Wow.

[Hoss]

If this were my child, I'd punch this teacher right in the mouth.  What an idiot.

http://kfor.com/2015/09/21/oklahoma-pre-k-teacher-allegedly-calls-being-left-handed-evil-and-sinister/

[cannon_fodder]

Makes sense to me.

I don't see what's wrong? The teacher is just following her faith. She has a right to her beliefs and shouldn't have to do her job a certain way if it conflicts with her religious convictions.

Choosing to be left handed is repeatedly derided in the Bible. People who make the lifestyle choice to be left handed can not be trusted (Mat 6:3), they are very literally sinister. Until that hippy King James decided to dumb everything down, the Biblical term for left hand was sinister (Latin). They're no better than goats (Mat 25:33). These things are known.

There are more references to the vile nature of this choice than to the gay agenda or than there is support for Creation Science (TM). Twenty-five times lefties are derided or shown to be inferior. We've been focusing on the wrong things! So cast off your wicked ways, give up your alternatives lifestyle choice, and come sit at the RIGHT HAND of the Father.

Repent, the end is near!

(for centuries, people really did believe that lefties were bad. In other parts of the world the left hand is still traditionally used for "unclean" activities. Which made sense before there was soap and water everywhere, let alone Purell.)

[AquaMan]

With a sinister left hook.

We are wasting education on closed minds.

[heironymouspasparagus]

The ignorance and stupidstition in this state are literally breath taking in scope and magnitude!!  Cannon, I may have to quote you - that is really good....

And the school does nothing to fix the obvious problems.


Notice it was in Okemah.  I think an interesting doctoral dissertation in psychology could be done in that area.  This type of thing is running rampant through the town, while at the same time they "celebrates" the life of its most famous citizen with a music festival.  Their "favorite son" was someone who would be ostracized or shunned today, if not outright stoned in the city square for his beliefs and songs.  (Woody Guthrie, if anyone hasn't made the connection before now.)  And yet, somehow, they manage to twist their mental logic around such that it is a celebration of this leftist socialist communist "fellow traveler"'s life and times.  If that is not a dissertation, I cannot imagine what could be....  They are just like a lot of this state!  Radical, reactionary, religious extremism.


http://is.byu.edu/site/courses/description.cfm?title=PSYCH-342-201

[Ibanez]

The ignorance and stupidstition in this state are literally breath taking in scope and magnitude!!  Cannon, I may have to quote you - that is really good....

And the school does nothing to fix the obvious problems.


Notice it was in Okemah.  I think an interesting doctoral dissertation in psychology could be done in that area.  This type of thing is running rampant through the town, while at the same time they "celebrates" the life of its most famous citizen with a music festival.  Their "favorite son" was someone who would be ostracized or shunned today, if not outright stoned in the city square for his beliefs and songs.  (Woody Guthrie, if anyone hasn't made the connection before now.)  And yet, somehow, they manage to twist their mental logic around such that it is a celebration of this leftist socialist communist "fellow traveler"'s life and times.  If that is not a dissertation, I cannot imagine what could be....  They are just like a lot of this state!  Radical, reactionary, religious extremism.


http://is.byu.edu/site/courses/description.cfm?title=PSYCH-342-201

I have relatives from Okemah, none of them live there now, and was talking with one of them at her son's birthday party in Bixby a couple of weeks ago. She said when she does go back to visit the town isn't at all what she remembered growing up. I haven't been there in 20+ years so I have to take her word on it, but what she says is that it seems like half of the town are either cooking or on meth and the other half are religious fundies. An interesting mix if true.

[Conan71]

I have relatives from Okemah, none of them live there now, and was talking with one of them at her son's birthday party in Bixby a couple of weeks ago. She said when she does go back to visit the town isn't at all what she remembered growing up. I haven't been there in 20+ years so I have to take her word on it, but what she says is that it seems like half of the town are either cooking or on meth and the other half are religious fundies. An interesting mix if true.

A true Dumbfuckistan, if you will.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I have relatives from Okemah, none of them live there now, and was talking with one of them at her son's birthday party in Bixby a couple of weeks ago. She said when she does go back to visit the town isn't at all what she remembered growing up. I haven't been there in 20+ years so I have to take her word on it, but what she says is that it seems like half of the town are either cooking or on meth and the other half are religious fundies. An interesting mix if true.

