http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/highschool.html

Why School is Bad for Kids
by Rachel Grobstein

The following Op/Ed article appeared in the December, 1999 issue of The Spoke, the student newspaper of Conestoga High School in Berwyn Pennsylvania, and appears here by permission of Rachel Grobstein, who was a sophomore and Spoke Art Editor when the article appeared. The article orginally appeared both in print andon-line

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Once upon a time a child is born who, after spending many days blissfully watching how his fingers move and poking at the cat, enters the first year of what will be the focus of the next decade of his life: school.

And so, as he embarks upon his educational career, he learns many things.

First of all, he’s taught that there’s a difference between learning and living - as if learning is here in the school building, and living is outside, and there’s no correlation between the two.

As if what he did for the first five years of his life - like discovering language - wasn’t learning at all.

He learn that to be confused or wrong is a crime. The school wants Right Answers, and he learns countless ways to con the teacher into thinking he knows something he doesn’t; he learns to bluff and cheat.

He also learns to be lazy. Before school began he worked for hours and hours, with no thought of reward, to make sense of the world. But in school he learns that no one does anything they don’t have to and he learns to be bored.

Poor guy.

*** and ***

Because essentially, however grading may be justified or supplemented with explanations, it shows the student that what counts in the end is not whether he has learned the material and will apply it or use it to enrich his life, but that a high number will get him into a good college.

How do you truly measure what someone knows? In the words of Holt: “Let the child learn what every educated person must someday learn, how to measure his own understanding.”

What, after all, is the goal of education? Making honor role? Or making sense of the world?

*** end quote ***

Silly writer! (Like the Trix commercial. Silly rabbit, Trix re for kids.) “Education” is for the teacher’s union and their politicians.

It has NOTHING to do with educating anyone. It’s sole purpose is to create a dumbed down population suitable to being led by the elite. (Where do the politicians send THEIR kids? The Kennedys, Kerrys, Bushes, and Obamas? Not to YOUR school! Last one to do that was Jimmy Carter and look where Amy is; as opposed to Carolyn Kennedy!)

No, the American education paradigm was Horace Mann lifting the Prussian model to create good soldiers (i.e., cannon fodder) and factory workers (i.e., “human resources”) that could be easily led “by their betters”. Argh!

In case anyone hasn’t noticed. It ain’t the 1800’s. We don’t need no “factory workers”. Never “needed” cannon fodder, but that’s another discussion.

The world has changed so why are we using an “education model” from the last century?

Simple. There is an incestuous relationship between politicians and the teachers’ union. Together they like the current system just fine. The Union gets fatter and the politicians keep getting reelected. Round and round it goes. Decade after decade.

Where does it stop?

When the parasite kills the host, of course. And, “we” are almost there.

In NJ for example, property taxes that fund the “education industry” are at the breaking point. In NJ, after being amused and trained from ages 3 to 22, functional illiterates pop out of the “daycare” (aka, public school system) and can’t find jobs.

Doesn’t anyone notice that this generation will be the first generation that will be worse off than their parents? (I’d say than their great grandparents. At least, those folks could grow their own food.) Does anyone see the key factor that Diamond points out as one of the factors in societal collapse? Have with our “education” system literally “sawed down the the last tree on Easter Island”?

We have a large population of “idiots” running around unemployable and thinking they actually know something. Ask them to make change or list to them attempt to articulate their frustration by writing something. Anything? Read their “totem poles” on MySpace, Facebook, or blogs. It’s sad.

They have been deluded into think that they are actually thinking.

So, one can’t just kvetch. One has to offer solutions.

(1) Stop paying for the “education” of others. Parents had ‘em. They should pay to educate them. Sorry, but the only way to get a better educated population is to put the people in charge who will really care that it gets done. When people spend their own money, it is truly amazing how demanding they become.

(2) Parents need to realize that they and their children are being defrauded by “public education”. They need to be Hercules cleaning the Aegean stable getting what their children need to succeed.

(3) Children need to wise up that they are getting screwed. Instead of a tattoo, they need to “educate” themselves. And not about American Idol. or what the latest Hollywood harlot is doing. They need to learn that when ANY politician’s lips move, they are lying. And, they need to seek to educate themselves for the hard times ahead.

IMHO!

