I work with younger children every day.  Kindergarden age through about grade four.  I see all kinds of children, "good" ones, "bad" ones, and like most children, those who mostly behave, but sometimes have thier moments.  I see what I, and the other staff memebers should teach them, but I also sometimes wonder if we are actually hindering them from the world they will be adults in.

I see the mean spirited assults and failure to debate without charator assasination and slander.  I see the "sound bit mentality" of degradation and dehumanization of people to promote doing evil against them.  I see a promoting of propaganda and lies as news and fact and the discouraging of multiple lines of thought on the same issue.  I see the people our children are supposed to look up to found deep in corruption and scandal, and yet they escape punishment while those with few means and lesser crimes fill our jails.  The simple lack of respect and dignity for others replaced by instant gradification, wastefulness and domination.  The importance of self responsibility replaced by blaming and scapegoating. And most disturbing to me of all these (as if this was not bad enough) them making of "instant heros" simply because they use the "silver tounge" without substance to the words, and no real direction except to make one "feel good".  In other words, people are to easy to follow because it sounds good, and it takes away the responsibility from us.

I often wonder if we (I and the people I work with) are really preparing the children in our charge for the world they will get when they become adults.  Should we only teach them peace, understanding, tolarance, respect and dignity, or should we teach them that "along with the dove, you must also share the sky with the hawk and the vulture"?   Or perhaps we, the adults can change the world to fit the teaching module.

I long for the days when the good guy wore the white hat, and the bad guy wore the black hat.

Peace Be Unto You All

Zanubiyah