School shootings from the 1700's to present day in the US

[DoxaPar]

The problem is, you're talking about the wrong books.

Today's America is like the America of "It Can't Happen Here," by Sinclair Lewis.

Try to choose your comparisons with a little more accuracy.

I'll be sure to read it. I haven't.

Again, why do you guys keep saying the comparisons are inaccurate w/o explaining why? It just isn't a good way to dialogue.

I'm happy to explain why I see a comparison.

[NMRMN]

Not a book.

But when dialoguing about this stuff it would be good to at least understand the opposition's position. Clarity in positions should proceed debate, imho. In this case, simply asking the question, "Why might DoxaPar think that Huxley's BNW shares similar elements to our society and how those things may be construed as 'social decay' when Huxley's utopia had no war, famine, poverty, was technologically advanced, etc?".

Repeatedly you've said that society isn't in decay because crime is low. I'm trying to put forth the position that there are other aspects to "social decay" than crime. BNW is a good example of this since it is (in most people's views) probably as close to a perfect utopia as can be imagined.

The problem is, you're talking about the wrong books.
Today's America is like the America of "It Can't Happen Here," by Sinclair Lewis.
Try to choose your comparisons with a little more accuracy.

I agree, except Buzz is a progressive liberal elitist.

[xd ED]

Public schools also have the problem of unfair funding in that schools in poor neighborhoods get less money while actually needing more.

I'm afraid that's simply not the case.

Our highest per-pupil spending is in our failing inner-city districts.

As I said, they get less while needing more.

These are some of the oldest schools in the nation, so maintenance costs are far higher. In addition to that, you have to pay employees far more to work in the inner city, thus costs are far higher.

Those schools are dangerous.

Spending is high, but not anywhere near high enough to provide an equal education.

So, what's the $$/ student number to get MPLS Public School high school grad rate to 50%?

[NMRMN]

A little 1984 thrown in as well. After all, with some folks on this forum, 2+2=5

[Heffay]

Heffay from MNGUNTALK.COM says nothing is wrong with our society and no one has anything to worry about ever anymore.

I didn't say that.

If you disagree, you are just like your parents, and their parents, etc. And worse, you are probably loony.

That part is true.

It must be settled then. Heffay said it.

That part is true as well.

[NMRMN]

It must be settled then. Heffay said it.

That part is true as well.

;-)

[DoxaPar]

A little 1984 thrown in as well. After all, with some folks on this forum, 2+2=5

I think you may have misread the thread. The only reference to 1984 was a mistake about exactly what Huxley wrote. No one proposed today is like (or even becoming like) 1984.

[NMRMN]

A little 1984 thrown in as well. After all, with some folks on this forum, 2+2=5

I think you may have misread the thread. The only reference to 1984 was a mistake about exactly what Huxley wrote. No one proposed today is like (or even becoming like) 1984.

I do... In a sense.

There is a very strong current of ostracism coming from the administration in the way that EVERY argument is framed. "Fair", "Common Sense", "Majority of Americans", etc.

You cant really disagree anymore. If you disagree, see my thread about name calling.

[DoxaPar]

Just briefly looking at It Can't Happen Here it appears to be another novel predicting totalitarian rule.

I just don't see that in the cards (at the moment). Totalitarian rule is just so unnecessary when there are much more effective ways of ruling without pissing off so many people.

[Erud]

The somewhat rich kids get a pretty good public school education and many can afford the tuition at a good college even though tuition costs are probably about 25 times what they were 25 years ago.

Wait a minute, my kid is currently attending one of MN's public universities and it is costing just over $17k/year. Are you telling me that in 1987 the same education would have only cost $700/year?

I said "tuition costs." Are you talking about tuition or total cost?

$17k is total. Tuition is about $7600 of that. So that would've been only $300 or so for the year in 1987?

[DoxaPar]

A little 1984 thrown in as well. After all, with some folks on this forum, 2+2=5

I think you may have misread the thread. The only reference to 1984 was a mistake about exactly what Huxley wrote. No one proposed today is like (or even becoming like) 1984.

I do... In a sense.

There is a very strong current of ostracism coming from the administration in the way that EVERY argument is framed. "Fair", "Common Sense", "Majority of Americans", etc.

You cant really disagree anymore. If you disagree, see my thread about name calling.

That's exactly my point NMRMN. BNW predicts a socieity in which dissent is unthinkable. Not because fear of the repercussions but because no one will even have the desire to. In essence, the values of society become so uniform that dissent isn't even a potential factor. The exception to this is a man who is eventually banished due to being determined to be a non-conformist/sick/evil/defective.

[NMRMN]

I do... In a sense.
There is a very strong current of ostracism coming from the administration in the way that EVERY argument is framed. "Fair", "Common Sense", "Majority of Americans", etc.
You cant really disagree anymore. If you disagree, see my thread about name calling.

That's exactly my point NMRMN. BNW predicts a socieity in which dissent is unthinkable. Not because fear of the repercussions but because no one will even have the desire to. In essence, the values of society become so uniform that dissent isn't even a potential factor. The exception to this is a man who is eventually banished due to being determined to be a non-conformist/sick/evil/defective.

I guess I remember 1984 better than BNW... But now that you mention it, yes, thats a better example.

[tman]

who in hell turned "dialogue" into a verb?

[St. Olaf]

So, what's the $$/ student number to get MPLS Public School high school grad rate to 50%?

First thing to do would be to trade the student body of a nice suburban school (say, Edina) with the student body from a struggling inner-city school.

Just have them switch schools. Nothing else changes.....teachers, activities, everything else stays the same......just the students switch.

Try it for five years and see how the inner city kids do with the improved conditions.

Then we'd have the data to make assessments and conclusions about equal opportunity.

[NMRMN]

dialogue |ˈdīəˌläg; -ˌlôg| (also dialog)
noun
conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or movie : the book consisted of a series of dialogues | passages of dialogue. See note at conversation .
• a discussion between two or more people or groups, esp. one directed toward exploration of a particular subject or resolution of a problem : the U.S. would enter into a direct dialogue with Vietnam | interfaith dialogue.
verb [ intrans. ]
take part in a conversation or discussion to resolve a problem : he stated that he wasn't going to dialogue with the guerrillas.
• [ trans. ] provide (a movie or play) with a dialogue.