A 12-yr Old Wrote This?
The following was found at the Daily Kos.
I take issue with but one point: By pledging Loyalty to the flag, one is also pledging loyalty "...to the Republic for which it stands; one nation, under God, with Liberty and Justice for all." Human decency is implied in that pledge. The rest-- a fair wage, enough food, affordable medicine, clean water, and clean air are all political constructs, the underlying themes and implications of which are typically beyond the grasp of a twelve year old. but if Mozart, at the tender age of only eight composed his first symphony, why can't a 12 year old be so thoroughly and "liberally" indoctrinated, and talented enough to write a 'New York Times-quality' piece on injustice and the worthlessness of the American Flag?
I suspect Charlotte Aldebron had help. The concepts and imagery in this short but sweet essay are beyond the ability of even the most precocious of American 6th Graders. The quality of education in this country just cannot account for this kind of quality from a 12-year old.
Please... Someone prove me wrong.
"The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.
"School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.
"Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag's real meaning remains."
I take issue with but one point: By pledging Loyalty to the flag, one is also pledging loyalty "...to the Republic for which it stands; one nation, under God, with Liberty and Justice for all." Human decency is implied in that pledge. The rest-- a fair wage, enough food, affordable medicine, clean water, and clean air are all political constructs, the underlying themes and implications of which are typically beyond the grasp of a twelve year old. but if Mozart, at the tender age of only eight composed his first symphony, why can't a 12 year old be so thoroughly and "liberally" indoctrinated, and talented enough to write a 'New York Times-quality' piece on injustice and the worthlessness of the American Flag?
I suspect Charlotte Aldebron had help. The concepts and imagery in this short but sweet essay are beyond the ability of even the most precocious of American 6th Graders. The quality of education in this country just cannot account for this kind of quality from a 12-year old.
Please... Someone prove me wrong.
from the mind of... Eric | 10:52 AM
6 Comments:
You take something from Common Dreams and DailyKos with abundant skeptism, but places like Neal Bortz and World Net Daily get your instant acceptance as truth. This assertion is proven out by the post below this about Robert Novak's newest article.
For you does disproving the provenance of the article invalidate the ideas or questions posed by the article?
That essay is totally within the range of abilities of an on-the-ball sixth-grader. Maybe a little help with spelling. Maybe some with grammar. But the words are not complicated ones, and the imagery is sharp, probably, because most sixth-graders' thinking isn't as burdened with prejudice and cynicism as most adults.
Within the realm of possibility, yes, but unlikely. I objection is more for parroting skills than her writing skills.
Maybe. But most of what any of us say is parroting, with personal editing. There is very little original thought, especially in blogdom.
"...because most sixth-graders' thinking isn't as burdened with prejudice and cynicism as most adults."--Rev
Just not in THIS case! LOL!
Of course, from reading just a LITTLE bit over at the KOS, one quickly discovers the level of discourse!
Reading this, I came away with more of a picture of a liberal adult just being a liberal adult rather than a liberal adult trying to imitate a liberal-endoctrinated child! LOL!
I know 12 year olds capable or writing such as this. Not most, but some.
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