Guest Commentary by Herb Strentz and John Hicks
Blessed are the Peacemakers — Colts, that is!
By Herb Strentz
What would you think of a U.S. political leader who said, “I do not believe there is a problem in this country or the world today which could not be settled if approached through the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount?”
In today’s environment, one might think such a person was courting votes from the religious right or was naïve.
As some may recognize, however, the value accorded the Sermon on the Mount was preached by President Harry S. Truman.
If you spend time at the Truman Library in Independence, Mo., rummaging through Truman’s papers, you’ll find repeated references to the Sermon on the Mount, speaking to his Baptist roots and his penchant for being blunt.
But in today’s world, such a statement might be viewed by some as a violation of the principle of separation of church and state and by others as, at best, quaint. While we might salute the principles from the New Testament Book of Matthew, as far as they go, we might also see a need to update them in light of the 21st century and our own values.
And why not? Revisionism is in vogue these days, what with the Texas Board of Education wanting to rewrite public school textbooks to better reflect what they see as conservative values and points of view — like dropping Thomas Jefferson from a list of people who inspired revolutions.
If the Texas board turns its attention to scripture after influencing textbook publishers, they might find this version of the Sermon on the Mount better suited to their truths:
Blessed are they who mock the poor and taunt the ill and infirm: for they shall have radio talk shows.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted with 15 seconds of celebrity on the nightly news and then years of waiting for promised relief.
Blessed are they reluctant to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s: for they shall get even more in the way of tax cuts.
Blessed are the geek: for they shall inherit not the earth, but maybe government contracts to rig voting machines.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Wall Street bonuses: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the unmerciful who would waterboard and torture: for they shall be excused, if not thanked, in the interests of national security.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall be spared having to make public apologies and being analyzed by pseudo shrinks on talk shows. (But that’s about it.)
Blessed are those who possess Colt Peacemakers and those who ardently demand the right to keep and bear arms: for theirs is the fear and obedience of Congress and state legislatures.
Blessed are they that have been persecuted and indicted for greed’s sake: for theirs is the kingdom of appearances on late night TV.
Blessed are ye when the news media shall reproach you, and persecute you and report all manner of evil against you.
Rejoice and be glad: for great is your reward in speaking honoraria, book sales and support from your political base.
If you spend time at the Truman Library, rummaging through his papers, you’ll know that Harry’s response to such a revised Sermon would be unBaptist and unprintable. But the likes of the Texas Board of Education would likely revise that, too.
Herb Strentz is a retired administrator and professor in the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication and writes occasional columns for Cityview.
Is Iowa moving to Texas?
By John Hicks
Public schools in America have been a major reason why this country became great. However, most articles written about education by major news sources tend to be negative in some way or another. Teachers are not thought of as some of our most important citizens. Now we have a few public school teachers in Iowa seemingly cutting their own throats. It’s Texas time in Iowa.
Going back to the late 1800s, teachers were treated like dirt. A superintendent could fire a kindergarten teacher because his niece wanted the job. Or some guy on horseback could ride into town, get a shave and tell the superintendent that he would teach the kiddies for $50 less. Sounded good to the super. Story after story about the plight of teachers before teacher associations came along. What do you know? Story after story about the plight of teachers today even with teacher associations.
Fred R. Comer wrote “Coming of Age: Teachers in Iowa 1954 to 1993.” He said, “There was no justice for teachers in Iowa prior to 1976. For all practical purposes a teacher could be fired anytime, anywhere, for any reason, without any recourse. Prior to 1967 it was not even necessary for the school board to provide the teacher with any reasons as to why it was contemplating termination.”
Gradually, the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) was able to help teachers become first class citizens rather than doormats. Today, we have an alternative to ISEA in PEI. Professional Educators of Iowa is a conservative teacher organization fitting the Texas mode. It is unsupportive of so-called liberal education associations, unions and higher wages for teachers. I can’t imagine women teachers in Iowa public schools going along with lower wages and downgrading women’s rights, but PEI seems to be in the forefront, right along with our most embarrassing Iowan — Steve King.
I mention Texas because more than half of the Texas State Board of Education is against public schools and public school teachers. It’s called ultra-conservatism; the desire to move public schools into a more religious domain where a return to segregation can be reinstalled, where gays and lesbians can be jailed, where women have fewer rights including no access to abortion and where white-male dominance gains strength once again. Currently the following states have activity focused on taking money away from public schools through legislative processes: New Jersey, Virginia, California, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, New York, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arizona, New Hampshire, Washington and West Virginia (Church and State, Americans United, March 2010).
So far, Iowa has kept religion out of the public schools — goes along with our national Constitution. Iowans would be smart to keep it that way. Iowans also would be smart to give teachers the status they deserve.
John Hicks is a professor emeritus at Drake University.
