What have we Americans come to????

I thought I was done blogging for the night but one more. I saw this on Right Wing News and thought it must be a joke. But no. What are these kids today, idiots? (Of course, my "slacker" "Generation X" was headed right down this slope, they just picked up where we left off.)

No joke, today, my husband, who is teaching a literary piece about Jesuit missionaries in a first-year lit class, had one girl raise her hand and ask, "So, why were the Jesuits there, anyway?" Husband was a little surprised but explained about the Christian mission to convert, the historic Jesuit imperative, etc. (all on a first-year college level, which is sadly lower than anyone over 35 will believe). She nodded her head but he said she still didn't seem to comprehend why they were there to convert the natives in the first place. "Well, darling," I told him, "all of the First Nations were noble, spiritual ecologists in tune with the earth and with each other! What did they need conversion for? --I mean, that's the basic outlook your students are going to come to class with after 12 years of lower education, right?" He just shook his head.

So, it's this mentality that tells us that Pappy Boyington was an evil member of the military (ew - just like that guy in American Beauty!) who's just another rich white guy (oh yeah) and unworthy our respect (despite being one of fewer than 3500 service members to win the Medal of Honor, and a man of famous exploits). Obviously, the kids in their generation who deserve decent opportunities are over in Iraq/Afghanistan/etc., getting in touch with reality.

Students reject honor to 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' hero
Member of Marines not 'sort of person UW wanted to produce'

The University of Washington's student senate rejected a memorial for alumnus Gregory "Pappy" Boyington of "Black Sheep Squadron" fame amid concerns a military hero who shot down enemy planes was not the right kind of person to represent the school.