Individuality and Accountability: Inseparable qualities for all students and educators and the challenge that exists given the current environments of most of our classrooms. Oh yeah…also a story about some guys and trees.

How can academia tout critical thinking, individuality, tolerance, etc…when students are are not allowed to be who they are and teachers do not know how to be genuine, true to their convictions, while also fostering a classroom environment conducive to critical thinking, civil discourse, questions and answers, the exchanging of ideas – both agreed upon and disagreed upon, and allowing the students the chance to learn and establish their own perspectives, stances, and opinions?

As I will be sharing more in subsequent posts, articles, and on Servant Warrior™ Radio in the coming weeks and months, teachers have to consider the “why’s” at varied perspectives and students have to consider them as peers.

But, here is where the harsh reality of my points take front and center. What happens when teachers get tough questions like should abortion be legal and whether Roe v Wade is Constitutional? What about questions surrounding gun control? What about fossil fuels vs alternative energy sources? Immigration reform and border security? How about universal healthcare vs private healthcare? The list can go on and on. To pretend that these questions are not going to be asked is very similar to an old military saying about putting your head in the sand during a firefight. You know what happens? You get shot in the south end of your north bound direction.

We, as teachers, have to be ready for these questions. And, we have to have honest, purposeful, and objective conversations about them as we are the authority figures and can have a tremendous influence on a student’s beliefs. If we want them to and are challenging them to think critically, we have to make sure we understand and are clear about the context of the answer, the discussion, and absolutely refer to and consider my 3P’s of Information: Position, Purpose, and Perspective. All of these issues have significant ideological beliefs around them and can bring, dare I say, spirited debate and discussion.

Unfortunately, I do not think many teachers are truly considering, if these questions are not beings asked in their classrooms…WHY? Why are students not asking these questions? I can assure you they are hearing about them, inquiring about them, and talking about them elsewhere. Some of the reasons I believe are that students afraid of backlash or attacks if the question is controversial. They are afraid of looking stupid, inept, or being ridiculed by classmates. They are afraid of being asked follow-up questions about the issue and not be able to discuss or answer intelligently. And, this is likely one of the most impactful reasons, students are afraid that if they believe differently than the teacher, there could potentially be reprisal or even alienation directed at the student by the teacher as well as other students. I am just being honest.

Students learn from teachers. Teachers are human beings, with beliefs and perspectives. Students interact with other students who are also human beings…human beings with perspectives. The idea that teachers must be void of who they are or have no personality or perspective in the classroom only shows that too many teachers are incapable of creating environments where their ideologies do not get on the way of learning but shows students, the future generations, that people can and will disagree but that teaching and learning can happen in spite of differing opinions.

If we want civil, effective discourse in the public square, we have to be allowed to have civil and effective discourse in the public classrooms.  Otherwise, how will students learn how to engage in civilized, effective, and intelligent discourse if it is not modeled and fostered in an environment that will ensure all perspectives are treated with importance but none more than the other?

Society, as driven predominantly by social media, is wholly incapable of teaching generations of students how to have a conversation with someone they do not agree with or to even acknowledge, with any level of consideration or respect, that someone may have a different opinion than their own. The ability to agree to disagree has been lost for some time. Cancelation, verbal assaults, censorship, character assassinations, etc…have become more commonplace than simply reaching the point where neither side will change their positions and both walking away…even shaking hands. We are emphatic and insistent that those who don’t share our views must…at all cost.

The classroom is where tough questions should be asked. If a teacher is prepared to answer tough questions because they have set parameters, expectations, guidelines, and discussion guard rails, students get a taste of what life is like to disagree without going to war or, in today’s terminology, “canceling the other”. We have lost the ability to disagree and be okay with it, especially on social media. Intellectual courage is becoming more and more nonexistent. If you are curious about intellectual courage, stay tuned and check out more blog posts and episodes of Servant Warrior™ Radio.

If I may, let me tell a story about a couple of men and some trees…

One day, a man was in a grove sitting and reading beneath a large tree when he heard another man standing beneath another tree, screaming at it to uproot itself and move to another location. The first man found this entertaining, then intriguing, and then a bit irritating. But, he continued to watch.

The screaming continued but tree did not move. This only infuriated the man. He began to scream louder, cursing and insulting the tree…and all of the other trees that were within earshot of his verbal tirade.

The man got up from his seat and walked over to the other. “Sir”, he said, “why are you screaming at the tree? You know that no matter how hard you scream at or insult the tree, it will not move.”

