I often get accused by readers of being a dinosaur, of being insensitive to the feelings of others, and of living as a relic from a previous age. Well, you all may be right. So it is with some amusement I run a piece that I have lifted from my friend, Dennis Gartman?s, The Gartman Letter, on the difference between going to school in 1957 and 2010:
Scenario 1:
Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls
into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his
truck's gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's
shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show
Jack.
2010 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack
hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again.
Counselors called in for traumatized students and
teachers.
Scenario 2:
Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark
shake hands and end up buddies.
2010 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they
arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with
assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario 3:
Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other
students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a
good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class,
sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2010 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He
becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family
gets extra money (SSI) from the government because
Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario 4:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his
Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal,
goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.
2010 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse, Billy is
removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state
psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers
being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's
mom has an affair with the psychologist.
Scenario 5:
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to
school.
1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on
the smoking dock.
2010 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from
school for drug violations. His car is then searched for
drugs and weapons.
Scenario 6:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the
Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint
bottle and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2010 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all
called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The
FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are
removed from their home and all computers are
confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list
and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario 7:
Johnny falls while running during recess and
scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher,
Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on
playing.
2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and
loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny
undergoes 5 years of therapy.
So True!
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