Compromise or Not? 

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D    

Historically, the “spirit of compromise” has been touted as one of the elements of our Republic that has helped it survive for almost 250 years. The question arises as to whether compromise is always the best strategy. Given the circumstances, compromise may allow the country to move forward with each opposing side believe that they achieved some of their objectives but not all.  Knowing when to compromise and when not to is critical. Let’s look at some examples. 

Compromising makes the most sense, when both sides agree on the ultimate goal but disagree how to get there.  A good example was World War II.  Both the United States and Great Britain agreed that Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan both had to be defeated militarily.  Great Britain wanted the United States to focus almost exclusively on defeating Germany first. The United States, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, wanted to defeat Japan first, since in 1941 Japan appeared to be the most immediate threat to our country.  Churchill and Roosevelt came to a compromise which allowed the majority of focus on the war in Europe and a steady war against Japan, but with less resources. Clearly the compromise worked since both Axis powers were eventually defeated. 

Currently, the struggle between preserving our Republic as we have known it is incompatible with the Left’s desire to make this country Socialist.  Make no mistake about it, many if not all on the left, want exactly that.  Since these two forms of government are incompatible, it must be one or the other.  As they just decided in Brazil, socialism does not and never has worked for the people, and they elected a conservative leader to go back to freedom and capitalism.  Either the people retain the power to run their own lives, or we turn governance over to a few elected leaders and the bureaucrats. The outcome of the elections in 2024 will once and for all determine whether we preserve our Republican form of government or not. 

Let’s take another example:  Climate Change.   Short of an all-out war, this issue has the greatest potential to completely destroy our country. We all want a clean environment, but the goal of the Left is to eliminate all fossil fuels without which no modern civilization can survive.   Look what is happening in Europe–their energy costs have sky rocketed and  they have had to re-open coal fired electrical plants.  The Left’s unverified  belief that climate change is caused by mankind and not natural forces is being used to justify their goal of zero carbon emissions while China, India and other countries are not only building more coal fired plants, but are using coal from our country to do it.  Meanwhile, the United States only contributes 13% of carbon emissions worldwide.  Instead of fighting against this, many of our so-called conservative elected officials compromise and go along with outlandishly expensive subsidies for the wind and solar developers and electric vehicles.   Seventeen Republicans voted for Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which was a cover up for billions of dollars in support of so-called green energy programs.  Compromisers! 

Another area is saving our public schools from the socialist indoctrination being advanced by the Left.  Instead of coming out and stopping Critical Race Theory, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and transgender indoctrination, our Boards of Education have shown a strong tendency to compromise instead of prohibiting these things.   

Compromising with evil should never be allowed to happen.  We need to elect candidates that have clear, strong values and beliefs, and are not afraid to stand up and fight for what is right.  It is the only way to save this country. 

Mental Health of Students

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

In a previous article, I expressed my opinion that local Boards of Education should not accept federal funds (your tax dollars) to establish mental health treatment clinics in our public schools for a variety of reasons. In this article, I am going to address what today’s public schools are doing that are detrimental to the mental health of their students. 

Sound mental health is based on two things:  self-confidence and self esteem; and avoiding negative, demoralizing influences. Here are some things schools can do to enhance the mental health of students: First, help students be successful and develop a positive outlook for their futures.    This can only be done by successfully mastering traditional academic knowledge and skills. Self- esteem is only real when it is based on demonstrated actual achievement. Second, teach children to believe in the American Dream, where they can achieve any reasonable goal through hard work and self-discipline. America is still the land of opportunity.  Third, stop teaching subjects that are contrary to good mental health.   Examples are (a) Critical Race Theory, where inherent unchangeable racial bias will block a person’s ability to reach one’s goals. Where skin color is more important than the content of one’s character. (b) Transgender indoctrination, that instead of teaching that one’s gender at birth should be celebrated and provides opportunity for rewards and a fulfilling life, makes transitioning to the opposite gender an acceptable solution to dysphoria, which it clearly is not. Individuals that attempt to transition to the opposite sex are much more likely to develop mental disorders and twenty times more likely to attempt suicide. (c) Respect for Authority, clearly many children who enter school do not show proper respect for authority and do not follow basic classroom conduct rules.  This not only is detrimental to their learning but interferes with the learning of others.  Clear, consistent conduct rules must be  established and enforced.  Students should not be permitted to call their teachers by their first names since that level of familiarity diminishes respect for the authority of the teacher. Teachers are not the students’  pals.(d)  Environmental Catastrophe. The idea that mankind’s actions are the primary cause of climate change is a theory and not proven fact. Teaching children that extreme climate change threatens to destroy the world in their lifetimes can only produce fear and discouragement. Through positive and creative action mankind can deal with whatever climate change that occurs. Optimism not pessimism!   

Last but not least, is not allowing students to have access to their cell-phones at school.  A great deal of mental stress on students occurs on social media. Children spend too much time on often detrimental sites like Tik-Tok and Facebook. Negative messages that impact a student can distract the student for hours during the school day.     

If Boards of Education and the school administrations are seriously concerned about the mental health of their students they will focus on improving the school climate not on treating problems after they occur.