Human beings rely on each
other for survival, happiness and support through the many challenges we face.
No individual is an island unto themselves, despite the omnipresent theme of
"rugged individualism" that runs through our public narratives.
Sociologists, psychologists, historians, political scientists and others who
study the behavior of humans recognize this and have spent a great amount of
time and effort trying to understand what conditions are necessary for us to be
most successful as individuals and as groups. They offer theories and label or
categorize our behaviors in order to make sense out of the complexity that is
humanity.
In the end all of our
complex theories and our many ways of explaining human interactions rest on
some basic principles.
1- People need each other
to survive no matter what political, social or economic system we live in.
2- Once people form groups
they establish rules and norms that govern how our interactions are supposed to
occur.
3- All of our different
configurations and ways of organizing ourselves involve ceding at least some
individual rights and liberties to our collective whole in exchange for the
protection and support that living in a society bring.
4- In order for all
individuals, and the entire group to thrive in a sustainable democratic society
every member must be accountable to
the others and there must be a sense of trust
and honesty that exists between all
members.
If we accept the premise
that we want to live in a free democracy where "liberty and justice for
all" is the accepted norm, then that last societal principal must take
precedence over the others. No matter what form of government or organization
the first three will naturally occur, the difference is in the degree to which
we surrender liberties and rights. The more power that is ceded to an
authoritarian regime, the smaller the number of
people who will enjoy basic freedoms and opportunities. Freedoms and
opportunities that we claim are the foundation of the concept of the
"American Dream" and "American Exceptionalism."
How we choose to define and
apply these important concepts (Accountability, Honesty and Trust) is vital to
the ability of our society to fulfill its promise of equity and opportunity for
all citizens. It is clear that we as a collective whole have defined these
words in different ways for different people throughout our history. This
struggle to define these basic concepts have caused significant conflict and
inequity historically and in the present day. These words hold in them the
promise of a better future, but also the threat of continued suppression and
struggle.
The words themselves are
fairly easily defined and most of us would agree with the basic definitions found
in any dictionary that read something like this. . .
Accountability- the quality or state of being accountable, especially an obligation
or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions.
Honesty-
the quality of being fair and truthful. Fairness and straightforwardness of
conduct. Adherence to the facts.
Trust-
assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or
something. Dependence on something future: hope
The problem isn't in the
basic definitions, but in the application and "working definitions"
of these essential elements of a democratic society. These key components are
defined in different ways by different people and in the end the true meaning
of the words are obscured, diluted, or changed beyond recognition. People apply
the concepts in ways that support their own ideologies, or sometimes that just
are convenient. Too often we fail to think about the broader implications of
our thoughts and actions and the responsibilities we have to our fellow
citizens.
We also see these
foundational values applied differently to different groups based on specific
situations, existing biases and sometimes just for the sake of convenience.
Instead of being uniting forces for all members of society these words become
weapons to be used to gain political, social or economic advantage. They also
become symbols of the failures of our society and the problems that we face in
our efforts to achieve a more socially just nation.
Take the word
accountability for example. This word has become a buzzword for those who
actually seek to undermine confidence in our public institutions like our
schools. We label our public schools as failing, when the reality often quite
different. In the name of accountability we have expanded standardized testing
and treated education as a measurable commodity. We have attempted to install a
business model into our public schools and treated educators accordingly.
Refuse to be a willing victim. There is a point where
teachers themselves must stop arguing about some finely worded minutia in their
evaluations. The argument had been framed...
reclaimreform.com
The drive to make our
schools accountable has found another tool in the privatization movement. This
is a misguided concept for many reasons. Public schools are truly accountable
to the public in ways that private schools do not have to be. The more we
expand the privatizing of our schools, the less impact individual families,
educators and local communities will have in the process.
Supt. Tony Evers makes some remarkable comments at about the
23:20 mark in this June 1st interview (which I wish I had seen earlier). Evers
discusses a radi
bluecheddar.net
This lack of
accountability to the public isn't only apparent in the world of education.
There are countless examples of elected leaders abusing their power and
forgetting who they serve.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is perhaps best known for
dramatically weakening public and private unions in his state—something that
has propelled...
www.thenation.com
More than two dozen awards worth more than $124 million were
made to companies without a formal staff review by the underwriting department
of Gov....
chicagotribune.com|By Chicago Tribune
Accountability only has
value as a socially uniting force when those who represent us are accountable
to all citizens. The problem here in Wisconsin,
and many other places, is that our elected officials don't feel accountable to
those they represent. Instead, they are accountable to financial donors,
outside forces, or their own, self-serving agendas. Once our elected leaders
lose their sense of accountability to the electorate democratic rule ends.
