[EDEQUITY Equity Now]Cultural understanding and knowledge

From: Ward Dorrity (w.dorrity@f5.com)
Date: Fri Jun 07 2002 - 15:39:55 EDT


Cultural understanding is one thing. Value-blindness is another.
Knowledge is good.

Knowledge in the absence of values to guide the knower can yield
monstrous consequences - as the history of the last century so clearly
shows.

The claim that all cultures are equal and are thus exempt from
value-based comparisons is intellectually dishonest and
morally bankrupt.

History has shown us that some cultures achieved greatness,
others never lost their taste for savagery and brutality. Some
cultures created art, music, science and ideas. Others never
rose out the mud.

These are facts, not conjecture. The cultural egalitarianism that
some of you espouse is rank fraud. There is no 'moral equivalence'
between a culture that oppresses its women and still engages in
the practice of slavery and the cultures of the West.

It is for this reason that we teach our kids an unflinching view
of the world and those who inhabit it. It is for this reason
that we teach our twins the three 'Rs':

Recognize value-free ideas and their consequences.
Reject those same ideas as unworthy of a civilized human being.
Resist those who promulgate those ideas with every means at their
disposal.

Ward Dorrity
Product Development Manager - Software
F5 Networks, Liberty Lake, WA.
t 509.343.3527 | f 509.343.3501
c 208.755.8628 | e w.dorrity@f5.com

September 11, 2001=20
Never forgive. Never forget

-----Original Message-----
From: Emile Rosenberg [mailto:RosenbergE@k12.Waltham.ma.us]
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 10:31 AM
Subject: [EDEQUITY Equity Now]Racial separation ruled unconstituional.
................................ Racial separation was ruled to
be unconstitutional even though some might argue about what is so bad
aboutseparation. In South Africa, apartheid had its advocates, as well.
Wars are most effective in terms of death and destruction when combatants
do
not speak each other's language nor understand each other's cultures.
Togetherness and mutual knowledge and respect derived from actual
experience are strong foundations for equity and peace. It may all come
down to
trust.
I am not as trusting as you regarding the supposed benevolence of the
proposals. Past experience has been otherwise.

 Emile Rosenberg
Assistant Superintendent of Waltham Schools
<RosenbergE@k12.Waltham.ma.us>



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