Power and Reason

I’ve been watching something over the last several weeks which I believe serves as an example of what happens when Individuals are given power over others even in what should be considered routine activities.
Recently a concerned Father objected to a reading assignment required of his 14-year-old daughter. This occurred in Gilford, New Hampshire.
The reason this man protested his daughters reading assignment was because he viewed the material to be inappropriate for a fourteen year old to be reading. It was primarily one passage in question.
I’ll let you decide.

“‘Relax,’ Matt murmured, and then he sank his teeth into her shoulder. He pinned her hands over her head and ground his hips against hers. She could feel his erection, hot against her stomach.
” … She couldn’t remember ever feeling so heavy, as if her heart were beating between her legs. She clawed at Matt’s back to bring him closer.
“‘Yeah,’ he groaned, and her pushed her thighs apart. And then suddenly Matt was inside her, pumping so hard that she scooted backward on the carpet, burning the backs of her legs. … (H)e clamped his hand over her mouth and drove harder and harder until Josie felt him come.
“Semen, sticky and hot, pooled on the carpet beneath her.”

(H/T Freedom Outpost)  The actual quote highlights from the book are oddly difficult to find.
Full disclosure… I’ve now read the book and found Jodi Picoult to be a very good and engaging author.  However, I’m old and the above passages are the least offensive things I read on a daily basis watching the dismantling of our Democratic Republic.  At fourteen I would have had a very different reaction.  I’m also fully aware that these types of discussions have been occurring for decades.  A famous example was the introduction of “Go Ask Alice” into reading programs across the country during the 70′s.  There was a cry to ban this book.  But that is not what is happening here even though there is a desperate effort to position it as such.
It’s also important to note that the father, William Bear, only wanted the School Board to provide an “Opt Out” for his and other parents children should they not desire their 12-14 year old children to read such material.
Seems Reasonable…
When Mr. Bear asked the School Board for this provision he was limited to two minutes.  He stayed within his two minutes.
The School Board was then addressed by individuals implying that an “Opt Out” amounted to book burning…
When Mr. Bear spoke out to counter this accusation, as that was not at all what he was asking for, he was “outside” of his two minutes having already used them (this was a brand new rule instituted for this meeting) and Mr. Baer was ARRESTED.
While most of the media who is giving this attention have focused on either “morality” entering schools (We certainly wouldn’t want that) or the mentality of “ownership” of our children by the schools (we certainly wouldn’t want to admit that) they miss an important point.
It doesn’t really matter where this type of event occurs.  It could be this School Board meeting, the Zoning Department or getting your Drivers License renewed at the DMV.  We see Reason removed when it runs counter to those “in charge” who are provided the legal option of Force to remedy conflict.
Since when can a School Board order the arrest of a citizen for whom they work?  They had a number of options, from having a legitimate discussion of the content (which they absolutely refused to do… they wouldn’t read it, they wouldn’t discuss it at this meeting) to adjourning the meeting if they thought it was “out of control”.
Instead they chose Force over Reason.
We are witnessing this dynamic all over the United States.  We have seen a growing acceptance of such behavior over the last several decades.  We are witnessing a lament from those who practice it that those who expose it are destroying media…  and we have witnessed that howl for decades as well.
In the end I’m not one who will tell you this type of thing is new… I will tell you instead that the fractionalization of media has provided us with the opportunity to see it happening where years ago it would have been left unreported.
We are where we are in this country because of the types of people making up a small School Board in New Hampshire.
We are where we are in this country because we have only recently been able to see clearly and undeniably how this behavior manifests itself.
We are here because we were in the dark, and when we did see it in the past we were isolated and marginalized.
That is changing.
These are indeed interesting times.
Regarding the Father and his mission to get attention for an “Opt Out” provision for his and all other families who might desire their children not be FORCEFULLY exposed to inappropriate material… as defined by THE PARENT… I would recommend taking a page out of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals, a Liberal Manifesto for getting your way.
I suggest allowing his 14-Year Old Daughter to take two minutes before the Gilford School Board and read all of pages 309-310 and 313 out loud for The Board and all those in attendance.  I would also suggest having a separate Camera focused on each School Board member while she honors her required reading assignment.  Finally I, as the Father, would take my 120 seconds, graciously provided by the Benevolent Humans in charge of Education in Gilford, and read the appropriate New Hampshire Child Pornography statues which could be applicable to his daughter having to complete the reading requirement forced upon her.
Of course, Saving the last 5 seconds to again ask for an “Opt Out” Provision… not a book burning.