Exactly as Expected!

Exactly as expected! Someone wrote to condemn my letter about celebrating Memorial Day not for its content, but because it referenced a source that trends conservative. Is there any merit to this?

Truth is not hate speech. A difference of opinion does not constitute hostility. Describing an opposing viewpoint as “right (or left) wing”, “propaganda”, “extremism”, and “hate speech” just exacerbates the polarization that is consuming our society and inhibits productive discussion.

PragerU videos “attack people of color, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community”? Far from it. They are WRITTEN and NARRATED by people of color (“Where are you, MLK?”), Immigrants (“Immigrants! Don't Support What You Fled”), and the LGBTQ community (“I'm Gay...Conservative...So What?”). Many are professors or department chairs at universities. Certified academic professionals, people we can learn from.

My 15yo daughter can (reasonably) articulate the basic tenets of progressives, democrats, republicans, and libertarians (as well as capitalism, communism, and socialism). Any topic - left or right - is fair game. Viewpoint discrimination is NOT encouraged. That leads to something called indoctrination - the polar opposite of education.

I expect her to (1) get as much information as she can from multiple (potentially opposing) sources (2) employ something the education establishment seems to abhor, called “critical thinking skills” and (3) as the Oracle told Neo in the Matrix, “make up your own damn mind”. Or Mr. Kielwasser can tell you what sources are acceptable (or not) and be your censor in chief. 1984, anyone?

Perhaps he should watch the PragerU video “Why I Stopped Teaching”. A California public school teacher (a black Jamaican immigrant) taught ESL for 15 years - until she no longer could. Why? The truth is out there...

–Stacy Spink, Castro Valley