned inside myself and began to feel sorry for myself. I have listened to Elton John music and cried because my daughter and I love his music. The worst of the situation is that I have protected her all her life and now this is something I can't change. This is hard stuff for someone who has been very aggressive all my life and now I am impotent to stop this disease and its effects on my daughter. In other words, I have nothing to fight. Give me an enemy!

I have worked hard to deal with it and I am just now accepting it. My daughter is a rock! She is a certified Social Studies teacher. She is now pursuing a certification in Special Education. She feels a bond with them. I am a pansy, I know, but it is tough for me to accept. I'll get there, because my wife and daughter are better and stronger people than me and they will force me to accept it. I want to fight, they accept. Maybe some day I'll be as tough as they are, but for now I'm working on it.

We have joined the MS society and will be in the walks against the disease, but I feel like it is when we went to her soccer games and cheered for her. Are we just cheerleaders?