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http://www.careerrenegade.com/

*** begin quote ***

Jonathan Fields has launched the Career Renegade site, and with it he’s giving away a great free ebook called the Fire Fly Manifesto

*** and ***

… shows us that this bad economy, downsizing and all, is actually a great opportunity to do a whole bunch of things with your career, if you look at things in a new way.

*** end quote ***

I’m reading it now.

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http://scarletknights.com/basketball-women/news/release.asp?prID=7137

No. 3/2 Rutgers Trounces Princeton, 83-35
Posted on 11/18/2008 10:13:32 PM

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Three players scored in double figures as No. 3/2 Rutgers cruised to an 83-35 win over intra-state rival Princeton on Tuesday evening at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.

*** end quote ***

The game was unremarkable. RU overmatched Princeton.

But that was not what I found interesting.

It was the National Anthem.

RU lined up properly and respectfully. The Princeton team was disrespectfully apparently ignorant of the proper protocol.

Interesting to see the government minions have been doing their brainwashing job in RU’s case and not in Pton’s case. Because the gooferment is heavily involved in what they call “education”, I call them “minions”.

Just interesting, disrespect of the anthem is a strange and interesting phenom?

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http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2008/11/18/93514/227

Why the Big 3 Bailout is Bullshit: Cadillacs Made in China
By nostalgiphile in MLP
Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 05:02:40 AM EST

Tags: bankruptcy, automobiles, Japan, made in China, Detroit, YFI (all tags)

*** begin quote ***

First, they say that between 160,000 and 3 million manufacturing jobs are on the line, but then turn around and blame the unions (the organization that represents those workers). In fact, foreign (mainly Japanese) automakers employ almost as many Americans as the “Big 3″ do (113,000). Helping GM, Ford, and Chrysler could actually hurt those American auto-workers at non-Big 3 factories.

*** end quote ***

These “bailouts” are wrong on so many levels it’s hard to find a positive reason FOR them.

My pocketbook can’t afford it. So, sorry Chapter 11.

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http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081118/D94H4S981.html

`$100 laptop’ group reboots Give 1 Get 1 offer
Nov 18, 12:06 AM (ET)
By JESSICA MINTZ

*** begin quote ***

SEATTLE (AP) - The One Laptop Per Child project is set to resume its Give One Get One promotion for its kid-friendly computers Monday with logistics help from Web retailer Amazon.com Inc.

*** end quote ***

Boy, did they miss their opportunity. I tried to get some last year. Argh! Now with the various alternatives, they have missed the boat.

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/
TEC_MUSIC_DOWNLOADING?SITE=
WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=
DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-11-17-07-22-47

Nov 17, 7:22 AM EST
Law professor fires back at song-swapping lawsuits
By RODRIQUE NGOWI
Associated Press Writer

*** begin quote ***

Nesson argues that the Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999 is unconstitutional because it effectively lets a private group - the Recording Industry Association of America, or RIAA - carry out civil enforcement of a criminal law. He also says the music industry group abused the legal process by brandishing the prospects of lengthy and costly lawsuits in an effort to intimidate people into settling cases out of court.

*** end quote ***

Like to see the RIAA get taken to the woodshed.

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122661621189526173.html?mod=article-outset-box

When Alzheimer’s Hits at 40

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One evening in 2003, after yet another test, a type of brain scan called a positron emission tomography, Mr. Kammerer’s physician called. Sitting in their bedroom, Mr. and Mrs. Kammerer got on separate phones to listen in.

“Mrs. Kammerer, I have some terrible news,” she remembers the doctor saying. “I believe your husband has Alzheimer’s.”

Mrs. Kammerer dropped to her knees. She recalls that her husband didn’t understand what was going on and told the doctor, “You have to hold on, something’s wrong with my wife.” They locked the bedroom door so the children couldn’t walk in. After Mrs. Kammerer explained to her husband that he had been diagnosed with a form of dementia, they sat quietly. “Your life kind of flashes before your eyes,” she says.

Mr. Kammerer had private disability insurance, but he relied on his job at Clipper for the family’s health insurance. Another significant concern was the cost of the children’s private school education. Mr. Kammerer decided to work as long as possible.

*** end quote ***

This story has lessons on so MANY levels:

(1) Medicine ain’t science.

(2) We have no idea of the really BAD things that can happen to us out of the blue.

(3) What we call “bad” is at worst a speed bump in our daily lives and probably a petty annoyance.

(4) Disability insurance is “cheap” insurance; like life insurance.

(5) You are the expert on “you” and how you feel.

