Can You Feel Me Now?

Feelings, whoa, oh, oh, feelings
Whoa, oh, oh, feel it
Whoa, oh, again
— from the 1974 song “Feelings” popularized by Morris Albert

Louis Gasté (1908-1995), a French composer, in 1988 sued Morris Albert (b.1951) claiming that the song “Feelings” was plagiarized from his 1957 song “Pour Toi.” (French, meaning “For You”) He won the case and is now listed as co-creator.

Touchy-Feely vs Facts & Science

Very nearly 1000 books on a 16-page list could possibly, “contain material that might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex… whether consciously or unconsciously.”

When I read that passage quoted above — which was directly related to a recent news item about political officials banning books in public schools, and which was excerpted from a very high level government official’s letter — it struck me as being THE VERY THING that We The People had been warned about some time ago, that so-called touchy-feely nonsense, instead of genuinely thoughtful, even provocative civil discourse, would replace and substitute for education efforts, that an inordinate concern and worry for students’ FEELINGS — not facts — would lead to a substantial decline in the quality of education.

THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 10, 1933, page 1

And do you know who was saying that?

Not teachers, not educators, not education experts, not parents, but politicians with an ideological axe to grind.

And who were those politicians?

So-called “conservatives,” aka Republicans.

And who was the “very high level government official” that authored that letter?

Texas state Representative Matt Krause, a Republican.
[NOTE: Mr. Krause represented the 93rd district from 2013 to 2023, and is NO LONGER in the Texas State House. Ed.]

It seems to me that the ideological tables have been turned… against parents & students.

It also seems to me that psychological projection — a manipulative distraction technique (ex. “A” warning people that “B” will do X, but then “A” does X while people are watching for “B” to do X, not expecting “A” to do X) — has long been employed and perfected by those selfsame ones — so-called “conservatives.”

Meanwhile, back in La-La Land…

What would it look like if politicians STOPPED MEDDLING in education, and left that job to the ones who actually know something about it?

Oh!

By the way, Mr. Krause was born the year I graduated high school. He received his higher education at San Diego Christian College (BA) & Liberty University (JD). Liberty University, you may recall, was founded by the extreme right wing radical politician-in-preacher’s-clothes Jerry Falwell, who called himself a “Baptist.”

And, just to be certain, here’s the letter.
https://static.TexasTribune.org/media/files/965725d7f01b8a25ca44b6fde2f5519b/KrauseLetter.pdf

-AND-

Here’s the list.
https://static.TexasTribune.org/media/files/94fee7ff93eff9609f141433e41f8ae1/KrauseBookList.pdf