‘But it’s not fair’

I read Beth Hopper’s letter to the editor published Nov. 18 and agree with her. We are progressively punishing the good, hardworking and honest while rewarding bad behavior, the lazy and the dishonest.

Our government, in an attempt to help the country during a difficult time, instituted a temporary solution that has become permanent by our elected officials and the people who have continually placed them in elected office over the years. I also read the schools column by Prudence Plunkett headlined “Grading students is more difficult than a simple equation” published Nov. 13 and I applaud her.

The most unfortunate point to realize is that people have lost pride in themselves as well as the pride of self responsibility. I think Plunkett’s column is an indication of how far we have allowed our country and ourselves to degrade by continuing to elect officials that prefer to keep the status quo instead of redirecting us to take pride in ourselves. In my experience, people expecting to be given points, grades or an income when they do nothing to earn them are arrogant. When did it become expected that anyone should be allowed grades or points for doing nothing?

Sometimes students (whom adults try to ignore) have very real and valid points. Children and students are notorious for saying “but that’s not fair.” Most of life is not fair. One thing in life that can be made fair is that students are made to earn grades, not have grades given to them.

I have worked as a counselor and personal development coach for many years helping people find their way out of self condemnation because they had no belief in themselves or their abilities. They were never given challenges. People chose not to expect anything from them.

Authority figures chose to teach these people to take what they can, to find a way to become eligible for freebies instead of using their gifts, talents and natural abilities to help themselves.

When I entered college to earn my degree in counseling I sought financial assistance from Vocational Rehabilitation because I needed help and I was disabled. I was denied financial assistance on the grounds that I “could not be a productive citizen of society.” Upon asking for clarification of that quote, I was told my disability prevented me from earning an income that would provide tax money to the state. The state would not even give me an opportunity to show what I could do.

What did I do? I trusted myself and used my skills, abilities and my limitations. I earned my degrees — BS in psychology, MA in counseling, and PhD in clinical Christian counseling. I then opened my own practice. By Vocational Rehabilitation’s definition, I became a productive member of society.

From what I see happening to us as a society and what I have heard, read and confirmed through others’ experiences, we are developing into a nation of nonbelievers: nonbelievers not only in God, but also in our Constitution, ourselves and in each other.

With the attitude that people should be given what they have not earned (grades, points, income) soon everyone in this once great nation will be (by the state’s definition) nonproductive citizens.

I think it is interesting that is as few as 20 years ago government agencies denied money to people considered nonproductive. Now, it is paying people to be nonproductive.

For those in this country who continue to believe and demand you should be given everything in life, you may one day have your wish because your expectations and demands will result in our country becoming a dictatorship. The more you demand to be given, the more you will receive, but only because someone stronger than you will come and take it from someone else to give it to you. When you become the person with more than others, that stronger person will take what you have and give it to someone demanding it who will not have earned it either. I know if I am around I will hear you say, “but it’s not fair.”

It will be fair because you made it fair by demanding it first.

Debra Lighthart

Palmer