Prayers have to go out to this family.

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>The book is called “Raising the
>Grade: How High School Reform Can
>Save Our Youth and Our Nation.”

Maybe as a society, we are finally going to escape the “government education” paradigm. We can’t ‘afford’ it from both the input side (i.e., taxes) and the output (i.e., quality of what it produces). Socialists have used it to undermine our national commitment to individual achievement and rugged individualism that made America great. And, put them in control of everyone’s lives.

The purposes of the education system we imported from Prussia was to make cannon fodder soldiers and malleable factory workers. All that could be easily let by a powerful “elite”. Seems to have worked.

Unfortunately, cannon fodder soldiers are not how wars are fought today. Factory workers don’t exist any more in the USA. And that “smart elite” isn’t very ’smart’ and have clay feet.

Time for a paradigm shift? Not just more meaningless diplomas.

imho!

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“
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” is a concept taught in American schools as a fundamental truth that all people are deserving of respect and life and prosperity. Why then is Ian Freeman in prison for the next 100 days?

read more | digg story

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Here’s the video! I still think this is an over-reaction by the gooferment. Like Gandhi, Ian is showing them up for what they are. A gang writ large.

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http://monochromementality.com/index.php/blog/show/90-days-in-prison-for-refusing-to-stand.html

90 days in prison for refusing to stand
Monochrome Mentality

*** begin quote ***

Today, Ian appeared at their trial and intended only on calling the damaged person making a complaint against him. He never got that far, it seems. In keeping with the doctrine of “all men created equal”, Ian Freeman refused to stand for the man called “Judge”. It would be considered rude to refuse a hand extended to you in greeting, yet this man called “Judge” did not greet Ian by standing. Instead, he decided that Ian’s refusal to stand was somehow and offense, and then proceeded to instruct some other men to arrest him. They ushered him off to a separate room for the supposed “trial”.

*** and ***

In this private back room, the man called “Judge” convicted Ian of three counts of “contempt of court” (why shouldn’t an ethical person be contemptuous of men using violence and threats to tell other men what they’re allowed to store their property?) and sentenced him to 90 days in prison with fines with an additional 10 days in the cage for refusal to give the government people some of his money.

Welcome to the United Socialist States of America. The government people own your property. They dictate to you what you can do on your own land. You no longer have to hurt someone to have the government people turn against and hurt you. You have no right to confront your accuser. There no longer need even be an accuser, no injured party. You have no right to a public trial. “We will use force against you” the government people are saying “if you don’t obey us.”

*** end quote ***

Clearly, Ian picked his line in the sand. The gang that called itself “government” struck back. They can’t have any one pulling back the curtain and showing them up for what they really are. Thugs!

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http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=636617775922

Autopsy performed on UD freshman By John Lewis

*** begin quote ***

Authorities were looking into the possibility of an alcohol overdose in the death of the freshman from Kendall Park, New Jersey.

*** end quote ***

Does any politician who has voted for “drinking age restriction” feel any shame about the death of this young man?

Of course not!

No one holds them accountable!

If there was no “drinking age” — an absurd concept since you can’t keep people from putting stuff in their bodies; you can make it difficult or more expensive, but you can’t stop it with a law!! Suppose “children” were allowed to drink anything, anytime, anywhere. Would they drink? Sure. They do NOW! Only an “ostrich” would think differently.

So, make the drinking age ZERO and let people learn in much safer circumstances. We don’t hear of European kids binge drinking themselves to death. Do we?

I remember as a sixteen year old going to Nevada where I could drive as fast as I wanted on the open high way, drink, and gamble. They even had no age on the “chicken ranches”, but my Mom wouldn’t have approved.

A much “free-er”, and safer time!

Victimless crimes have terrible consequences!

Argh!

I pray for this poor lad and his parents. A casualty of gooferment!

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http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=5081

Dems Target Private Retirement Accounts
Democratic leaders in the U.S. House discuss confiscating 401(k)s, IRAs
By Karen McMahan
November 04, 2008

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RALEIGH — Democrats in the U.S. House have been conducting hearings on proposals to confiscate workers’ personal retirement accounts — including 401(k)s and IRAs — and convert them to accounts managed by the Social Security Administration.

Triggered by the financial crisis the past two months, the hearings reportedly were meant to stem losses incurred by many workers and retirees whose 401(k) and IRA balances have been shrinking rapidly.

