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ARMS AND THE PUPILS

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 26, 2018) — Resolved: Any student in Pittsfield public schools who leaves class without permission for whatever reason, including a political protest, should be suspended for three days. If the city’s school superintendent, school committee, and mayor care at all about students and pupils, it will clearly state this as policy, promise repercussions for a policy break, and follow through.

——— ooo ———

To those enrolled in The Old Professor’s debate class, you can’t logically have it both ways. You can’t, on the one hand, argue that because millions of children play violent video games but don’t shoot up schools proves there’s no link between shooter games and mass murder while at the same time backing kids in their misdirected efforts to political action. Think it through, and you will see: All men are mortal. Biff is a man. Therefore, Biff is mortal.

Conversely, THE PLANET’s claim holds true: the data strongly suggests a causal link between a young man’s immersive exposure to shooter video games and a greater desensitivity regarding and tendency toward violence  and criminal behavior and its precursors. To be fair, the data is inconclusive but only because the Great Leap Forward in ultra-realistic games has emerged in the past couple years and hasn’t been properly evaluated. But screw that. Anyone with an adult mind, eyes to see, and ears to hear intuitively knows that a heavy daily dose of graphic violence wrecks attention spans and the capacity for empathic thought and feeling.

Of course, the mainstream media and adults who think more gun laws will prevent the blood lust that seems to infect young Americans at an unusually high rate have fallen in love with the “army of children” bent on skipping school in favor of marching on state capitols and shouting down speakers with opposing viewpoints at rallies and town-hall meetings.

“The children.”

Ah, that magic phrase.

Automatically, it becomes a litmus test of being a good, politically correct citizen to applaud what these well-intended but clueless teenagers are doing. Walking out of class helps no one, hurts everyone, and accomplishes nothing worthwhile or productive.

THE PLANET is here to tell you that the best thing these teens can do for themselves is to stay in the classroom, put their “smart” phones away, and begin paying attention. If they begin doing this, they might actually learn importantant life skills in reading, writing, math, history, biology, and other subjects to equip themselves with the critical thinking they now generally lack. They will then equip themselves to either enter the workplace to assume their role as productive citizens or be ready academically and emotionally to enter a classroom of higher learning and succeed. Only then can they take part in participatory republicanism. Until then, they should keeps their heads in the books. Or Nooks.

By staying in class and applying themselves, they will learn the greatest , most translatable life skill of all: Critical thinking.

Critical thinking will allow them to realize that the best way to keep safe is to educate themselves and cooperate with teachers and administrators who want to assist them in that task. Critical thought would also let them see that missing class time, while providing fun and an excuse to goof off and party, plays right into the hands of the peers among them who invariably are the ones who pull the triggers in school mass shootings.

Teens need to take a good, long look at themselves and ask: Why are WE the ones who almost always fire the AR-15s? What are WE doing to ourselves. In Florida, it wasn’t a politician or a TV news reporter or a lawmaker or a teacher who pulled the trigger. It was one of their peers.

The greatest tribute they can make to the 17 who lost their lives is to stay in class, working to better themselves, something the young dead will never have the chance to do.

Meanwhile, the best directive given to pupils who walk out of class is the one given by a Houston, TX, superintendent: If you walk out, keep walking, because you’re suspended.

—————————————

“That’s the way of it, sometimes” — Capt. Smith, RMS Titanic.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The Usual Disclaimer.

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Halo
Halo
6 years ago

Where have you gone Pam Merlot?

dusty
dusty
6 years ago

Will these teachers also be taught room to room searches? Crouching and kicking down doors? Blowing locks off? Grapple hooking up to the second floor and crawling through heating vents? Will they be issued super hero costumes to wear during training?

The “teachers with guns” idea is simply a pivot and distraction to buy time until the memory of the latest shooting fades in peoples minds. It may work for a rare small school here and there but for a whole country? No way in hell.

CosbiesLadies
CosbiesLadies
Reply to  dusty
6 years ago

If the crazed video viewer decides to take out a bunch of kids, the first one he/she is going after will be the teacher. Get real .

