Before I start this post, I should preface with the fact that my history teacher, "Dr. Clark" is arguably the most awesome teacher I have had yet and I'm not whining.
Now. Last week I got into my very first argument with a teacher! Yes, I know it's hard to believe I held out that long, but like I said, Dr. Clark is cool, and seems to want us to do well in his class, and he helps us with anything we ask for, and he's very approachable, and seems to be impressed that I'm homeschoooled, so I could ignore daily liberal lectures, right?
Yes.
I could.
Until he started talking about Karl Marx.
Now, it could be argued that my strong feelings about Communism come from the fact that my boyfriend is Cuban but! Mary Ann, that is not true. =) I have always gotten more fired up about THAT single issue than any other.
So anyway, we were doing vocabulary for the test early - checking to see if our answers were right so we could score well on the test- like I said, he's awesome.
We were divided up into groups, and one group read their definition of Karl Marx.
"Social activist and father of Communism, he helped imlement social changes that brought justice to workers."
Next was our groups' turn. Before reading my definition for, I think, the Interstate Commerce Act or something, I coughed rather loudly and said "Well, my definition of Marxism was quite different."
Dr. Clark asked, Well, what was yours?
I read "Hard to measure the impact of one whose ideas carried-out were responsible for the death of hundreds of millions, and drove scores of nations into economic ruin."
After snickering and assuring me "It wasn't all Karl, it was corruption of Soviet Russia-"
"-and Cuba" I added helpfully, he said to write it again, focusing more on the idea and the positive changes in the US, than what I had.
I scribbled that Marxism was,
"A simplistic view of a utopian workers' paradise. Although some positive ideas were implemented in the US, reality proved it to be an inherantly flawed and violent system."
Yes. I did raise my hand and ask if he wanted to hear my new definition. Yes. I did read that to the class. It was rather fun, in a scary sort of way.
OK OK. I did end up mentioning Cuba. I couldn't help it. I mean come on...
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8 comments:
Here you are ... nice new house ... great wall paper .. and all growed up ... sheeesh .. that was quick ... I just started reading you last year .. LOL .. kidding of course...
Good for you, fighting the good fight. I agree with your definition. He may not have directly caused the slaughtering of millions of people, but the implementation of his ideals resulted in their deaths.
Arguing with professors is not only fun, it's a good way to learn - and the good professors will enjoy it as well. I hope my future students feel comfortable and confidant enough to argue with me! Then, of course, you get the ones who hate it when anyone talks back to them. Like my teachers (there were two over the course of the term) in my "Diversity and Politics of Schooling" class last semester, one of whom actually said "I think you're just saying that because you're a white man" to me once. I learned quickly I couldn't have reasonable debates with them, so I took instead to doing stuff like derailing class discussions with blunt sarcasm, bringing the most un-PC comic I could find in to class as an "item representative of my culture", and writing papers referencing the No Child Left Behind Executive Summary. I've kind of developed a sixth sense over the years about how far I can push professors...I have the feeling you'll figure it out too!
I would like to have been a fly on the wall in that classroom.
My evangelical neighbors' homeschooled daughter also just started Junior College so I'm going to turn her onto your blog.
She doesn't have a boyfriend yet and I must say I was surprised that you do. ^^
I was hoping you'd tell your teacher what a liar Marx was - the Al Gore of his time - fudging facts to fit his theory.
Hehe. That is at least partially why you always talk about Cuba, missy, admit it. :)
But yeah..from the not so outspoken twin in history...that was very brave and you did a good job arguing with Dr. Clark. :D Even though at that moment I didn't think so. lol
Nice. I just had to read the Jungle for school, and it was total socialist garbage, so I'm pretty angry at school-pushed communism as well right now.
Thx ABfreedom :P Glad to see ya here
JB, you're right. I actually think my professor was just glad someone out there was listening!
As for the "just because you're a white man" teacher... I think her comment kinda shows her level of intelligence :) lol
It was pretty sweet, Patrick :D And yes, I was kinder about "Karl" than I would've liked to be.
Yes, unbelief seems to be most people's reaction to my boyfriend! lol. Congrats to your neighbors daughter, btw ;)
LOL. That's funny, Robert, since just last week in class Dr. Clark highly recommended that book. XD. Figures.
Right On! Its sad that communist and socialist ideas still prevail in classrooms all across the country and the world. We need more people like you who stand up and speak out. XD XD
I had a feeling you would comment this...
And don't worry, I'll always be the annoying cheeky one that stands up to argue ^_^
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