The testimony of Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economic policy analysis at the New School for Social Research in New York, in hearings Oct. 7 drew the most attention and criticism. Testifying for the House Committee on Education and Labor, Ghilarducci proposed that the government eliminate tax breaks for 401(k) and similar retirement accounts, such as IRAs, and confiscate workers’ retirement plan accounts and convert them to universal Guaranteed Retirement Accounts (GRAs) managed by the Social Security Administration.

Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, in prepared remarks for the hearing on “The Impact of the Financial Crisis on Workers’ Retirement Security,” blamed Wall Street for the financial crisis and said his committee will “strengthen and protect Americans’ 401(k)s, pensions, and other retirement plans” and the “Democratic Congress will continue to conduct this much-needed oversight on behalf of the American people.”

Currently, 401(k) plans allow Americans to invest pretax money and their employers match up to a defined percentage, which not only increases workers’ retirement savings but also reduces their annual income tax. The balances are fully inheritable, subject to income tax, meaning workers pass on their wealth to their heirs, unlike Social Security. Even when they leave an employer and go to one that doesn’t offer a 401(k) or pension, workers can transfer their balances to a qualified IRA.

{Extraneous Deleted}

*** end quote ***

Clearly a very scarey idea.

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http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/roots2.html

Constitutional Dead Letters by Roger Roots

*** begin quote ***

The list enumerated below, to paraphrase the dead-lettered Ninth Amendment, should not be considered all-inclusive, and there are, no doubt, other dead-lettered constitutional provisions I have neglected to identify.

*** end quote ***

This fellow goes thru and creates an impressive list of the “lost” Constitutional protections.

Scary and sad!

Seems like Lysander Spooner had it right: “But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.”

Time for secession? Which state will be the first to go? California, Vermont, Texas, Michigan? One thing is for sure, it will fall apart. Especially as times get tough. Americans are no longer that hardy stock that conquered the West. We’ve divided into the “producers” and the “takers”. And, while we may not be on Robinson Crusoe’s island, the impact of too many takers can be seen.

What happens when the “producers” stop producing?

Where do the Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Unemployment, and Government pay & “benefit” checks of all forms come from?

No wonder “urban youth discouragement devices” (aka guns) are selling well!

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http://www.freestateproject.org/intro/2008_election

Libertarian Free State Project elects four of its members to the New Hampshire State House of Representatives — Ridley Report

Low tax activists amend Rochester, New Hampshire charter to cap all spending increases to the rate of inflation — Union Leader

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The Free State Project is showing some results in New Hampshire!

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The title says it all.

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http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2008/11/vanishing-republicans-of-south.html

Friday, November 07, 2008
The vanishing Republicans of South Brunswick

*** begin quote ***

I’ve heard some rumors that there are Republicans living in South Brunswick.

Yes, according to these rumors, there are actual, died-in-the-wool members of the Grand Old Party going about their business, meeting at Pierre’s and going through the electoral motions.

*** and ***

I am at a loss as to how the Republicans can turn this around, how they can remake themselves so they offer a reasonable alternative, an opposing voice at a time of Democratic control. This year’s candidates, for instance, were the best the party has had to offer in years and still they barely registered. Part of it was a lack of message — it’s not enough to say a different voice is needed. You still have to explain what that voice would say and how it might have an impact on council business. That was never offered.

But still, it is difficult for me to understand how candidates for Township Council can manage to get so few votes in a year of record turnout. It just boggles my mind.

*** end quote ***

Posted by Hank Kalet at 1:25 PM

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Libertarian at 08824 said…

Why bother? The people of South Brunswick are content with the chains of the status quo. They have drunk the progressive Democratic kool aid. They must love the high taxes, “fat” bureaucrats, and the Jersey corrupt system. The sheeple are just “free riders” on a waste of effort. Until there is some indication of life, or some minimal support of Liberty in the sheeple, why bang your head against the wall?

“If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams

Before the current Democratic / Republican duopoly came across the land, Republicans were the party of smaller government and the Democrats were the party of individual liberty. Now it’s a disgrace. No difference. The politicians, aided and abetted by the Teachers Union, the Trial Lawyers, and the Unions, have figured out how to feather their own nest, while rewarding their friends and punishing their enemies.

They don’t want anything to disturb the status quo. Just try to get third party on the ballot in New Jersey. What a joke. “They”, the entrenched power elite, make the rules to prevent any change. The sheeple don’t get that the game is rigged. Take for example, school budgets! When the activists in town actually can mount a defeat of the bloated school budgets, there are six levels of appeal that will over ride the will of the people.

