To The Death...

Fighting for Freedom - The Frozen Chosin

 

Voltaire, the French philosopher (and through action most American soldiers/ veterans) once said...

 

 “I do not agree with what you have to say,

but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.”

 

Isn't this one of the major goals of education...to deeply understand complex issues, to objectively consider another person's point of view, to have a civilized discussion/ disagreement without being uncivilized/ disagreeable? Why (even in schools) in our society/ world has it become easier to antagonize, patronize, belittle, disrespect, hate, kill...maybe because we really aren't asking or expecting our students to learn how to think critically about the world they live in.

  

Critical "Thinker"
NYC- April 1965

Recently in class, we have been discussing The Truman Loyalty Program...HUAC...the McCarran-Warren Act...The Hollywood 10...Alger Hiss...The Rosenbergs...McCarthyism...Blacklisting...The Cold War...The Korean War...

The late 1940's through the 1960's led to an unprecedented level (surpassed by today's NSA?!?) of coercion, mistrust, and antagonism toward American citizens (Communists/ Socialists) with different/ radical views. The entertainment industry was especially scrutinized as the FBI blacklist denied employment to screenwriters, actors, directors, artists, and musicians because of their suspected (and often valid) associations with the Communist Party...ruining hundreds of peoples' careers.

   

 2014 BLACKLISTING?

 

Pete Seeger was a Communist musician who was blacklisted from radio/ television/ music venues for 17 years...but, instead of ruining his career he used the "blacklist ban" as a motivation to pursue freedom of thought. He travelled the country to educate America (especially its youth) on the importance of folk music, The Bill of Rights, and true patriotism (upholding the ideals of The Constitution)!
 

 

Listen to Pete's "Most Famous" Songs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXKJ1jPuaoI

 

He based his protest on the First Amendment’s protection of free speech.

 

He said:

"I really believed that...and I think I was right...
in the long run this country doesn't go in for things like that." 

  

 

I truly hope my students deeply appreciate the sacrifices our veterans have made for our freedom of speech...religion...thought...protest...

 

 



Korean War Memorial - St. Paul, Minnesota 

 

A soldier walks toward a silhouette of a soldier...

  symbolic of the missing in action and those who died for our freedoms.