Pat
Pat
Reply to  dusty
6 years ago

Dusty, many schools around the country have already adopted the armed teachers idea with great success.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

Pat how does one know the great success without another school assault.I just answered my own question

H
H
6 years ago

Tonight’s apathy at the Ity Council Meeting should reveal a lot tonight concerning possible back breaking water rates, which some Councilors want to vote yes and didnmt know what the rates were but more importantly didn’t want to explore different avenues. What does that say about these tax and spenders supposedly watching the taxpayers wallets don’t think so. Let’s see if we can at least support the Council going forward agai st this project and the Toter project also. After watching the Mayor tell citizens what that was all about there didn’t look like it was supported by citizens,at all?
Hopefully Mr. Gaetani will be given a chance to explain how he feels and hope others who can come forward against,will. It looks like the Councilors against have enough votes. As I stated earlier, DTR has a lot of Brass,very smart women whom I wouldn’t mind voting for Mayor. Bring that DarrenLee along with her,great team!

H
H
6 years ago

My spell check sux.

Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider
6 years ago

Re: Levitan & your post:
“Police are not required legally to put their lives at risk to save others.”
Yep, you are right; HOWEVER, it’s a MORAL CODE, just like the military, and MCOJ prescribes execution or imprisonment to cowards under fire!
“Law Enforcement.Oath of Honor”
On my honor, I will never
betray my badge, my integrity,
my character or the public trust.
I will always have the courage to hold
myself and others accountable for our actions.
I will always uphold the
constitution, my community, and the
agency I serve.”
(International Association of Chiefs of Police)
That hump in Fla.and others of his ilk that didn’t engage the bad guy should be castrated. But wait, they already have no “testículos!” Moot point!

Levitan
Levitan
Reply to  Ghost Rider
6 years ago

Police have different approach rd to armed felons. Soldiers have a rather liberal approach, police take a guarded one. As in, set up a perimeter, keep people away from the scene, but no immediate intention of direct engagement.

Lathes (‘oathes’, as seen by auto-spell. I like it too so ,i,’m keeping it) are only as good as the person who makes them which is why some honorable people decline to make them.

Levitan
Levitan
Reply to  Ghost Rider
6 years ago

Interesting thing about that pledge is that it doesn’t address a requirement to undertake a risk. It only states the need for courage to talk to the press afterwards. That particular oath appears to suggest that we should place no confidence in the police during a crisis.

Pat
Pat
6 years ago

Trump didn’t want to speak with Mueller because as with most things Democrat, they would just try to entrap him. I don’t blame Trump if that is the decision he has made. The media constantly lies about what he is saying. This is why I LOVE that he tweets.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

Sure

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

The only person that can be “trapped” is the one who lies. And since Trumps lawyers know for a fact that he is a pathological liar they are begging him not to go anywhere near Mueller. Remember Pat, there is a very good reason Trump is hiding his tax returns and you know that as well as I do. Honest people do not hide stuff.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  dusty
6 years ago

First of all, he was under no obligation to show his tax return. Secondly, he probably doesn’t want people to see just how rich he is. The Dems make fun of the mega rich just not their own mega rich. Mega rich Dems get a pass naturally. The mega rich Dems are all beautiful according to the liberal media and other Dems.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

ooooh OK.

H
H
6 years ago

Trump yet,has not proved that he is always right, it’s about 80-20 against. And where is the Wall, the Wall that Mexico is paying for. The Swamp is rich with Billionaires and Government has grown to the tune of almost 1.6 trillion, where is the overseas money?

Let’s hope here at home,the City Council minus the usual players, listen to anything the Great Gaetani has to offer, he is the go to guy for all things TAXPAYER here in PALOOKAVILLE.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  H
6 years ago

It is being reported in today’s Washington Examiner that Trump has already, IN ONE YEAR, completed 64% of his agenda. I have no idea where you get your faulty info.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
6 years ago

That is a joke right?

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  dusty
6 years ago

All this winning…..I love it! MAGA!

Dilly Dally
Dilly Dally
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
6 years ago

Fake news.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  H
6 years ago

Mecocan prez told him to go f himself and he wont speak to the american with mo brain

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Product of local schools.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
6 years ago

And local liquor stores

Levitan
Levitan
6 years ago

For walkouts, my administrative policy would be to make no obvious note of it and give student a truant mark. It it sensible to train students to misbehave?

