Kids must learn how to discern

Thank you for your recent editorial “Remedial Free Speech 101” — presentation of a great object lesson on the challenges facing all of us when ignorance is given free reign.

Ignorance is a state of being uninformed. Through the process of discernment we receive the ability to decide between truth and error/right and wrong. Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance and must be given a chance to be expressed in a respectful, civil give-and-take discourse, and eventually compromise, mutually agreed upon, in support of the greater good. Without this approach we have ignorance, chaos and a society living dangerously in insecurity and fear — and we do this to ourselves. We see this everywhere in our society and in places where such disharmony and dis-functionality should never exist; this is “not” democracy.

Certainly college is a time to be exposed to all of these concepts — but given real learning occurs much earlier we must ensure that our children are taught these concepts as soon as they are able to grasp them, both at school and certainly within families. To think, not accept everything they see or hear as fact, to discern so as to be able to understand truth and error/right from wrong when presented, to question and always, always ask the why of things — and never give up or give in until they believe they have the truth of it!

Jim Bloss

Monroe

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