How about a degree in Education?

One of the most serious of societal dysfunctions that nobody seems to be doing anything about is the cost of a college education.  I think back when, in the 1940s, I paid $40.00 as tuition for one quarter at the University of Washington.  I went to school on the GI bill, which paid me something like $35 a month, which I used to pay for my room in the Vets Dorm.  I earned enough in the summer months to pay for my books and living expenses.  In fact, when I graduated I had money in the bank and no debts.

A recent edition of TIME magazine told about the tremendous debts that are handicapping today’s college graduates.  This policy in itself is almost criminal.  This so-called responsible society is completely dysfunctional when it comes to money.  Why is a professional athlete paid millions of dollars for playing one season and a graduate is penalized $50,000 to $100,000 for “earning” a degree that may or may not get s/he employed?  To top it off the graduate’s credit rating is very low and s/he cannot file for bankruptcy.  A rookie baseball player is paid $325,000 minimum for one season.  An elementary school teacher is lucky to make $25,000 in his/her first year, that is if s/he is fortunate enough to obtain employment in these years of budget cuts.

This so-called religious society is completely dysfunctional when it comes to money.  Our legislatures, counties, and cities are seriously cutting budgets on education, infra-structure, personnel, and health programs.  At the same time, every other year, this country is spending billions of dollars on elections.  THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY SPENT ON ELECTIONS IS A TOTAL WASTE!  A letter to the editor in the local paper stated: “Elections should be limited to 30 days and $30,000!”

I am not saying that religion is responsible for this irresponsible behavior.  But I will repeat that our so-called religious society is in denial and seemingly complete apathy.  We are standing on the river bank, swatting mosquitoes, while the soil is eroding out from under us.

A dysfunctional culture?

Are these signs of a dysfunctional religious society?

Earlier I commented that one of the results that I discovered in the 1980s, when I was doing statistical research on the correctional system, was the fact that 70% of the inmates in the adult correctional facilities had been born to teen-age mothers.  This seemed important at the time because abortion was a very hot political issue, particularly among the so-called religious factor.  Preventing or allowing abortion has never been an issue for me because I believe that each case should be decided on the circumstances of the individual situation; a one-way policy that fits all is just not appropriate.  Pregnant teen-agers were generally taken care of until the baby was born, then very often they were on their own: children raising children.  I know, both from experience and reading thousands of case histories, that emotional and physical deprivation of infants creates an internal hostility in the child that stays with them the rest of their lives.  Frequent result: delinquent teen years and eventual penal incarceration, an explanation for the 70% statistic.  Our religious society does all it can to prevent abortion but, in the main, avoids dealing with children trying to raise children.

One other statistic I know: the United States has the highest percentage of its population incarcerated of any of the so-called first world nations.  Again, in the 1980s and 1990s the politicians tried to out do each other by being “tough” on crime.  They over--rode the judiciary by imposing mandatory sentences.  They also cut down on programs of rehabilitation for various reasons.  The majority of the religious right supported these policies because they feel more secure when the “criminal” is in jail and they believe “those felons in custody do not deserve all those privileges anyway!”

Our so-called religious society seems to be in complete denial about what may be the largest illegal drug market in the world.  A United Nations estimate stated that the market in 2009 (in the United States) came to more than $142 Billion dollars.  I am sure that it has not decreased in the last two years.  The U.S. and Mexican governments have spent several billions of dollars at the border trying to stem the over whelming drug traffic without any real positive results.  The drug cartels have control of the drug business in Mexico and every state of the Union and continue on their day by day business with only minor interruptions and inconveniences. Illegal immigration is a very minor problem compared to the monstrous usage of illegal drugs in the United States.  Eliminating the market would eliminate most of the border problem.  What has our religious society done to eliminate the drug market?  Built a fence?

I could go on and on about the societal problems that do not seem to bother our religious congregations:  one in five children in poverty, the health insurance system, the salaries of professional athletes (compared to teachers, for instance), the millions of dollars that politicians spend to get elected, the cost of a college education, etc. etc. etc.