Posted by John Gray Wallace on 1/11/2008, 12:37 pm, in reply to "Re: My how times have changed at Wilson High!"
68.0.170.234
E Pluribus Unum; originally meant to convey the thought that out of many different ethnicities, one people, the American People, would emerge: Never meant to imply that "I'm okay, you're okay, everything is okay and anything goes", although some (not necessarily YOU) will attempt to appropriate it to that end. I believe there is ample evidence to contend that our founding fathers would have found such an appropriation abhorrent.
The PC Police have turned this phrase & much else on its head in its mindless pursuit of "diversity" & "tolerance". For them it means "out of one, many".
Gibbon & others have documented how a movement toward "diversity" & "tolerance" contributed to the fragmentation and breakdown of Roman Civilization. Our enemies have learned from the lessons of history & are hoping that we do not. They hope that we never awaken to the realization that diversity easily leads to division & they know that division is the first step in the age-old strategy of "divide & conquer".
Having conquered, the PC Police will then attempt to reshape society along the lines of a unification, or homogoneity of thought, creating a society in which everyone will spout the popular wisdom of the day. In the Germany of the 1920's, 30's & 40's this homogoneity of thought was called "gleichschaltung" & embodies the essence of fascism, which, properly defined bespeaks a state in which everyone thinks alike & THAT thinking has nothing to do with either a right-wing, or left-wing orientation.
Watchwords of such movements towards gleichschaltung are nearly always "one-this", "one-that" & "one-something-else". One major network used to promote its Saturday morning kids' programming as "One-world Saturday Morning". "Globalization" is the new, emergent "fashion" of the day. In the Third Reich the popular saying/wisdom of the day declared, "one people, one state, one leader".
For an interesting study of such movements, regardless of their origins and focus, I might reccomend Eric Hoffer's seminal work, "The True Believer".
Having said that much, I now "retire" from this debate, ON THE BOARD. I love debate, & hold it essential to the democratic process. I appreciate the moderator's leniency in allowing such an extensive debate of an issue to continue on without interruption. The debate, itself, including all points of view reflects well on Wilson High School, its alumni and its traditions.
For anyone who would wish to continue this debate, OFF BOARD, I am always available at jwallace35@cox.net
The great American thinker William Felton Russell once pointed out that it is our antagonists in life, the centurions against whom we sometimes strive, who sharpen, shape & mold us into becoming stronger & better versions of ourselves. In that sense, he closed his first autobiographical work, "Go Up for Glory", with the phrase, "Vale Centurions."
Vale Centurions.
John Gray Wallace
