I find it interesting how the placement of a few simple letters, or words, before a person’s name bestows the semblance of authority and wisdom. Take for instance how if you put the letters PhD before someone’s name you automatically assume they are an expert on a subject and you should just accept that what they say is the truth.
The same principle applies towards people in positions of authority within our government, such Supreme Court Justices; their decisions are believed to be the final word as to what is and what isn’t constitutional. It almost seems like those in positions of authority look down upon us common folk, believing us to be incapable of critical thought – which sadly is true in most cases.
That said, not everyone in this country can be lumped into the category of Ignoramus Americanus; some are highly intelligent and knowledgeable. Although it is rare, it is not unknown to meet people who make it their life’s mission to seek out and acquire knowledge and truth. Yet it seems that just because we don’t have a diploma from an institution of higher learning, (indoctrination is more likely the case), our opinions are not as valid as someone having the letters PhD preceding their names.
I don’t have a PhD and I graduated from high school with a mediocre C Average, yet when I went to an Open House at my son’s school years ago his Civics Teacher told me that I should be teaching his class; because I knew far more about the subject than he did. But, since I did not have a PhD, or a teaching degree, I could not have fulfilled the State’s requirements; meaning someone less knowledgeable on the subject was allowed to teach our youth about how their system of government is supposed to work.
A few years back I wrote a lengthy treatise which supported the position that all gun control laws were a violation of my right to keep and bear arms and that the 2nd Amendment is the ONLY permit I need to own and carry a firearm. In it I asked a simple question: By what authority do you enact and enforce any law that infringes upon that right. I then sent that treatise to the governor of my home State, his Attorney General, every member of the Supreme Court, the President, my representative in the House, my two State Senators, and the U.S. Attorney General.
I got a short note from Kamala Harris, (who was the State Attorney General at the time), stating that the State Attorney General is NOT OBLIGATED to respond to questions presented them by the public. The only other person to respond was Supreme Court Justice Stephen Bryer, who wrote that my argument was ‘interesting.’ Although he did not respond to any of my arguments, he was the ONLY one to respond, and for that I give him a certain degree of thanks. Yet in every other instance, because I was a mere peasant it was felt that my question did not warrant a response from those who are supposed to be working for me according to the powers granted them by State and federal Constitutions.
The point I’m trying to get at is that those in positions of authority seem to think that we, the public, are stupid and ignorant, and that we should not question the things they say or do; that our job is to simply accept what they say without question and obey whatever laws they enact. I’m sure King George III felt the same way about the Colonists, but luckily for us they felt otherwise.
Editor’s NOTE: What you have read above is merely the Preface for a new lesson from contributing writer, Neal Ross, yet – we believe that it stands on its own. We highly recommend that you follow through and read the entire post by Neal – it explains much about all that is wrong in the Nation today – so go on – click on the title below, where Neal asks’s the question…