“Who are you?! ” asked the irate gentleman. “Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot say? Who are YOU to tell ME anything?! I can say whatever I want! And, what I want is for this tree to move! I want it over there!”

The man walked back over to his tree, sat down, and pondered his options. He had a decision to make. He could go back over to other man and argue with him of the ridiculousness of his actions and verbal assault on the tree. He knew he was right and that that tree was not moving. He could sit, watch and listen to the man continue his tirade against the tree. He knew doing this, while fun for a time, would take him away from his own book. He also knew the tirade would eventually impact him and could bring him to the point of going back over and engaging the other man. Or the man, knowing his propensity for engagement, could find another tree in a grove where he could read and where people do not scream at trees to uproot and move.

He gave the matter great thought and decided to…

I will leave it there. It is certainly something to consider when observing others and their ideological perspectives, opinions, and actions.

Until next time, keep it real.

Have any comments or questions? Email them to comments@servantwarriorradio.com

SCOTUS Insight

Hello, all. We are on the doorstep of arguably the most important elections in our nation’s history. Despite the normal party speak, political narratives pushed, and all too often doublespeak by folks on both sides, there is a clear ideological distinction between the dominant US political parties. I hope I am stating the obvious. Something tells me that might not be the case.

What we have before us is monumental. Not only the election but the potential confirmation of a Supreme Court justice.

I am not going into the talking points being pushed by both sides. I will, however, clarify a term that has a become a political narrative being pushed because far too many in our country don’t understand.

Before my SCOTUS comments, I do want to comment on a statement made by the Democratic candidate for President as it is 100% Constitutional what is happening with regards to the filling of a Supreme Court Justice vacancy. I am not going to get into the muck about it. I must believe that he does have an understanding of the US Constitution, given his lengthy time in the US Senate and that he has raised his hand to support and defend it on more than one occasion. However, regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with the actions of an opposing party, it is concerning that a candidate for the highest office in the US and the most powerful office in the world would knowing attempt to mislead the American people and misrepresent the Constitutionality of an action. Both sides of the political isle like to stretch things. However, the Constitution is our governing document and thus should be known and followed. I will speak to this issue in subsequent posts.

What I will talk briefly about is the importance of Constitutional adherence and how anyone, if they do not support strict adherence to the Constitution in its judicial application of jurisprudence, it is wholly hypocritical and disingenuous to use it as a pass and/or misrepresenting it as a talking point in order to further an agenda.

Let me provide some definitions to terms that I think are incredibly important.

Court Packing: simply means to increase the number of Supreme Court Justices. FDR tried it in the 1930’s but was unsuccessful. The Appointment of SCOTUS judges is a Constitutional power found in Art 2 Sect 2 – appointed by the President and Confirmed by the Senate. It is much harder to confirm justices when the White House is controlled by one party and the Senate is controlled by another. It is much easier if they are the same party. Yes, elections do have consequences.

Judicial Philosophy: This is the underlying set of ideals or beliefs that shapes a Justice’s rulings on particular cases. This is ALWAYS the basis by which Justices are chosen. There are 2 distinct philosophies. One is a philosophy that means to go beyond the words of the Constitution or a statute to consider broader societal implications and influence public policy. This is known as Judicial Activism. Some may also refer to judicial activism as “legislating from the bench”. The other is Judicial Restraint, which is the judicial philosophy to not go outside the narrow scope created by the Constitution.

Why is this important? Well, if you will go back to a previous posting I made with regards to the correlation between the Bible and the US Constitution, The Constitutional argument: It’s all about choice. The direct correlation between the Bible and the Constitution, and the societal drift from both. Dismiss at your own risk, I stated that we, as a country and people in general – “don’t like absolutes. We don’t like to be told what to do. We like the rules of the game to change as we change…or as we want the rules of the game to change. The Bible, like the Constitution, provides absolutes and authority. The further we get away from its principles, its guidelines, its authority, the further away we get from allowing a single authoritative component, in this case: a document, to govern us.”

Again, why is this important? Here is why. The current judge who has been nominated for the United States Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, has been attacked for her strong Christian faith, her values as a mother and parent, and to her strict adherence to the Constitution and to the intent of the Original Framers, which of course includes the Bill of Rights and the other 17 Amendments. With so many in our country, to include elected officials screaming that the confirmation hearings and the confirmation itself is unconstitutional (which is categorically false – see again Art 2 Sect 2 in the US Constitution), love to scream about the Constitution, more importantly the rights protected by the US Constitution, should absolutely embrace and celebrate a potential US Supreme Court Justice to the highest Court in the land who would not read into or stretch the text or meaning of the Constitution in order to impact or influence social policy or either side of the political isle, but to adhere to what it states and what its Framers intended. Very similar to the Bible, adherence to its principles and to the intent of the Author, would be a very welcome stance for the longest standing governmental document and set of governing principles of any country in recorded history.