Sallisaw is very much the same way - had very close family living there for several years and it was (and still is) that way.  Too much of rural Oklahoma is in this condition.  It goes very strongly to the whole idea of cutting education in the state - the dumbing down of America!!

[sgrizzle]

I thought this was the same town, but it's Oktaha
http://www.newson6.com/story/29826547/man-accidentally-shoots-self-while-guarding-muslim-free-oktaha-gun-store

[AquaMan]

The half tweakers, half fundies fits into a stat I heard on Public Television. About 48% of rural OK does not drink alcohol (or refuses to admit drinking alcohol). That explains why liquour reform has been so slow and agonizing. If you are a politician in OK which half are you going to listen to? The tweakers or the lying fundies?

Nonetheless, OK is not alone in this rural, white, uneducated, fundamentalist movement that is staffing the Tea Party movement.  Most of the rural Midwest and south idolize grumpy Trump, Scott Walker, Cruz et al.

[Ibanez]

Sallisaw is very much the same way - had very close family living there for several years and it was (and still is) that way.  Too much of rural Oklahoma is in this condition.  It goes very strongly to the whole idea of cutting education in the state - the dumbing down of America!!

The disturbing thing to me is that the population here, especially the rural population, seems to take pride in their ignorance. That isn't something I see in other states, I travel quite a bit, but something I run across frequently here. It is difficult to explain, but it just seems as if many don't want to be educated and wear their ignorance as some sort of badge of honor.

[Ibanez]

The half tweakers, half fundies fits into a stat I heard on Public Television. About 48% of rural OK does not drink alcohol (or refuses to admit drinking alcohol). That explains why liquour reform has been so slow and agonizing. If you are a politician in OK which half are you going to listen to? The tweakers or the lying fundies?

Nonetheless, OK is not alone in this rural, white, uneducated, fundamentalist movement that is staffing the Tea Party movement.  Most of the rural Midwest and south idolize grumpy Trump, Scott Walker, Cruz et al.

It is bothersome. I'm a Republican, have been since....well forever basically, but the current party does not look at all like the one I joined as it has been taken over by the religious right. Sigh.....it is hard these days being a fiscal conservative and social moderate with liberal leanings. That's a discussion for another time I guess.....

[swake]

Makes sense to me.

I don't see what's wrong? The teacher is just following her faith. She has a right to her beliefs and shouldn't have to do her job a certain way if it conflicts with her religious convictions.

Choosing to be left handed is repeatedly derided in the Bible. People who make the lifestyle choice to be left handed can not be trusted (Mat 6:3), they are very literally sinister. Until that hippy King James decided to dumb everything down, the Biblical term for left hand was sinister (Latin). They're no better than goats (Mat 25:33). These things are known.

There are more references to the vile nature of this choice than to the gay agenda or than there is support for Creation Science (TM). Twenty-five times lefties are derided or shown to be inferior. We've been focusing on the wrong things! So cast off your wicked ways, give up your alternatives lifestyle choice, and come sit at the RIGHT HAND of the Father.

Repent, the end is near!

(for centuries, people really did believe that lefties were bad. In other parts of the world the left hand is still traditionally used for "unclean" activities. Which made sense before there was soap and water everywhere, let alone Purell.)

Post of the day.

[cannon_fodder]

The disturbing thing to me is that the population here, especially the rural population, seems to take pride in their ignorance.

I can't speak to the nation, but I know people all over that take pride in their ignorance. Certainly evident in Kansas and Texas. Same with New Mexico, where going to college is derided as "selling out" or seen as the lazy way out by certain segments of the population. A disdain for education is a serious problem. Though, in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico there are segments of the population that are actively opposed to education, here it seems much more widespread.

Actually, it is part of the Oklahoma Party Platform. The main goal of the Party is to use education as a tool to teach their Christian Faith. Educating students in public education is secondary to the goal of spreading the faith. Here are some quotes directly from the OKGOP platform in Oklahoma, under the "EDUCATION" section:

- "The traditional family unit, consisting of a (husband) man, (wife) woman, and child(ren) is the foundation of our social structure. The Oklahoma Department of Education and various Boards of Regents should uphold and teach this definition of traditional family at all levels of public and higher education."

- Allow prayer and wearing of religious symbols in school, as well as optional Bible study classes.

