[Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Reality check

[Chris Geankoplis]

Dear Brad,
        As usual, a well thought out viewpoint articulated nicely.   Thanks.
I agree with much of what you said.  I know it wasn't quitee so smooth in
those years just before and during Korea according to my dad, but by the
time Viet Nam was over it was pretty complete.  So, will it work as smoothly
for the women in our ranks?  It wasn't when my sister was an officer in the
Air Force 20 years ago.

Chris G
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 5:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Reality check


> Chris,
>
> The military is a "one trick pony", it exists for only one purpose and
> produces only one product.  Pay is based on rank, and rank is based on
time
> and merit.  The guaranteed services you refer to are quickly taken away if
> you don't perform (ie, get booted out). It is hardly a model that can be
> applied universally to an economy as diverse at the US. What the military
> did do in advance of the country at large is end government sanctioned
> discrimination.  It was done quietly and almost overnight by President
> Eisenhower when he had mess halls redecorated - the 'Whites Only' signs
came
> down for re-painting and were never put back up.
>
> Socialism has never worked long term, at any time, at any place.  The
> Utopian communities in the US failed (New Harmony, IN, The Farm, TN, the
> Pullman plant in Chicago, etc.) nor did the kibbutzes in Israel in their
> original form. Europe is struggling with the burdens of an entitlement
> society that can only be sustained by immigrants (and in their case,
Muslim
> immigrants who don't assimilate).  Only in Norway, Sweden, and Finland do
we
> still see  socialism working in some sustainable fashion and even in those
> countries, the working populace is asking for reform.
>
> Communism has been a dismal failure worldwide - not even worthy of
> discussion.
>
> But, back to the issue.  We have "free" education already.  The model here
> in Memphis and in other places I've lived, like Little Rock, are hardly a
> model for success.  The opponents of leaving good schools alone or
opposing
> schools that work (charter schools) seem to prefer the equality of
everyone
> failing versus some escaping failure.  The same mindset applies to health
> care.  Some would prefer that everyone have sub-standard health care, ala
> Europe, rather than some have excellent health care.
>
> There are solutions to education, health care, and poverty.  Dumbing
> everyone down, sharing long waits for access to medical facilities, and
> removing incentives for hard work hasn't worked anywhere else. Why do we
> insist on "re-inventing the wheel" here?
>
> Brad
>
> On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 12:10 AM, Chris Geankoplis <napoli68 at charter.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Brad Wrote:
> > inequities, we'll never make progress. If you want a working model for
> > > equality, social justice, and economic fairness, study the US
military.
> > > Sorry for discussing the uncomfortable realities amongst polite
company.
> >
> > Brace your self boys and girls, but the military is as close to a
> > socialists
> > government as you will find in North America, that from My careeier
> > military
> > Dad quoting one of the more consertive generals of his time....I think
it
> > was Le May of all people.  Wow guarenteed government housing, guarenteed
> > government health care and government education for all.  Oh and you get
> > paid pretty much the same as the next guy in the fox hole.
> >
> > Chris G
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Herb Parsons" <hparsons at parsonsys.com>
> > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 11:10 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Politics & Educatio
> >
> >
> > > I'll precede this by saying that I'm NOT proposing that the military
has
> > > always been a shining example of racial equality, or that they're
> > > somehow "perfect" today; but I WILL say they've typically been ahead
of
> > > the curve compared to the rest of us.
> > >
> > > That said, I had to smile about the statement below. I grew up in a
> > > military family. I didn't know anyting about racism until my mother
was
> > > divorced form my officer step-father, and felt "free to express her
> > > beliefs"
> > >
> > > It's difficult to try to convince yourself that "they" are somehow
> > > inferior, when you have to salute them and call them sir. All of the
> > > military bases I ever lived on were (from what I could see)
race-neutral
> > > when it came to housing, use of ameneties (no "white only" NCO clubs
or
> > > swimming pools).
> > >
> > > Brad Haslett wrote:
> > > > inequities, we'll never make progress. If you want a working model
for
> > > > equality, social justice, and economic fairness, study the US
> > military.
> > > > Sorry for discussing the uncomfortable realities amongst polite
> > company.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Herb Parsons
> > > S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
> > > S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35
> > >
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> >
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