Mike forgot that enjoyment of any of the radical religious right type views also flurish under such (false) utopias... for they too are godless societies, worshiping their piety rather than true god.

And it is clear that today, in 2006 there is no greater threat to the US than the current leaderships assult upon these very premises.

No more true in 1960 than it is today. It is the rich and powerful who place us all most at risk.

Can does not mean will, or that it is probable either, which pretty much makes this a "ho hum" nothing quote. Better to speak of how those on the "right" are so intent upon claiming that it is their "right" to decide other peoples lives for them rather than minding their own business.

While this seems to be an accurate description of how the GOP and RRR are running the state in America today, there is nothing inherant about this state of affairs. So, while I concur with both Robert's and Joe's statements above, I find this Shaffer quote unworthy.

Perhaps, but we must none the less never give up, even if it is no more than tilting at windmills...

Schools teach so much more than just "book learning", it is good to teach all the inherent worth and value of every other living being. Those who can excel scholastically either will or will not, not based upon their opportunity, but upon their own internal drive.

... and there is a COMMUNIST in every home today... why, there's one behind my bathroom door right now!!! They are everywhere... and we must seek them out and confront them! Hey, we could have "inquiries" into this... yeah, that's it... inquires... (oh, sorry, the voices in my head took over... maybe I can convince them to go back to visit the above commentators who by the above comments they clearly know well too) ... and clearly our education system has totally failed based upon these completely irrational fear of imanginary demons...

What Robert said!

And sadly, this quote makes a very poor statement about the quality of the education of the 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s which brought us today's government "by King George".

Would that ours in today's America would stand up to this challenge...

This is exactly the same sort of bogus line which today's King George and his backers are using on not only the American people, but the people of the entire world.

Would that this was better understood by so many in the radical religious right (of all religions! ;-).

... words that can apply to any of a number of groups that those in power have attempted to religate to second class citizenship...

While I don't quite agree with the sentiment that we should allow children to go uneducated, it is interesting to note (and thus the high rating) that Jefferson has outlined nothing less than a right to choice here... that the parent (or by extention potential parent) has a right to choice over the handling of the child (or proto-child). To quote the Guiness brothers: Brilliant!

Great wisdom, seeing that the wealthy can and should take responsibility for funding the needs (such as education) of the poor. Too bad he did not foresee that such a model can and should be applied to advanced studies in colleges too... the government has made a great investment in my own case, investing an amount in my total education that they now make back every year in the form of taxes which yearly exceed what they spent in total on my education... we should do it for all capable youth in this country (as so many others already do).

Great vision (centralized, government run schooling for all children).

But when the state (govenment) abdocates the teaching of our children to religious nuts and unqualified parents, we end up with indoctrination (propaganda, programming).

Excellent observation, and given where our tyranny is coming from, the best/wisest/most effective step we can take to solve this is to outlaw private religious based schooling and home schooling for purposes of providing that basic education... it clearly does not work to allow it, and our children deserve better.

I'm not so sure that all of the Fine Arts majors flipping burgers at McD's would agree with this one... likewise simple hard work does not solve the problem... luck & wisdom help, but not as much as a rich mommy & daddy who leave you millions (especially w/ the GOP's thrust to eliminate estate taxes for the wealthiest 74 families in the US) on top of a 6 digit yearly allowance... (know where I can sign up for that gig? ;-).

And Joel nicely illustrates the fourth point with his posting and actions...

Yes, a grand foundation... too bad the ongoing maintenance hasn't been handled as well...

Amen Robert!

Rights are not inherent in the universe (other than those like the right to fall down when your supports are kicked out from under you)... they are what society decides they are... the US's founding fathers were a part of a movement in society to expand those rights in new ways and formed a new government to help implement that (imperfect though it may be)... and today the ancestor of that newly formed government is busy adjusting to the society it lives within... busy redefining those rights yet again... to be much more limited rights... perhaps once again society will see the error of this government and again demand that these rights be reexpanded.

Very pessimistic, and yet... it does seem that he speaks of a goal that we have yet to reach today...