Political scientist Katherine Cramer’s report on interviews
with citizens in rural Wisconsin
indicated support for public education.
gazettextra.com
The potential GOP presidential candidate has taken four
foreign trips this year, three funded by taxpayers.
washingtonpost.com
As the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee makes its way
through Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget, a number of significant policy
changes have been inserted into the package with little or no...
jsonline.com|By James B. Nelson
Loading up the budget with non-budgetary items is no way to
run a government. Gov. Scott Walker acknowledged that in 2010. Legislators
should come to the same conclusion and stop this nonsense.
jsonline.com
Honesty is a cornerstone
of our democracy. Citizens can't make informed decisions without accurate
information and rely on the honesty of those in power and the press that
reports the news. Too often we see those in power mislead, lie and abuse the
power that they have to disseminate information. Instead of honestly sharing
and reflecting information they "spin" things for their own gain or
to promote their own agenda. While this is a natural human tendency, and
"facts" are often open to debate, there are definitely lines of truth
that shouldn't be crossed consistently.
Wisconsin's economic growth, or lack thereof, provides us
with an example of this lack of honesty. We are constantly getting completely
opposite messages about the state of our state's economy.
thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com
Some of the most egregious examples of dishonesty come to
us from the anti-union actions starting here in Wisconsin in 2011. The lies about the damage
done to the state capitol continue to be used against those supporting public
sector unions. Even the rationale for Act 10 is questionable (at best) in its
integrity. The impact that Act 10, other legislation and policies is also open
for debate.
New analysis by bipartisan expert on good government
explodes the myths about Walker’s
signature achievement.
urbanmilwaukee.com
Act 10 and the ACT — any connection?
on.jsonl.in|By Tom Kertscher
So much evidence points to
reasons beyond an effort to improve our schools for all students as the impetus
behind education "reform." The many connections and the financial
trails lead us to believe that honest reform isn't the driving force behind
vouchers, privatization and other so called "reforms."
Where’s the big money in privatization? Take it from the teachers.
yesmagazine.org
Plans are under way for investment corporations to execute
the biggest conversion - some call it theft - of public schools property in U.S.
history.
brettdickerson.net
The presumptive GOP frontrunner thinks privatization is a
cure-all. In truth, that idea couldn't be more dangerous
salon.com|By Matthew Pulver
Sometimes this honesty
slips out and we get a glimpse of what it is that those advancing these agendas
really want.
Iowa
radio host Jan Mickelson, the state's self-appointed vetter of GOP presidential
candidates, recently told members of the League of Women Voters...
mediamatters.org
The lack of accountability
to the general public and the lack of honesty in our leaders erodes the trust
that citizens have in their government and in the system that could provide us
with stability and hope. A democracy can only hope to thrive when the people
living in it believe in their ability to have an impact and to improve their
own status and situation. By undermining the public's confidence in our social
institutions and our political system those currently in power are able to
cement their status and expand their influence.
There is a conscious
effort being made to weaken support for our public schools by attacking the
educators who work in them.
Wisconsin
will have among the lowest standards for teacher licensure in the
industrialized world.
jsonline.com|By Freda Russell and
Anthony Frontier
Teachers are leaving Arizona
in record numbers due to low salaries and persistent legislative intrusion in
their classrooms. In the Phoenix
area alone, there are more than 1,000 open teaching posit...
dianeravitch.net
The widespread attacks on
things that citizens value, all done under the name of "reform",
"freedom" or "liberty" significantly damage our future
hopes for a more sustainable, socially just society. There is a long history of
suspicion of government in America
that can be healthy in some ways. Without an engaged and vigilant electorate
power will be abused. Yet, at the same time we rely on government and need
strong public services to maintain our standards of living and freedoms. The
efforts to balance our need for government with our own personal liberty has
been a driving force for so much change in our nation.
As governor of Wisconsin,
the likely Republican presidential nomination-seeker consistently dismissed
science and sided with polluters
scientificamerican.com|By Siri
Carpenter
In the end it all boils
down to a fairly simple concept. It is our engagement as active citizens that
makes our system work, or in their absence fail. We are the ones who hold our
leaders accountable, force honesty and build trust in the system. In a
democracy, the citizens are the government and we are the ones who must act to
create a system that works for all. It isn't enough to criticize or berate our
elected officials, public servants, and public institutions as failing us. We
must act to make them be what we need them to be. There are countless ways to
get involved in the process, starting with the simple act of casting a
thoughtful ballot in the next election.