- "Students should start the day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, including 'one nation under God'" (I have no problem with this, but specifying the religious phrase as one that should be recited is ridiculous)

- "Student participation in any program should be based upon prior written parental consent, without repercussion (opt in vs. opt out)."  (This one sounds benign, but it is designed to eliminate evolution and sex education)

- "The Ten Commandments should never be barred from view in public schools as a means of moral guidance along with our national motto "In God We Trust"" (E Pluribus Unum?)

- "Public schools shall not prohibit the teaching of the Judeo-Christian worldview upon which our country was founded. Public schools shall be prohibited from promoting other worldviews."

- "American heritage should be taught in public schools and include representative government, limited government, the lives and beliefs of the Founders, influence of the Bible and religion on our laws and principles"

- "the scientific evidence supporting Intelligent Design and Biblical creation should be included in Oklahoma public schools curricula. And where any evolution theory is taught both should receive equal funding, class time, and material."

- "Local school boards should exercise their right to choose curriculum and textbooks, including the Bible as a literature or history text, without state limitations."

- "Neither classroom instruction nor school-based health services shall usurp parental rights, in order to direct sex counseling, to dispense contraceptives, or promote homosexual or promiscuous behavior..."  (teaching sex education is teaching "promiscuous behavior" and discussing alternative lifestyles in "promoting homosexuality..." I mean, at least it is in Russia)

- "Abstinence or lifetime fidelity shall be presented as the only safe sexual practice." (based on their religious beliefs, of course. Oklahoma has NO requirement that anything taught has to be scientifically accurate)

- "Multiculturalism that promotes cultural segregation should not be taught. We respect different cultures and support teaching our commonalities as U. S. citizens"  (that is: don't teach about other cultures that might not be Christian)

There are some other non-religious gems in there on education:

- "English, the dominant language of our nation, should be the primary language taught in public schools with other languages offered as electives." (screw you immigrants, Native Americans, and immersion schools)

- "We support curricula that promotes national sovereignty and opposes one-world government and global citizenship..." (got your tinfoil hat on?)

- "We support decertifying all teachers unions in Oklahoma"

- "We support the granting of authority to the Oklahoma Legislature to review any tests that must be administered by Oklahoma Public Schools as a result of State or Federal mandates..." (some of our legislators can't spell test)

- Some anti-vaxx crap
- Discourage community service
- Discourage the use of technology
- Defund the Department of Education
- Eliminate Federal and State curriculum requirements and educational goals
- Eliminate public schools for illegal immigrants
- They also want to teach directly from "source material" like the Constitution itself, because if you leave it up to scholarly work on the document their "lessons" fall apart in a hurry. Heaven forbid they read source materials from some heathen like Thomas Jefferson...


When the education section of the party platform reads like a Church Sunday School charter, you're pretty well screwed. Color me shocked that their stated goal of obstructing actual education is exactly what they are doing now that they are in power. When an Oklahoma GOP politician says "education is a priority," the above is what they are talking about. SO - given the platform, we are getting close to what we were promised.

You silly people though "education" meant educating young people. Goofballs!

[Ibanez]

I can't speak to the nation, but I know people all over that take pride in their ignorance. Certainly evident in Kansas and Texas. Same with New Mexico, where going to college is derided as "selling out" or seen as the lazy way out by certain segments of the population. A disdain for education is a serious problem. Though, in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico there are segments of the population that are actively opposed to education, here it seems much more widespread.

Actually, it is part of the Oklahoma Party Platform. The main goal of the Party is to use education as a tool to teach their Christian Faith. Educating students in public education is secondary to the goal of spreading the faith. Here are some quotes directly from the OKGOP platform in Oklahoma, under the "EDUCATION" section:


- Some anti-vaxx crap
- Discourage community service
- Discourage the use of technology
- Defund the Department of Education
- Eliminate Federal and State curriculum requirements and educational goals
- Eliminate public schools for illegal immigrants
- They also want to teach directly from "source material" like the Constitution itself, because if you leave it up to scholarly work on the document their "lessons" fall apart in a hurry. Heaven forbid they read source materials from some heathen like Thomas Jefferson...


When the education section of the party platform reads like a Church Sunday School charter, you're pretty well screwed. Color me shocked that their stated goal of obstructing actual education is exactly what they are doing now that they are in power. When an Oklahoma GOP politician says "education is a priority," the above is what they are talking about. SO - given the platform, we are getting close to what we were promised.

You silly people though "education" meant educating young people. Goofballs!

And still my Republican friends here always wonder why I don't vote a straight party ticket.

[Breadburner]

Sounds like bullshit to me.......