The United States Constitution, like the Bible, is NOT a living breathing document. “The Bible provides absolutism…clear right and wrong. The Bible gives a clear set of guidelines to live one’s life by. And just as the Bible provides guidelines on how we, as people, are to live, the Constitution provides guidelines on how to govern.”

Adherence to the Constitution and the guidelines set within it is the only way that we can ensure that “…government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” – A Lincoln.

Searcy, out.

Perspectives, Commentary, & What is Important

Truth: We all see things differently. I see things from multiple perspectives, from multiple positions, and from multiple angles…encompassing much more than most would associate together or see the correlation. That’s not a slight on anyone. That’s simply the way my mind works and the way I see things…global picture to speck of dirt…75,000ft above the ground to a quarter inch from the pavement.

No names but I had someone provide some “humble” advice as to my delivery and to correct me on my usage of the term socialism. The response was to my OpEd from yesterday, “The Threat From Within”. And, the comment and a subsequent one came via Facebook. I don’t know know why this one pushed a button, but it did. The commentator provided me some pointers in a few areas and stated that “we” (funny… I didn’t realize “we” were doing anything. Sorry. I know the polite condescending nature of using the “we”. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve used it myself. It is almost like a “bless your heart”.) I digress…would do better educating people with the right definition of socialism as it is where the government owns the means of production.”

Ladies and gentlemen, government control of production and the supply of goods and services, whether by direct action, policy or legislation, by proxy, or by shutting down private business…is socialism and a threat to our constitutional republic and our way of life in America. Pure and simple. I am not going to get into a social media debate with anyone. I will be glad to turn on the microphones and we can have a discussion via Servant Warrior Radio. Like any American should be, I am ready to discuss this via the narrow-minded halls of much of academia or the ruthless by-ways of the streets. I’m well versed in both.

If I am perceived to be pushing a particular narrative, trust me, I am not. My perspective and opinion are mine alone. If my perspective is similar to others out there, good for them. Make no mistake. My thoughts and opinions are mine.

With regards to commentary on my blog posts, I am glad to get them. It means I’ve struck a nerve and sparked action. I’ve accomplished my goal. If the commentator chooses to comment on a blog post that resides on my website and make the comment via social media, I begin to question the motive. I wonder if the comments are for me or for others. I think it’s likely a little of both. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because every opinion is important. Every perspective is important. And all are free to share. That’s America. However, we all should be very careful when we direct our opinions to a specific person…especially when it is unsolicited. That is why social media is in the state that it is in and why there is so much strife and division in our country. Here’s my take: read my posts or don’t. It’s completely up to you. There’s plenty out there to fill the time. Regardless of what you decide, it’s all good. Searcy, out.

Acknowledging the Passing of an Icon and the Empty Seat

I certainly want to lift up the family, friends, and colleagues of the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Please be in prayer for them. Whether one agreed with her ideology or not, her accomplishments as a Supreme Court Justice and an advocate for her perspective cannot be underscored or diminished. She was a brilliant lady, an icon and an example for many.

With that being said, a seat is now open on the United States Supreme Court. This will be a major issue as we head into the presidential election. It has already begun with regards to those on the Left stating Trump should not appoint a supreme court justice before the election, even though President Obama nominated a potential supreme court justice after Antonin Scalia passed away mysteriously. The Republicans control the Senate now as they did then. The Democrats touted it as a moral or ethical issue then. I expect it would be one now. Why? Because the Democrats do not control the Senate and can do nothing about it. I won’t address the irony and utter ridiculousness of morality and ethics lessons from the Left. Additionally, the Democrats’ warnings of court packing if Joe Biden wins the election only shows their complete disregard for the rule of law and judicial restraint and clearly reveals their intentions to impact policy via the courts.

No one on either side will be happy and there will be quite a few people in DC and around the country that will be up in arms no matter how this turns out.

It’s going to a very, very interesting fall. It’s why I study and teach Government. More on this and so much more in coming posts at jeffSearcy.net.

So much more to come. Searcy out.