Property tax reform? It’ll come when no one can afford to own a home in New Jersey. Ethics reform? When the people refuse to speak to any elected official in any party, caucus, or pact with a corrupt official. State pension reform? When taxpayers, who don’t have a pension, refuse to endow the bureaucrats with a plush lifetime pensions and healthcare. Education reform? When senior citizens refuse to fork over their meager social security to “educate” other people’s children; not that it is “education” to pay unionized teachers to babysit bored children. And on. And on.

The only way to upset the applecart is to have a revolt. Gandhi showed how to do it. Just don’t cooperate. As this country gets more severely divided into producers and drones, eventually the producers will say “why bother”! When they stop producing, there would not be anything for the drones to take. Why do you think there is the continual drain of people out of New Jersey?

No, when my fellow sheeple are ready to lie down in the streets to prevent the schools from opening, storm the municipal building to stop them from stealing any more of our money, and march on Trenton to drive the thieves from the Golden Dome, I’ll be right there with them.

Till then, I object to you castigating “Republicans” who are just being realists.

See you at the demonstrations.

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FROM FACEBOOK

Scott did not believe a worse president than Jimmy Carter could be elected, but was proven wrong. 7:50am

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Kevin Edward Kline at 9:43am November 7

So you’re the guy who was stealing my yard signs!

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Scott Moore at 9:59am November 7

No. I was the guy stocking up on gunns and ammo and getting a concealed permit license, and now quitely await armeggedon.

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Kevin Edward Kline at 10:30am November 7

We’ve elected a worse president than Carter. He’s called “W” and he betrayed every major tenet of the conservative movement. History will show the worst presidents of the 20th century as: Harding, Hoover, Nixon, Carter, and W.

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John Reinke at 12:47pm November 7

Well, imho, we need a few decades to properly evaluate the “worst” label. I believe Carter was merely incompetent; not evil. Bush was another incompetent big G socialist. Over the last five years, as I have learned more, experienced more, I’d suggest that “worst” has to be Lincoln. With Wilson and FDR close behind. In my “dimensions”, W isn’t … Read Moreclose and O get his four or eight years to attempt to lower the bar. Luckily, America is pretty tough and seems to be immune to mismanagement. Again, imho, shaking my head. BTW as a gun owner, I don’t think you can stand against the armed thugs of gooferment. You have to gather your neighbors and be Gandhi like. Lay down peacefully in front of them and confront them that way. Bottom line, like Gandhi said, you can’t control 300M people who just refuse to cooperate. Of course, a little French style night time resistance may be just what they need to hurry them along. Think the movie “Red Dawn”, “Casablanca”, or the OSS in Europe during WW2. Peace!

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I clearly think that Lincoln, a tool of the Norther mercantilists, was clearly the “worst”. He started the War of Norther Aggression aka the Second American Revolution aka the “Civil” War. Essential a tax war! In the desire to favor the North over the South.

Slavery was a smokescreen!

It wasn’t about slavery. The rest of the world, for the most part, eliminated slavery peacefully. At the time of the war, there had been plans to buy all the slaves and free them. It was a labor model that was unsustainable. And, Lincoln allowed Sherman’s March to the Sea. War on the civilian population.

Now, runner’s up in my mind: Wilson, who campaigned on peace, and immediately led us into WW1 which set the table for WW2. FDR, who maneuvered us into WW2 via Pearl Harbor and entrenched Socialistic Big Government. Truman who dropped the A-bomb on civilians.

Far behind were the incompetents — Carter and Bush43! The liars — Bush41 (”No new taxes”) and Clinton (”I did not have sex with that woman”) And, the fellows who tried — Eisenhower (Identified the Military Industrial complex) and Regan (Couldn’t control the Congressional spending).

We have to allow O his four or eight years to make his mark. He might be able to slip under the bar, but he’s going to have to really try to get to the bottom of my list. Now he has established his political credentials in my mind by the lies on Infanticide, Public Campaign Financing, and his continual mincing of words. So we’ll have to see how he does in following through.

It’s hard to imagine him getting to the bottom of the list.

Sex with a Republican? Nah, that’s not even close.

And, he has inspired a generation of minority children with the idea that they CAN grow up and be President. That will be a hard positive to overcome. If he does NOTHING else. That’s enough to put him well above all these other names.

