UNCOMMON CENTS 82

AFTER MY HUSBAND USED THE PHRASE 'MISDIRECTED COMMON SENSE,' EXAMPLES CONTINUE TO POP UP EVERYWHERE.

1. A PRINCIPAL REFERS TO HER GRAMMAR SCHOOL AS A "SCHOOL OF CHAMPIONS."
2. A PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE, ONE OF 4 HELD EACH YEAR, JETTISONS ANOTHER TEACHING DAY.
3. BOSTON IS ENRAGED OVER A TURNER TV PUBLICITY STUNT USING 'FLASHING' PACKAGES AROUND THE CITY. A WOMAN STOPPED FOR A VEHICLE VIOLATION IS ENRAGED OVER THE POLICE CAUSING HER MISCARRIAGE. BOTH PLAN TO SUE.
4. A TEACHER CASUALLY SAYS, "IT'S NOT NO" IN THE COURSE OF AN INTERVIEW. MOST POPULAR SONGS USE VULGAR WORDS AND UNGRAMMATICAL LYRICS LIKE, "HE DON'T."
5. THE PRESIDENT PRAISES MOLLY IVENS, WHO JUST DIED, FOR HER "PASSIONATE BELIEFS."
6. A RULING FROM THE BENCH REPRESENTS A JUDGE'S BELIEF IN "GROSS NEGLIGENCE."
7. A DOCTOR OF EDUCATION ADVOCATES "UNIVERSAL ACCESS' TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
8. SENATOR JOE BIDEN REFERS TO A BLACK POLITICIAN AS "ARTICULATE (AND) CLEAN."
9. A REPUBLICAN, RUSH LIMBAUGH, IS ACCUSED OF BEING A "CHEAP BASTARD" BECAUSE HE OPPOSES RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE.

A DOCTOR SPEAKING ABOUT LITIGATION AND REGULATION OF VACCINES IN THIS COUNTRY, ADVOCATED "A DOSE OF POLITICAL COURAGE AND A JAB OF COMMON SENSE." I SUGGEST SUCH AN INOCULATION IS NEEDED TO PROTECT AMERICANS AGAINST THE LETHAL DISEASE OF 'MISDIRECTED COMMON SENSE.' IT IS A KILLER DRAWING A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE INTO A PHONEY WORLD WHERE THE FACTS ABOUT INNATE TENDENCIES AND INHERITED I.Q ARE IGNORED AND COMMON SENSE IS DEAD.

WHAT DOES COMMON SENSE TELL US ABOUT EACH OF THESE ABOVE SITUATIONS?
1. COMMON SENSE SAYS EACH STUDENT IS NOT A CHAMPION; ONLY COMPETITION ENCOURAGES EXCELLENCE.
2. COMMON SENSE SAYS PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES WASTE TIME. THEY PREACH TO THE CHOIR OF INTERESTED PARENTS. SCHOOL HOURS - PRECIOUS FEW THAT THEY ARE - ARE MEANT FOR TEACHING.
3. COMMON SENSE SAYS THAT IF SUSPICION IS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF ALL EVENTS IN DAILY LIFE, IT WILL LEAD TO BLAME, TO IMPUGNING EVIL INTENT AND TO SUING OVER ANYTHING. GREEDY LAWYERS ARE COMPLICIT.
4. COMMON SENSE SAYS THAT IMPROPER AND INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED. IF ROLE MODELS SUCH AS TEACHERS, SPORTS STARS AND ENTERTAINERS GET AWAY WITH IT, WHY SHOULD EDUCATORS OR SOCIETY WORK TO ELIMINATE IT?
5. COMMON SENSE SAYS. SKIP THE HYPOCRISY. IT IS BETTER TO SAY NOTHING AT ALL THAN TO MAINTAIN A PRETENSE OF RESPECT FOR ENEMIES WHO HAVE TRIED TO HARM YOU WHEN THEY LIVED. A PRAYER RATHER POLITICAL CORRECTNESS SHOULD ACCOMPANY THE GRAVE.
6. COMMON SENSE SAYS THAT JUDGES SHOULD UPHOLD THE LAW, NOT REGULATE WITH THEIR FEELINGS AND POLITICAL AGENDA. IT IS OBVIOUS TO MOST PEOPLE JUSTICE WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IF GROSS NEGLIGENCE WERE RE-DEFINED AS STUPIDITY OR LACK OF ATTENTION.
7. COMMON SENSE SAYS THAT WE ARE NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL, EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. UNIVERSAL COLLEGE ATTENDANCE DOES NOT MAKE THE LIST.
8. COMMON SENSE SAYS THAT AN OUT-OF-TOUCH, ELITIST, SNOB IS MERELY VOICING AN INGRAINED PREJUDICED, MIND SET WHEN HE DESCRIBES ONE BLACKS AS PREFERABLE TO OTHERS. WHERE IS HIS SHAME? PROFUSE POLITICALLY CORRECT APOLOGIES WON'T DO.
9. COMMON SENSE SAYS MORE MONEY TO WORKERS, MEANS LESS TO EMPLOYERS. NO MORE WILL BE REAPED BY EITHER BECAUSE EXPENDITURES WILL RISE TO MEET INCREASED INCOME - AND GRIPING BY EMPLOYEES WILL FOLLOW. COINCIDENTALLY, EXPENDITURES WILL FALL TO MEET DECREASED INCOME - AND DISMISSALS OF OLD OR NON-HIRING OF NEW, EMPLOYEES WILL FOLLOW.

HINT: HE WHO USES THE WORD "BASTARD" BETRAYS A LACK OF COMMON SENSE. COMMON SENSE SAYS WE WON’T LIKE TO LISTEN TO HIM.