Real Texas Attitude

Lucky to live in Real Texas

For a while, I thought I might be losing my mind.  I seem to disagree with almost every attitude in our nation’s capitol and with plenty of educational theories and actions.  Some things just seem too ridiculous to be real.  But they are…..

Then, after reflection, I decided that it is not me, it is them.

Here is the latest.  A principal in Massachusetts has decided to cancel the honors banquet for the school because it might make some underachievers feel bad about themselves and their efforts.  He said there would be another recognition of some sort at the end of the school year.

For Real.

I had to read the story a few times before it really, truly began to sink in that I’m on a completely different wave length than that principal.  My consolation is that if that had happened when I served on the school board in my community, that principal would have been fired.  Immediately.  That principal would not have a job at the end of the school year in any school district out here.

Here is what the Ipswich, Massachusetts principal said:  “The Honors Night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade-point average,” Fabrizio penned in his first letter to parents, the  (TV) station reported.

No the picture to the left is not me…but he does convey my attitude these days.

Wow.  Don’t think that principal would last long in any school district in Real Texas, wherever that may happen to be for you.  I always admired my fellow students for achieving whatever honors they actually earned.  And later on in my life I’ve been to a good many honors banquets-assemblies-programs and we all cheered for students who did well in any field of endeavor.  It is a very good thing to be recognized and appreciated for hard work that leads to success.

There are some kids that will fall short of the mark, even after working hard.  I know several of those types of students personally and most are successful individuals, business owners, and entrepreneurs in their own rights.  It just took them a little longer.  Some have jobs in a blue collar field.  Some are derelicts.  A few are in prison.  That’s just how the world works.

But penalizing those who excel seems to be an accepted attitude by too damn many people these days…..Especially by some popular liberal politicians.

This is how this sort of thing gets started and the next thing you know we have  a national discussion on ‘income re-distribution” because some folks do better than others.

Ipswitch….dipsh**t.

And one more thing.

And one more thing as I ponder the Grace of God in me being born and living today in Real Texas.

In New Jersey a kid was proudly featured on a dad’s Facebook page holding a mock-up .22 rifle.  His dad was turned in to the child welfare agency and they went on investigate possible child endangerment.  The New Jersey officials wanted to enter the home and inspect the guns in the home.  Four police officers accompanied the child welfare agent.

I just don’t know of any Real Texas Sheriff who would allow any local, state, or federal agency to do that.  And why would the New Jersey officers and child welfare agent even consider illegally going into someone’s home to check their guns.  We do have constitutionally protected rights in this country and those New Jersey officials were grossly overstepping their bounds.  The homeowner/father had his attorney on speakerphone listening to the conversation and the officials finally backed down.

I still chuckle over on West Texas friend of mine who called the local sheriff and had two IRS agents detained for physically snooping around his home.  The Sheriff, also a friend of mine, enforced the law and while he probably did not actually arrest the IRS agents, they did have to sit in a holding room in the Sheriff’s office for a while and ponder their fate.

My concern is…..why did those New Jersey officials think they had the right to disregard the U.S Constitution?  What political model has shown them that such behavior is acceptable?  What were they thinking, that they attempted to enter a man’s home without any due process?  What kind of person would call that photo on Facebook a case of suspected child abuse?

I can not tell you the number of times I have seen and published photos in the newspaper of smiling young deer hunters with their guns and the deer.  Hundreds I would suspect.  And in the newspapers from Llano to Lubbock during deer season, there are also hundreds of such pictures published in local Texas community newspapers.  To my knowledge, there has not been a single anonymous call to a Texas child welfare agency reporting such activities as child abuse or endangerment.

I’m grateful every day

I’m truly grateful every day that by the Grace of God I live in Real Texas with people who have common sense, strive to do well, reward and encourage hard work and success and don’t make it their life’s work to penalize others for doing well.

Easter is just next week.  What is next?  Doing away with the Easter Bunny because that might offend someone.  Are we going to have Easter egg hunts or is someone going to call them Spring egg hunts.  Good grief.

I’m glad our state has a balanced budget, a rainy day fund, and conservative values.  I certainly  also do not mind honest debate on where our money should be spent.  I’ve seen some really idiotic expenditures from both political parties, so debate is a very good thing.  However, most of our values out here are very conservative.  If that is not your cup of tea, move to New Jersey or Massachusetts.

Amen.

I’m David out in Real Texas

Grateful….but I gotta get some of those ear protectors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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