OpEd – The Threat From Within

Many in the united states have this feeling in their stomach that our country is headed toward socialism. Nothing could be more true. The desire to rewrite, ignore, and/or destroy history is paving the way. All one needs to do is look back at early 20th century Europe…specifically Italy and Germany. The coordinated effort to remove competition within the economies in order to foster monopolies, monopolies supported by the government, that occurred in Europe then is now happening here in the US. Think about the shutdown of the economy…the shutdown of businesses in this country, many of them still closed now for 6 months, under the guise of safety and health due to a virus that has a 99+% survival rate. Think about the businesses that were allowed to remain open during the “pandemic”. There are enemies to our republic and to our capitalistic way of life on both sides of the political isle. One side is obvious. One side is a bit more covert. While I recognize the threat that China and other state-run economies pose to the US, neither the President of the US nor the US government should ever be brokering corporate purchases. Once again, a governmental action sought under the guise of national security. At what point does this stop? At what point, regardless of the political ideology that is in the majority in Washington DC or any state or locality, do we as a citizenry hold our elected officials and our governments at the local, state, and federal levels accountable? I will tell you when…when we as a citizenry are truly honest in our assessment of the state and condition of our society – regardless of our ideological beliefs – and the cause of its decline. When we become knowledgeable about our Constitution and our Capitalistic economic system, the ideals that provide the foundation of our country, and the limited government that was created by our Framers. That’s when. There is a serious threat to the future of this country and that threat is from within. The biggest threat to our country and our way of life is…America itself and what we are allowing to permeate our government, our schools, our media, and our lives.

“We were the first to assert that the more complicated the forms assumed by civilization, the more restricted the freedom of the individual must become.” Benito Mussolini

Let that sink in and give honest thought to the applicability.

If you do not think American exceptionalism and the freedoms ensured by our Constitution and secured by the blood and lives of patriots are in serious peril by those entrusted to govern, to teach, and to inform, your lack of vision and/or your willingness to ignore the obvious, are only contributing to the American demise and to paving the dead end road to “serfdom”.

Searcy out.

The Constitutional argument: It’s all about choice. The direct correlation between the Bible and the Constitution, and the societal drift from both. Dismiss at your own risk.

The correlation between the Bible & the Constitution…and why, as a nation, when we continue to move away from the former, we move away from the latter as well. It hinges on foundational texture…rock or sand.
One of my all-time favorite television shows is NCIS. I love Special Agent and United States Marine (no longer on active duty) Leroy Jethro Gibbs…especially his rules. They have been a mainstay throughout the show’s 13 year run. I remember the episode where he was reflecting back on the first time he met his late wife, Shannon, and as she shared one of her rules, he asked her, “Do you have a rule for everything?” Her reply, “Working on it. Everyone needs a code to live by.” How incredibly poignant…and so true.

The famed knights of the 13th & 14th centuries as well as the mythical King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table had a Code of Chivalry. It was rock solid, unbreakable, unbending, and consistent…not to mention honorable, ethical, and when followed, bettered society and everyone they came in contact with..whether friend or foe.

Without a code or foundational set of guidelines to live by, we, and our priorities and foundational principles, are tossed about like a “feather in the wind” as public opinion, societal trends, and the “flavor or issue of the month” change.

Whether people want to admit it or not, the foundational principles of this country were formed from Biblical principles  (simply look at the Declaration of Independence…”We are endowed by our Creator…” – with a capital “C”). The solid foundational principles of the Bible, the code & foundational principles the Founding Fathers and so many colonial leaders lived by, were then applied in the creation of the Declaration of Independence and ultimately in the US Constitution. By the way, let me remind you that no other country, in recorded history, has been governed by a single document longer than the young United States of America. Obviously, they got it right.

Yes, there have been 27 Amendments to the Constitution. They are amendments that reflect the documental changes necessary to govern the country represented by and depicted in two of the greatest documents ever composed. However, they don’t diminish the authority of the Constitution…nor do amendments or the amendment process make it a “living, breathing document”.

The Bible provides absolutism…clear right and wrong. The Bible gives a clear set of guidelines to live one’s life by. And just as the Bible provides guidelines on how we, as people, are to live, the Constitution provides guidelines on how to govern.

So what is the correlation? We, as people, don’t like absolutes. We don’t like to be told what to do. We like the rules of the game to change as we change…or as we want the rules of the game to change.

The Bible, like the Constitution, provides absolutes and authority. The further we get away from its principles, its guidelines, its authority, the further away we get from allowing a single authoritative component, in this case: a document, to govern us.

Of course, it’s not the document but the interpretation of it…and the value choices/ideological filter and that are used to influence that interpretation. Those values and “ideological filter” are the product of what we hold, and allow to be, our authoritative source. That, however, is and will the subject for another conversation. Until then…keep it real.