It's a Violent World and It's Your Fault!

I suppose that the majority of parents want their children to live full and happy lives, free of violence, murder, death, pain and suffering.

According to this article about school violence:

"The fact is, violence of one sort or another is part of many schools today. Fortunately, this usually involves a small group of people fighting amongst themselves...Since the 1992-3 school year, 270 violent deaths have occurred at schools across the nation."

So, in other words, it's fine for kids to shoot each other, as long as they only do it among themselves. Sounds like a plan.

The article goes on to report staggering statistics about how many schools across the United States reported violent crimes on school premises each year, stating that the rate of violence has decreased. They warn:

"We must fight against this complacency without overreacting. We must fight to make our schools safe."

Isn't that akin to "KILL ALL EXTREMISTS!"

But it is our own fault. We have taught our kids to be violent.

How? Language.

Case in point: what did I learn in English class in high-school? To Kill a Mockingbird, Macbeth, Julius Caesar (among others) - all wonderful and highly acclaimed works of literature about rape, lying, murder, assassination, treachery and death. Just the sorts of things you would want your teenage children to study in depth. And we say that movies and computer games are responsible for youth violence! Harumph!

That's not to mention the fact that the English language itself is rife with oft used violent expressions:
  • break a leg
  • give my eye tooth
  • give my left arm
  • cut off his nose to spite his face
  • kill time
  • roll with the punches
  • beat a dead horse
  • to step on his toes
  • to force one's hand
  • to bite the hand that feeds you
  • a dead ringer
  • she cried blue murder
  • stick out like a sore thumb
  • ankle biter
  • it's a slap in the face
  • you beat me to the punch
  • like banging your head against a brick wall
  • hit me with your best shot
  • keep your eye on the target
  • hit the target
  • He's such a riot
  • to tackle a problem
  • better than a kick in the pants
  • when push comes to shove
  • he's a real lady killer
  • keep your nose to the grindstone
  • to gang up on someone
  • won the battle but lost the war
  • on the warpath
  • blinded by the light
  • straw that broke the camel's back
  • to put your nose out of joint
By educating these children we are turning them into thugs. By teaching them language skills, we are helping them to destroy society. Literacy is dangerous. Plain and simple. Keep the kids in the dark. Better to be stupid and alive than educated and dead, I say. Drugs and alcohol don't cause gang wars, Mrs Miller's 8th Grade Book Club does!

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