Talk is in the news about the Sheboygan Area School District's (SASD) budget for the new school year. Not surprisingly, they are again talking about an increase. That is to be expected - after all, with skyrocketing fuel costs and other factors, it is normal for those in position to forcibly take your money to do so. It would be totally unexpected if they actually considered making some cuts instead.
As I said, an increase is to be expected. But what really bothers me is another related issue, also in the news. Some parents have come forward to complain about how badly Jackson Elementary needs to be expanded. That, in itself, is not unusual and if the complaints have practical basis, they should be addressed. If that is the case however, it is unconscionable that the SASD had tons of federal funding leftover last fiscal year and decided to build empty caves for future expansion at the high schools instead of addressing current needs..
What I want to know is, where were these parents last year when the excess funds were in the news? Wouldn't an immediate need such as this logically trump the currently unneeded high school expansions? I believe it takes unmitigated gall to fritter away the funds on future planning and expect the already overtaxed citizens of the district to cough up additional funds for current needs.
One last thought - where are the local media players on this? Perhaps they'll come late to the party, but I have yet to see or hear anything beyond the initial news report on this issue.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Ethnic Names - What Actually Offends?
In Tuesday's (2/28/06) Journal-Sentinel there was a front-page article about Mardi Gras entitled, "The Big Whoop." It described a group of negro Americans that call themselves The Mardi Gras Indians. The particular "tribe" the article lead with was called the Geronimo Hunters. The first thing that came to my mind was how their use of those names and the article headline would be criticized as offensive to native Americans.
Of course, I haven't heard a peep. It turns out that this is part of an age-old Mardi Gras tradition supposedly in honor of the native Americans that harbored and protected run-away slaves. Nevermind that the term "Indian" is improper and that the war whoop has been criticized in other venues. Nevermind that the reference to Geronimo is inaccurate (Geronimo was a western desert Apache, having nothing to do with the New Orleans area or runaway slaves). Nevermind that the behavior exhibited by these "chiefs" during Mardi Gras has nothing to do with the original native Americans. It is evidently the thought, or at least the claimed intent, that counts.
But is it really just the thought that counts? The use of those names by competitive sports teams also honors native Americans. With the exception of a few derogatory terms (such as "redmen," for example), this use honors the competitive spirit, bravery and effective battle skills of native Americans. Considering that most all "politically correct" designations are "leftwing" or "liberal" in origin, perhaps the actual use of native American names is not the problem.
It apparently isn't the use of ethnic names so much, nor even that a few overly sensitive native Americans might actually be offended. Rather, it appears that it is the celebration of competitive skills and battle traditions that the lefties find offensive. That might explain why words like "warriors" that could be accurately attributed to fighters of any race or nationality are included in their ridiculous rants, while other ethnic names such as "Vikings" are not.
Of course, I haven't heard a peep. It turns out that this is part of an age-old Mardi Gras tradition supposedly in honor of the native Americans that harbored and protected run-away slaves. Nevermind that the term "Indian" is improper and that the war whoop has been criticized in other venues. Nevermind that the reference to Geronimo is inaccurate (Geronimo was a western desert Apache, having nothing to do with the New Orleans area or runaway slaves). Nevermind that the behavior exhibited by these "chiefs" during Mardi Gras has nothing to do with the original native Americans. It is evidently the thought, or at least the claimed intent, that counts.
But is it really just the thought that counts? The use of those names by competitive sports teams also honors native Americans. With the exception of a few derogatory terms (such as "redmen," for example), this use honors the competitive spirit, bravery and effective battle skills of native Americans. Considering that most all "politically correct" designations are "leftwing" or "liberal" in origin, perhaps the actual use of native American names is not the problem.
It apparently isn't the use of ethnic names so much, nor even that a few overly sensitive native Americans might actually be offended. Rather, it appears that it is the celebration of competitive skills and battle traditions that the lefties find offensive. That might explain why words like "warriors" that could be accurately attributed to fighters of any race or nationality are included in their ridiculous rants, while other ethnic names such as "Vikings" are not.
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