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Opinion
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- Written by: Deb Baumann
Stockholm Syndrome describes a situation wherein victims come to identify with their oppressors. Instead of resenting ill treatment, they become emotionally and psychologically dependent upon those who dominate them.
Kept tied and blindfolded in a basement and fed cat food, they are grateful to their oppressors for feeding them at all, and fear a reduction in cat food allotment (“Things could be worse”).
They support their oppressors' interests, indoctrinated to believe that by furthering the overlords' cause, they are furthering their own.
If other oppression-victims dare challenge the oppressors, the Stockholm Syndrome victim flies to the oppressor's defense.
I have seen Stockholm Syndrome displayed time and time again over the years, on small scales and large. But never more starkly than in a letter published in the Record Bee last week, “Beware the simple answer.”
The writer of that letter warned against the people's movement to overturn corporate personhood. Her reasoning was that if we make trouble, things could get worse.
It would be hard to find a more classic example of Stockholm Syndrome at work. It also exposes the Tea Party's roots as a creature of the corporate Koch Brothers.
In this case, the Tea Party, psychologically dependent upon the corporate overlords and manipulated by fear (“things could get worse”), criticizes Move to Amend for making trouble.
How dare anyone believe that we, The People, can make a difference for the better? Watch out, don’t make trouble, or your cat food allotment might be reduced!
Personally, I think cat food is for cats, and that freedom, justice, democracy and fairness under the law are not kibble to be doled out in whatever small increments the One Percent are willing to allow.
That is why I support Move To Amend.
Deb Baumann lives in Upper Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
Recently I wrote about the indecently high dropout rate at our local high schools.
I remarked that the lack of electives, meaning trade and homemaking courses were failing the average student. A high percentage of students have no interest in college prep courses, and drop out of school.
I would like to commend Superintendent/Principal Pat Iaccino for his proactive pursuit of the new Upper Lake High School Academy for Sustainable Agriculture and Green Technology.
Teachers John Woods and Erica Boomer are also to be commended for going above and beyond for the betterment of the students.
I realize that this program entails extra work, and lots of time, in addition to your regular classes, kudos to you all.
Finding the grant, writing the prospectus and selling it to the state, was magnificent.
In the future, I hope the students and their parents realize that those who stay in school, and learn to be productive members of society, owe you thanks.
I think we as a society, lost sight of the fact that society is a cooperative effort. We need workers as well as leaders, as someone must pay the taxes and repair our automobiles.
The Upper Lake Cougars are not just Academic Decathlon winners, or wrestling and football champions, but espouse educating average Joes in average jobs.
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Dennis Rollins
I thank Randy Ridgel for his letter referencing the “constitutional meritocracy” as it caused me to reread the U.S. Constitution. I had not read this document in many years.
In reading the Constitution I could find no reference to the “constitutional meritocracy” he cites as justification for his personal beliefs.
I was also unable to imagine how he might have even interpreted it to say that.
Dennis Rollins lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Randy Ridgel
From liberal responses to my criticisms of President Obama, I am, it seems, “old,” “fat,” “ugly” and “racist.”
I plead guilty to all but racist; I would object just as much if a blonde Swede was wrecking my country.
In his recent State of the Union address, Obama repetitively used the word “fair.” Fair, to him, means taking money from those who earned it and giving it to those who didn’t. He’s already blown $5 trillion rewarding failure.
The Constitution wasn’t written to promote his idea of fairness, but a meritocracy. At the top would be the smartest and hardest-working, like Henry Ford and Steve Jobs, who would be enriched and empowered by producing the most value for all.
Next were those who did most of the work – the middle class –who were allowed to keep most that they earned. Risk takers could succeed or fail; lazy bums failed.
The folly of treating poor work “fairly” has since been shown by the tragedy of our public schools where excellent teachers are rewarded no more than poor ones with tenure.
Finally, compassionate family charity and Christian offerings, instead of bored bureaucrats and government fraud, cared for the poor and disabled. The law and the Second Amendment provided protection against crooks and dangerous people. But anyone, top to bottom, could rise as high as brains, courage, inspiration, and work would take them.
Unfortunately a constitutional mistake allowed the fairness of slavery. Slaves’ prospects were all equal – just as Obama seems to seek for most of us now.
But slavery was repealed by the Civil War and our constitutional meritocracy then grew into the richest, most powerful and generous country in the world.
However, always looming in the gray distance was de Tocqueville’s curse: “Democracy can’t work … people will vote themselves a piece of the treasury.”
Under Obama, de Tocqueville’s curse is coming true; America is broke.
Randy Ridgel lives in Kelseyville, Calif.