Tensions over changes at one northern Wisconsin
district have apparently reached a boiling point.
wpr.org
"We don’t believe these are failing schools. We believe
they’ve been failed," said special education teacher and union leader Amy
Mizialko.
thinkprogress.org
With two conservative Republican senators already saying
they’d be tough to win over, the loss of just one more GOP lawmaker would send
the plan plummeting.
jsonline.com|By Jason Stein
2015-6-1
Badger Exam Parent Opt-Outs 2014-15 (updated).pdf
Where is the single, national voice of the teacher in the
United States decrying the fallacy that teachers and teachers unions are
destroying American education?
www.chicagotribune.com|By Chicago
Tribune
Americans love to think of ourselves
as rebellious and independent. Yet, it is not always easy to find those
characteristics in the daily workings of our society. We are a nation built on
the premise of radical social change and the promise of a socially just and
equitable society. The accountability for the successes and failures of these efforts rest squarely on all of our
shoulders.
ver the past few years, Americans have spent millions of
dollars to enjoy fictional rebellion. Combined, "The Giver," the
"Hunger Games" series, and the...
empathyeducates.org
The Ugly. . .
The Good . . . Organizing a union (or any other
group) is more complex than any app or other tool can handle, and the most
important part of any organizing effort is the direct, face-to-face contact
between people. Yet, the fact that
there is going to be "an app for that" means that there is a market
for labor organizing tools and that indicates a positive trend.
"If you can plan a party with an app, you should be
able to organize a union."
buzzfeed.com
Unions provide so much for workers,
and of course an increased income is one of our primary indicators of success.
Unions increase incomes for all workers, but unionized laborers see (and
rightfully so) the largest increases.
You could be missing out on millions of dollars in
lifetime earnings.
newrepublic.com
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin is a safer community thanks to
this quick action by their elected officials.
http://www.wkow.com/story/29332507/2015/06/16/kangaroos-are-not-allowed-as-service-animals-in-beaver-dam
The Bad . . . Donald Trump for President, enough
said. At least there will be some memorable quotes and
images from his campaign, late night talk show hosts must be ecstatic.
Trump Says He's 'Most Successful Man' Ever To Run For
President, He's Certainly The Least Charitable
Whenever Trump brags about his wealth remember this: In
two decades, the billionaire gave just $3.7 million to charity. Total.
addictinginfo.org
Maybe his presidential candidacy has
opened his eyes and gotten at least some common sense into his thinking.
In a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg Politics,
Donald Trump, the GOP's newest presidential candidate, opens up about his
insecurities, Republican rivals, and his tiff with Club for Growth.
bloomberg.com
While some would argue that any
conflict within the Conservative movement can only help Progressives, we have
seen the influence that the Koch brothers have had in pushing politics in Wisconsin to the extreme
Right. Their activism and vast wealth puts pressure on any Republican
candidates to shift their campaigns and platforms further away from what most
Americans would like to see. Conflict breeds extremism, and with the current
state of our electoral system, the Koch's can have a significant impact in what
American politics looks like for the immediate future.
The libertarian billionaires have exerted influence on the
GOP for years. But now they're actively taking the reins
salon.com|By Heather Digby Parton
The Ugly . . . The shooting deaths of 9 innocent
people in South Carolina
forces us to look at so many issues and should prompt meaningful, positive
action from all of us. We have so many problems in our society around race,
guns and more that we need to find ways to address. Too many of our fellow
citizens are dying and each death represents significant losses on a personal
and societal scale. We can't continue down this path of death and destruction,
but must change the way that we look at each other as individuals and as
members of different demographic groups. The violence stops when all of us act
collectively to truly value human life and the contribution that every person
makes to our society, simply by virtue of being human. It also stops when we
refuse to be helpless in the face of those who seek to subjugate, coerce and
harm others and instead choose to exercise our power for the good of all.
In which we confront the dark heart of America. Again.
esquire.com|By Charles P. Pierce
South Carolina, a state that thoughtfully welcomes its 19
known hate groups by flying a Confederate flag over the statehouse, is facing a
real quandary today....
jezebel.com|By Jia Tolentino
Where are the white fathers? When will white leaders stop
the violence? Our racial double standard continues
salon.com|By Chauncey DeVega
U.S. citizens may fear homegrown jihadists,
but law enforcement is more worried about right-wing extremists.
nytimes.com|By Charles Kurzman and
David Schanzer
The Daily Show host found himself unable to crack jokes as
he addressed the terrorist attack at a historic black church in Charleston, South
Carolina
rawstory.com
In the wake of the South
Carolina shooting massacre that killed nine at an
African Methodist Episcopal Church, The Wall Street Journal editorial board
claimed...
mediamatters.org
A board member for the National Rifle Association blamed
pastor and South Carolina state Sen. Clementa Pinckney for not only his own
death, but the...
www.rawstory.com
Bullets will not end a church whose history speaks to its
heroic resilience.
thenation.com
ISLA VISTA, CA—In
the days following a violent rampage in southern California in which a lone attacker killed
seven individuals, including himself, and seriously...
www.theonion.com
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