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From: ir230@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (john wavrik)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Apology for American Education
Keywords: democracy
Message-ID: <16524@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Date: 10 Feb 91 03:21:45 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego
Lines: 63


                      ANSI and AMERICAN EDUCATION

I am, perhaps, more conscious than most people that messages posted to 
this newsgroup are sent to people around the world. In recent 
postings, several people have used the term "democracy" in connection 
with the proceedings of the ANSI team. I feel very embarrassed at the 
impression this gives those in other countries of our system of 
government. Please understand that the problem stems from a fault of 
the American Education system. 

The American Education system has deteriorated over the years. At one 
time, all children received education (at about age 10) in history and 
government. Apparently, over the past few years, subjects like 
computer programming have pushed aside "history and government" -- and 
we now produce students who can program a computer, but haven't the 
slightest idea how their own country is governed. 

Let me draw on my own 5th grade education (which occurred when UNIVAC 
was the most powerful computer on earth -- so we were still taught 
these things). Mrs. McGillicutty taught us that democracy meant, 
literally, "rule by the people". She went to great lengths to point 
out that "democracy" does not mean "mob rule" or even "majority rule". 
The idea, going back to Greek times, is to form a system of government 
in which all citizens have equal status. As implemented by the 
founding fathers of America, the government is partitioned into 
several bodies. Each body has separate primary responsibilities, but 
each is involved in an elaborate system of checks and balances against 
the others. An essential component of the government is a judicial 
system -- a protection against unjust laws (among other things). 

The original Senate, for example, consisted primarily of landowners -- 
who could afford the expense of attending meetings several times a 
year. It was assumed that members of the Senate represented vested 
interests -- and that, if left to their own devices, they would not 
act in the best interest of all the people. The power of the Senate is 
tamed by the House of Representatives -- greater in number, and 
elected to represent the people. In most important respects, the two 
bodies deliberate separately but must act jointly. Legislation passed 
by these two bodies must be approved by the Administration (headed by 
the President) which is also charged with carrying out the legisla-
tion. All laws must pass scrutiny by the Judiciary to make sure they 
are consonant with both the letter and spirit of the Constitution and 
the body of Law. 

I am sorry if any of you have gotten the impression that there is a 
resemblance between the way the ANSI team is trying to make a Standard 
for Forth and the way the United States is governed.

P.S.  I have been unable to find the quote about democracy which has 
      appeared twice in this newsgroup. I believe it is due to 
      Winston Churchill. While looking, however, I found another 
      quote by Sir Winston that says a lot (to me) about setting 
      language standards:
      
          "If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall 
          find that we have lost the future." 

      
                                              John J Wavrik 
         jjwavrik@ucsd.edu                    Dept of Math  C-012 
                                              Univ of Calif - San Diego 
                                              La Jolla, CA  92093