on writing about politics..

I never considered myself a successful political science student, just average. perhaps mostly due to my shyness since i wasn't one who eagerly raised my hand in my political science classes. although I felt strongly about certain views, rights, civil liberties, the emancipation of oppressed people, and etc, it was always difficult for me to feel like i knew which direction i wanted to take an opinion mostly because i felt there were so many different interpretations that one can make. one thing is for certain, the immediacy one most possess in order to DO something about it. and i do agree that one must actively participate in order to make a change in the world, besides look the part, and play the part..

but what i can do is introduce political issues, in bit size pieces of course, to young korean kids. one of our stories was about elian gonzales and it delved into immigration rights and the differences between democratic and communist countries. it wasn't the post PC classroom delivery, since I felt biased in that of course I'm going to lean towards democratic countries. but does it have to be so PC? What about just allowing kid to imagine different possiblities? Perhaps that imagination may wander into that of a communist dictator, but the teacher is there to guide the student through the possiblity and then back to real examples, as well as ideal examples - avenues of ideas, you could say.

(break to watch Oprah - it's about the "Dropout Crisis in America") looking/look it up..
yes, it makes me WONDER...besides wondering whether the show also went into the UN pc-ing of America as a side issue

why are kids so apathetic in american schools? is it the condition of their physical environments?
should they have better resources? faster computers, big gyms.. yet many schools in middle class communities have that. as well as 3 golf courses, country clubs, and an array of other extracirriculars, where students and teachers interact in a closer, teamwork emphasized environment (ie. sports teams).

well, what about taking their minds to different places? Like emphasizing languages and making it possible for them to think that they can go somewhere else beyond their neighborhoods with their newfound lingual skills. although, for the most part, kids wait until college before they realize that they can do that...here in korea kids are already talking about going to different countries by the time they're in middle school...