Anonymous posted a very well thought-out reply to the original post in this topic, Homeschool Is Treason.
It raises an interesting discussion on definitions which is very pertinent to education today, even outside socialist rants which seem on the periphery of intelligent discourse. Spunky has raised questions regarding definitions regarding home schooling and how our rights may be taken from depending on the state's definition of homeschooling. It is the whole reason many of us choose to use Webster's 1828 to define words. The Foundation for American Education provides a good explanation of the importance of establishing the meanings of words.
TREASON, n. tree'zn. [L. traho. See Draw and Drag.] Treason is the highest crime of a civil nature of which a man can be guilty. Its signification is different in different countries. In general, it is the offense of attempting to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power....
In the United States, treason is confined to the actual levying of war against the United States, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.
Uner this definition, the original argument is a bit ridiculous. No one has raised arms against the United States, nor given aid and comfort to her enemies, through homeschooling. No one is attempting to overthrow the government. We work through the constitutional means afforded us to bring about the changes we would like to see. That is part of living in a republic.
But under the definition of Princeton University's Wordnet, we see listed: - a crime that undermines the offender's government
- disloyalty by virtue of subversive behavior
- an act of deliberate betrayal
Now, suddenly, merely disagreeing with the government can bring about charges of treason. When a poor, black woman sits on a bus, or a group of students take a seat at a counter where only whites are to be served, we suddenly have grounds for charging treason.
Or, perhaps as my anonymous commentor pointed out, the definition applies more readily to the public school system which, through its subversive methodology. promotes the overthrow of our government in favor of a socialist one not built on the constitution, a document whose purpose, by the way, has been outlived. From an email from Carrie, "Our constitution put limits on the powers of the government to prevent those sympathetic to the british cause from handing the reins back to brittain - this is no longer an issue."
Sounds like Germany all over again. Were you aware that, while here and in England a thing is assumed protected unless expressly forbidden, in Germany it assumed forbidden unless expressly allowed by the constitution? That is because socialism views human rights as a gift from government, not an inalieable right given by God. And that is not Nazi Germany, but the Germany that our fair government under Truman had a rather large role in creating.
homeschool, education, treason
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Feb. 19, 2006 - Untitled Comment