U
U
6 years ago

I’m looking at the garbage being thrown out. Some homes have way to much, strewn all over, others have little to nothing. So it becomes volume being the issue, sort of like water, some people use tons of water im the summer and others very little, but the rates are the same. The only way to solve the garbage issue,unfortunately,would be pay to throw, but that is a problem because you have to add more employees. Speaking of Gaetani, he proposed abag color system, it is the best I’ve heard yet, maybe we could explore that?

Levitan
Levitan
Reply to  U
6 years ago

Garbage Credits?

dusty
dusty
Reply to  U
6 years ago

I often see recycle boxes with very little stuff in them. Yet the truck has to stop and pick it up. For households that generate very little recyclables maybe put it out once a month. That may cut several hundred stops each day.

h
h
6 years ago

Garbage lingo?

Ron Kitterman
Ron Kitterman
6 years ago

My Idea is let the students request a day off in writing, let them offer their 1st amendment rights. Bring the request to the school teacher, principal and administration and school committee. Maybe they have a valid reason. When Dan and I were in high school there was a song out there by Country Joe and the Fish., that went something like this, “It’s 1 2 3 4 what are we fighting for, Don’t ask me I don’t give a damned. Next stop is Viet Nam whoopee were all gonna die ” Maybe the snowflakes can write a composition on the 2’nd amendment and how guns are killing us more abortion or drugs or something ? But that’s how I get a day off in the real world I live in, I don’t just take it off.

Levitan
Levitan
Reply to  Ron Kitterman
6 years ago

Once upon a time, when there was a real world, high school students did not write the rules and run the schools. Only now, administrators, with their attending boundary disturbances, do not differentiate between themselves and their students.

The rules for adventures and absences require medical conditions, funerals, or comparable events. Temper tantrums should not make the cut.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

Pulling fire alarms extremely dangerous or bomb threats gave studrnts of the late 60s and 70s a day off until there were so many threats they sdtopped that.I have a good memory

Pat
Pat
6 years ago

It’s ridiculous. The kids are barely in class now what with endless holidays and snow days. It’s not shocking that many cannot think at all never mind think critically.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

Pat, Emma Gonzales is thinking critically…and you are not going to like what she has to say. But get use to her because she may become your least favorite liberal. Get use to the name

Pat
Pat
Reply to  dusty
6 years ago

You’re right. If she wants to enslave us all to big government, I won’t be interested. If she only wants to hear the voices of liberal women, I won’t be interested. If she wants to say that big government is the answer to all our prayers, I will NOT be interested.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

A little DD please

Gigi
Gigi
6 years ago
Levitan
Levitan
Reply to  Gigi
6 years ago

What do we know about wnd.com.

gocometti
gocometti
6 years ago

When President Trump said he would have gone into the high school to confront the shooter even without a gun I wondered if his bone spurs might have prevented him from any such action..they did prevent him from serving his country in Southeast Asia.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  gocometti
6 years ago

Which wars did Clinton and 0bama fight in?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  gocometti
6 years ago

Imagine Clinton or Obama making this odd claim.

Levitan
Levitan
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Oooo! I got this one!!!

Clinton would have said that DID go in there under heavy fire.

V P of Lurning
V P of Lurning
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Thank gawd for the Planer,huh SC?

Cos
Cos
6 years ago

Trump wouldn’t risk going in at all,it’s B S Do you think he would risk the chance of missing his own tax cut next year?

Pat
Pat
6 years ago

Here’s all you need to know about so-called media rock star Emma Gonzalez and her so-called courageous battle against the NRA.

https://townhall.com/columnists/humbertofontova/2018/02/24/nrabasher-emma-gonzalez-whose-father-fled-castros-gunoutlawing-cuba-celebrated-as-hero-by-cubas-media-n2453475

Unwanted Carl
Unwanted Carl
6 years ago

Why can’t we get a chain gain like in the Movie Cool Hand Luke and throw some tar in those potholes. Tony Roads said Turocy and the Boyz are doing a great job? He can’t even paint the lines in the roads.

mi
mi
6 years ago

I guess Trump was mixing business ( e mail ) with many many russian pleasures, several woman at once.