Easter and Spring vs Nudging and Compliance.

I've been trying to put into words why the current government push toward indoctrinating children bothers me so. We've written about how students are being told plastics are bad, to boycott and petition big business; children are expected to dance in Michelle Obama's project without parental knowledge; students in Chicago at the Little Village School cannot bring lunches from home because their parents don't make lunches that are healthy enough.

It doesn't stop with children; the mayor of Boston has banned sugary drinks from all governmental buildings. He states he wants to direct changes in behavior; it is his civic duty.

This is not manipulation of behavior for American citizens by politicians and bureaucrats, this is nudging of our rights out of our lives. This is the antithesis of what Easter and springtime represent: the springing of hope and of new life.

What does hope and new life bring to people? It brings anticipation of a better life. It brings a sense of freedom and purpose. It allows people to think for themselves and gives them a direction to their beliefs. People who experience this hope and springing of new life have a great deal of self-direction and don't appreciate or need governmental authorities mandating their thought processes and personal behavior.

Refer back to the mandates, policies, rules and regulations mentioned above. Do they encourage individuals to think for themselves? Do they allow freedom of expression and thought? Do American children and adults need to be "nudged" to behavior acceptable to the government?

As Anngie stated in her latest posting:

It is one thing to be a watchdog. But we also need people to act.

Remember Easter and springtime and what they represent. Take the hope of new life and new beginnings and refuse to be nudged by a system that represents the nanny state of mandates, rules, regulations and oppression. Isn't this why we broke away from England? Didn't our founders believe that people could and should make their own individual decisions, no matter how mundane they may be (i.e., choosing your own lunch, drink, whether to join in a dance or if you want "paper or plastic")? It is becoming increasingly apparent the Federal, State and local governments believe you, the taxpayer, who pays the taxes that allows these systems to operate, is too ignorant to live your life and make good decisions for you and your family. They will cheerfully take your money...and your rights along with those mandated taxes.

What's happened to us that we (and our politicians) allow ourselves to be "nudged" into a governmental idea of acceptable behavior? What are you going to do about it? You could go to school board meetings or sit on a curriculum committee. Volunteer to go on field trips to determine exactly where your child is going and what he/she is hearing. Ask your child about his/her activities and what was learned that day in school. Start paying attention and if need be, start "nudging" back.