Utterly Meaningless

Director of Information Clarifies Statement

It appears that there are those who have taken offense at my calling a specific group of politically active and often media worthy people
” lunatic fringe extreme conservative “Christian” camp.” and “wackos”.

For clarification, this is NOT a retraction of the statement, but rather I will list the definitions for each of the words used in my commentary. Was it a flattering statement to make? No it was not, nor was it meant to be, the media and general public tends to clump all home schoolers into the same basket, and that basket is owned by that particular brand of home schoolers; I was merely pointing out that not all of us deserve to be lumped into that particular stereotype, a stereotype often spoken of by the media, and progressive media.

Someone even stated it was bigoted, well according to my thesaurus, that would mean “small minded, ill-liberal,intolerant, un enlarged, lily white and conservative.” Frankly, I was not addressing all Christians, nor was I addressing all Conservative Christians, merely, a small number, of highly active, highly political people who bring a whole new meaning to extremism. Extremism is not rational behavior. I would buy the bigot label had I said they have no right to home school their children, but I didn’t say that, in fact I did say I respect their right to home school. That is a tolerant statement.

I purposely included the word “wacko” to make a point. I could have chosen, zealot, and not received the bad press, or offended anyone’s sensibilities. I have heard on nationally syndicated media, including “progressive” radio and television, home schoolers referred to in those exact terms. I’m not trying to preach to the choir, I am trying to bring about some form of awareness, and the technique I employed is called “Thunder Clap” in Buddhist philosophy. If it was seen that the parenthesis around (not conservative) next to “Rationalist Christians”, I was merely making a clear point of a separate branch of theology. I was not saying non extreme Conservative Christians don’t home school, nor was I implying one was better than the other. The term “Rationalist” comes out of the late 1800’s, to define the non-dispensationalist branches of Christianity. If that has been found to offensive by some because of my short handing a definition I do sincerely apologize, I was attempting to create a list of the less commonly thought of groups of people who do indeed home school their children, and for those I left out, I apologize for that too.

As for credibility, you know I believe the political game has changed in the past six years, and I think the straits are dire enough right now, that we are going to have to be vocal, pointed, and give an honest voice to our opinions. Bec Thomas and I have many times publicly stated that if you don’t agree with us, lobby against us. We are credible and more importantly we are effective, because Senators and Representatives in our state welcome our participation and find it refreshing.

However, I promised definitions, and I choose to use good ol’ fashioned Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus,

“lunatic fringe” (N) ~ a fanatical, extremist, or irrational member or a society or group (almost all political movements, and advances in any cause are kicked off by people like this, it is merely dangerous to have them firmly entrenched in the political arena for a long term basis.)

“extreme” ~ synonyms: extremist, fantastic, rabid, radical,
related: excessive, immoderate, desperate, drastic, unreasonable, violent

“wacko” (N) a person (s) regarded as eccentric or irrational

my own definition…
“conservative “Christian” right wing” a small but vocal minority of people who wish to legislate their version of theology and regulate American life in the model of their philosophy without regard for the divergence of opinions and philosophies of other members of society. The same people who sat outside the Hospice (a place where people are DYING) and protested during the Terri Shivo Case, the same people who brought their anti-gay marriage stance into Home School politics, the same group of people who have pushed in many states to excessive regulation of home schooling in state legislatures. They also speak for home schooling in universal terms as if we all agree, and all want the same things.

Do all conservative Christians agree with them? No. Did I say they did? No.

I stand by pointing out the differences, and to say that there are no irrational home schooling families in America would have been a lie. I will not apologize for being derisive of this group of people,I am derisive of their methods, and politics, not their rights to be political or home school. That my friends is honesty. Some say you can’t be honest in politics, I find that it actually pays off. They will honestly disagree with me, and I’m guaranteeing I’ll receive some hate mail. News flash, I figured I would receive that mail when I wrote the piece.

I was throwing down a gauntlet.

Laurie A. Wheeler

Director of Information
WNLA/NIHN

Well, you may have been throwing down a gauntlet, but in the process you managed to get yourself labeled a bigot on a well-trafficked blog written by a left-libertarian. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot…

If the quoted statement is the only thing someone has to make a decision about joining your group, I doubt many folks will be beating a path to your door.

me thinks thou dost protest too much. That has to be the longest comment I have ever seen in a blog. I tried to follow it the best I could, but I still can’t figure out why she/they aren’t bigoted…She uses more words to claim she isn’t a bigot that she used to make herself look like one in the original post.

Gee, and I thought one of the benefits of home schooling was that my kids didn’t have to be subjected to all the rude behavior and ridicule that is “tolerated” in public school. I guess this group didn’t get that memo…gotta wonder about the wisdom of starting a group by insulting all the people you don’t agree with exactly what you believe. I’m sure people will be breaking down the doors to belong to that group.

Hey, I know, I’m going start a home schooling group for people who can juggle. I’m gonna start by insulting all the klutzy people who don’t know how to juggle…want to join?