Getting to the bottom will require a heroic effort!

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http://www.ubuntu.com

Downloaded the latest release. Some platform problems getting it down, but got it. Luggable comes up on the live distribution clean. Connected to the home wireless network by selecting the network and supplying the admission password. Looks like we have something that will be my “production” release for my secondary desktop. Good bye Microsoft is on the horizon!

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7708268.stm

New MP3 logo gets online support

*** begin quote ***

Seven of Britain’s largest music download sites have got together to promote a new “MP3 compatible” logo.

*** end quote ***

No DRMs for me. I’ve been fooled too many times. I have load of cassettes with great content; don’t lock me in. Argh!

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On Bob Brinker’s radio program today, during the second hour, had a caller call and report that one of the Principal Group’s Stable Value Funds was refusing redemptions. That’s earthshaking. Bob advise legal counsel be retained. Doesn’t sound good for Principal?

Also, on the show, a caller reported a 30+% loss in an California Muncipal Money Market fund. That shouldn’t be possible?

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http://execunet.blogspot.com/2008/11/mike-for-president.html

Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Mike for President
Dave Opton
Norwalk, Connecticut

*** begin quote ***

Anyway, what caught my eye was not just the subject which I found of immediate interest, but after reading it, I was pleased to see that he too was pounding the drum on one of the subjects about which readers of this blog will recognize as one about which I have pretty strong feelings - read public education.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but I don’t expect the Teacher’s Union to allow any fundamental shift in “education” policy.

If we have any hope, it will be from parents refusing, or being unable, to pay for “education” that doesn’t have an ROI. If we have any hope, it will be the children realizing that the “eduction” being offered them is a time waster and the strike out on their own. If we have any hope, it will be from the pre-College students refusing to take on the debt load for an education that doesn’t have an ROI.

In short, not a lot of hope.

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http://www.wxpnews.com/archives/wxpnews-352-20081104.htm

>Computerized Voting: Is It Trustworthy Yet?

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=9299280

Obama campaign workers angry over unpaid wages
Posted: Nov 5, 2008 03:38 PM
Updated: Nov 5, 2008 11:03 PM

*** begin quote ***

A former spokesman for the Obama campaign said 375 people were hired as part of the Vote Corps program and said people signed up to work three-hour shifts at a time. Three hours of canvassing got workers a $30 pre-paid Visa card.

*** end quote ***

I’m sure that TAXES were paid on ll these GIFT cards! Wouldn’t want to be SLEFISH?

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From: “Senator Robert Menendez” <Senator_Menendez@menendez.senate.gov>

Date: November 5, 2008 11:48:47 AM EST

To: Reinke

Subject: Re: From Senator Menendez’s Website

Dear Mr. Reinke:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the National Capital Security and Safety Act (H.R. 6842). I appreciate the opportunity to hear your views on this important issue.

As you may know, the National Capital Security and Safety Act will make significant negative changes to the District of Columbia’s existing firearms law. For example, this legislation would repeal the District of Columbia’s current ban on semiautomatic assault weapons, as well as it’s prohibition on individuals carrying guns in public. It would eliminate the District of Columbia’s firearm registration system and do away with criminal background checks for secondhand gun purchases. In a nutshell, it will require the District to remove all restrictions on gun ownership that go beyond the minimum federal requirements and would prohibit the District from adopting gun regulations from other cities and states. I find this legislation to be unacceptable.

Like many issues that come before the United States Congress, the issue of gun control has two sides, each of which is strongly and passionately defended by its supporters. As your Senator, I firmly believe in the right of all citizens to use firearms responsibly to protect one’s home and family. I also support safe recreational use of guns, as long as participants act responsibly. I do not, however, support gun use by all people in all situations, and I am committed to keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and those that will use them to do harm. I believe the National Capital Security and Safety Act could have a considerable negative impact on safety and security in the nation’s capital. Therefore, I cannot support it. Although this bill passed through the House of Representatives with the support of the National Rifle Association by a vote of 266-152, I will continue to work to improve the bill on the Senate side so that a safe and reasonable gun control law can be enacted.

Again, thank you for contacting me regarding this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of concern. I invite you to visit my website (http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn of other important issues to New Jersey.

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What part of “shall not be infringed” does Senator Menedez NOT understand?

If the pen is mightier than the sword, then Menedez would seek “reasonable printer control”?

Argh!

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