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11/18/2003 Archived Entry: "YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT"

YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT

Given the feelings I expressed about prejudices here on my blog, one of my readers thought the lyrics to "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught" would be appropriate to publish. He's right. The lyrics to this song are so true.

Stop and listen to what children say, particularly when they bully other kids and call them names, tease them about their masculinity or acne, or being fat, black or skinny....think about where they learned to hate. It is happening in our schools here in the county every single day.

Think further about the bullies and taunters. The details differ, but a common thread runs through nearly all of the school shooting cases. School shooters are consistently described by classmates as "different"...specifically skinny, lanky, chubby or scrawny. These characteristecs are exactly the opposite of how one might imagine a gun-weilding killer to look. And that might be the point.

Male role models among faculty, parents and students' peers should encourage academic success and community participation, not just athletics and competition. New models of manhood could go far to ameliorate school violence.

From the musical "South Pacific":

You've got to be taught to hate and fear
You've got to be taught from year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught
You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
And people whose skin is a different shade
You've got to be carefully taught
You've got to be taught before it's too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught
You've got to be carefully taught