Kathe #fundie

Kathe #fundie rr-bb.com

Our 4 oldest went to PS and we are homeschooling our 2 youngest. The schools have changed too much and we refuse to allow our kids in that environment any longer. Kids are basically being brainwashed to think the way the liberals want them to think. On all issues.

No my kids, they are going to think the way that God wants them to think.

Kathe

52 comments

old comment by Skeptical

Ok anon; you asked for it. From the 2002 GED test preparation book.
You have to know that all the presidents in the US in the twentieth century were "most influential" not in A. "human rights" or B. "civil rights" or C. "urban affairs" (welfare) or D. "states' rights" but rather in D. "foreign policy (a code-word for war.) They have a political cartoon. The cartoon shows two men on bicycles facing one another and trying to pedal. The catch is that they share a front wheel, so neither of them can get anywhere. They're pedaling to no avail. On the back of one is a flag labeled "energy" and on the back of the other is a flag that says "environment." GET IT? Do you see? Get it??? Environment and energy consumption are in direct conflict! I know that cartoon was about as subtle as being hit on the forehead with a lemon-soaked brick, but did you get it?? That was a toughie. The first question about it asks you what the meaning is, and you have to sift through three nearly identical analyses to get the exact nuance they want - even though they are the same answer in slightly different words. So we come to the one that made me end our session for that day. In test-world the seventies are a homogenous set of events - after all, that was so long ago it's not like anyone remembers it right? They state that in the "situation" described by the cartoon, in the late 70s the government "generally followed a policy that" A. gave priority to energy demands over environmental concerns B. sided with environmentalists against corporations C. sought new energy sources outside the US D. attempted to divert national attention to other issues E. dealt evenhandedly with industrialists and environmentalists. Eliminate E right off the bat. But DESPITE the actual FACTS, to wit:

* Oil price decontrol became a central policy issue * A major debate was born, should the government control production and consumption or should the market forces take over? * Carter administration takes a new perspective and emphasizes deregulation of the energy idustry * But foreign dependency on oil was still increasing, domestic production decreasing, and fuel costs were still high * 1974 (after Nixon resigned) Congress passed the Geothermal Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act , as well as the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act * Carter also passed the Solar Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act and Federal Non-Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act * National Energy Act was passed in 1978, including conservation incentives and taxes, and limits for the use of oil and gas in electrical generation * Natural Gas Policy Act passed soon after, giving the government a stronger role in regulation, and also raising prices of natural gas * Department of Energy created in 1977 to bring cabinet-level order to divided efforts * Carter suggests less driving, and less use of heat * Carter also called for a tax to help subsidize mass transit, and support energy assistance funds (Windfall Tax Act of 1980)

http://cr.middlebury.edu/es/altenergylife/70's.htm the ANSWER is actually, you guessed it, The "correct" answer is A. The government gave priority to energy demands (read "evil consumers and eeeeeeeeviler corporations) over environmental concerns. Which is of course in direct contradiction of the facts, but hey, who cares about facts when we're promoting a political ideology, right? Sorry, anon, you lose.

old comment by JustinGG

Skeptic,
Firstly, your facts about the 1970's weren't borne out of environmental concerns, but out of nationwide economic concerns resulting from the oil crisis of 1973, and the conservation of what little fuel was available. I should also add that that particular question is asking you to interpret the meaning of a political cartoon (which we can't see), not give facts about the oil crisis of the 1970's. Political cartoons tend to be either liberal, or conservative, and are rarely concerned with the facts. You (not surprisingly) picked a liberal one to rail against.

You have to know that all the presidents in the US in the twentieth century were "most influential" not in A. "human rights" or B. "civil rights" or C. "urban affairs" (welfare) or D. "states' rights" but rather in D. "foreign policy (a code-word for war.)

Secondly, urban affairs has to do with housing not welfare, and foreign policy has to do with relationships with other countries, not necessarily war. The only reason this question is liberal is because you read it that way. Otherwise, could you explain which answer should be the correct answer? Frankly, I suspect that Skeptic's post is almost worthy of the main page. I'm not going to ask how many tries it took to pass your GED.

old comment by Skeptical

There is no correct answer to that question - every president had different strengths and weaknesses; you can't possibly lump them together and just pick one. The question was also asked apropos of nothing - it was just stuck in there all by itself. You merely have to have the "right" political slant to answer it.
As far as the cartoon, how can you glean the "answer" from it? It gives no information; you just have to "know" that despite the EPA being formed in the 70s among other things, that somehow the government put corporations ahead of the environment. These are not unbiased questions, and unless you have undergone a certain indoctrination you can not answer them "correctly." If it matters I am neither slanted left nor right; I reject both. Free thinking, however, is not an option for passing the GED or even grammar school anymore. Incidentally I just read an article in Working Mother that noted that increasing numbers of 6 year olds were declaring themselves vegetarians. Their response to why has been to say they don't want to kill animals. When asking why this is occurring, no one mentioned the obvious - that they're being taught that way. (A bit odd considering that we evolved to be omnivores, but whatever.) image

old comment by NonProphet

Skeptical,
Having gone through multiple schools throughout the US, and having to take the GED due to my last high school having different credit requirements than the one before it (and not allowing me to take remedial classes), I can tell you that the material you claim to be in the GED test is not there. I don't know where or when you went to school, but modern American tests & textbooks are notably neutral (except in the case of Social Studies, where negativity concerning the US seems to be all but totally absent). My GED consisted of math, science (no evolution, even), questions on historical events (cotton gin, Emancipation Proclamation, Napoleon), etc. There are no politically-biased questions at all, unless you consider teaching that the Holocaust happened and that slavery ended is "liberal."

Kathe #fundie rr-bb.com

52 comments

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