I had an interesting conversation with a public school teacher today at a fourth of July festivity. The teacher was going on about how well rounded the students were thanks to their public education (at a state indoctrination camp). I couldn't help myself, I interjected.
Me: "What about kids that are never going to use what they are taught in public education? Shouldn't kids be learning what they are interested in instead of being forced into the same mold as everyone else? Doesn't it actually provide students with more marketable skills if they are pursuing their own interest and individual talents?"
Teacher: "You can't commoditize education."
This, of course, made no sense since knowledge is absolutely a commodity. Aren't people selling information every day in every way everywhere? Especially on the internet. I felt like telling her, "If education isn't a commodity then you shouldn't be getting paid to teach." This would have made no sense to the mind-addled public school teacher that couldn't even see that knowledge is a commodity.
Being a person that sometimes enjoys a challenge I took a different tactic to discussing public school and went for the 'ace-in-the-hole' argument against public school. I said, "Public school is funded by stolen money since taxation is theft."
The teacher gave the same old tired argument that she would rather have a bunch of educated people around her in society than a bunch of dummies so she gladly pays school taxes. I'm sure she considered this statement to put her in the right (sheep's clothing). Unfortunately, the wolf underneath is all in favor of threatening you with death if you refuse to participate in their schemes.
I surprised her when I said that I agreed. "You should get exactly what you want. However, I don't think you should steal from others to do it."
Teacher: "Taxation is not theft, people vote to have schools paid for with taxes."
That led me to my next question. "Do individuals have a right to delegate a right that they don't have themselves?"
She looked at me with confusion.
Me: "In other words, can I ask my friend to come and steal money from you to give to someone else?"
Teacher: "It's for a good cause." (sheep's clothing)
That's when I started to take her watch off and she pulled her arm away.
Teacher: "Hey, what are you doing?"
Me: "I am stealing your watch to give to the homeless guy down the street. It's for a good cause. He needs the money from it more than you."
Teacher: "That's not the same thing as paying for public education."
Me: "It isn't?"
Teacher: "People voluntarily pay taxes."
I almost laughed myself out of the chair I was sitting in. "What happens if you don't pay your taxes?" I answered my own question. "They come with guns and take you and your property away."
Teacher: "Well, otherwise no one would pay their fair share." (said the wolf)
Back to my previous premise. "Does anyone have a right to steal from you?" Blank stare from teacher. "Does anyone have a right to delegate the right to steal from you? No! of course not."
The inevitable happened. The teacher then called me the ugliest name she could think of...a libertarian. As if that was somehow the worst thing someone could be.
Imagine, a socialist that wants to violently have someone steal my money calls me a name that stands for freedom. Something that we are supposed to be celebrating on this fourth of July and yet too many people have the same cognitive dissonance that my school teacher friend has. They believe we can be free and be tax slaves at the same time.
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