1976 vs 2006

Should We laugh or cry?




 




Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school
parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1976 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to
his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2006 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to
jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for
traumatized students and teachers.

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Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1976 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end
up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.

2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark.
Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

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Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1976 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the
Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a
zombie.  Tested for ADD.  School gets extra money from state because
Jeffrey has a disability.

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Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad
gives him a whipping with his belt.

1976 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to
college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2006 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to
foster care and joins a gang.  State psychologist tells Billy's
sister that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to
prison.  Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

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Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1976 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.

2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations.
Car searched for drugs and weapons.

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Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1976 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2006 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear
nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for
graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state
school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core
curriculum.  Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for
a living because he cannot speak English.

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Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July,
puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1976 - Ants die.

2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with
domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from
home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list
and is never allowed to fly again.

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Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his
knee.  He is found crying by his teacher, Mary.  Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1976 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2006 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job.
She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.