Brazen Defined!

It seems the current specie for purchasing votes is either free college for all or college debt forgiveness.  I have heard the clarion call from Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders, “A public education is your birthright as a Millennial: Vote for me and your education will be free!”  It seems it’s just not fair that a recently minted college graduate should be burdened with all of that debt.

Why not?

You have all seen the coverage on the evening news; public demonstrations at which students (we are asked to presume… they wouldn’t employ professional agitators… would they?) are demanding that we; that’s you and I, not them, because they have no money to pay taxes, provide at least a public college level education to any and all who demand it.

Well here’s a fresh way to approach the problem; get a job and work your way through school.  I did it.  Now my diploma may not have the prestige of a Harvard or Stanford sheepskin.  But my “state school” education was sufficient foundation on which to build a career that allowed retirement at fifty.  Oh, and my degree?  It was in accounting, not cultural anthropology or racial studies. I was able to leverage my education into a high-paying, in-demand skill set; no debt.

How did I do it? 

Was I intellectually advantaged? 

Were the endowment committees throwing cash at me? 

No.  I did it the “economical way”.  I started off at a Community College that had a guaranteed credit transfer program to my four-year college of choice. Students often compare their SAT scores when discussing their academic careers.  Guess what; if you go the Community College route, you don’t have to take the SAT (or any other admissions test) as long as you’re in good academic standing when you apply to the four-year institution. I’m sure the CC program saved me thousands of dollars.  When I was in college I didn’t screw around.  I mapped out the shortest distance to the degree I wanted and didn’t get sidetracked by non-relevant academic powder-puff classes.  When I wasn’t working (full time) or in class (full time), I was, guess what… studying!  And it paid off.  I graduated with a solid “C” average.  But eventually, upon graduation, I was able to land a job with a good employer despite being launched into the workforce during Carter’s (Jimmy; 39^th POTUS) Depression.

And I didn’t have some on-campus, minimum-wage sinecure.  I worked in the real world.  I worked for a local department store chain as a security agent.  I didn’t keep track of the arrests I made.  There is no tally of the fights I was in.  But it was all for the greater good.  My greater good, because the yield was invaluable.  There are some people who are not academically oriented.  They should not go to college.  There are some people who have no life direction when they are sixteen, or twenty-six.  They should delay college until they have a clear academic goal.  If a youngster isn’t ready to make life decisions, they should join the military.  College is not a parking lot to be used until one decides which road they want to take.  Enrolling in college without some sense of one’s career ambitions is just a costly waste of time and money.  Think before you leap.

Does it seem I’m bragging a bit about my life accomplishments?  Well it should, because I am.  And for you socialists out there who want me to pay for everyone else’s education, go to hell!

Next week, something about space… I promise.

***Late Breaking News***

Prince has died.  I was not rabid fan of Prince.  I think his most significant contribution was ease with which he changed monikers to suit contractual need: Prince after he had become, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince which he was after he was Prince, initially.  Well, if that has you scratching your head then you are just like those of us who lived through this nominal evolution during the 80s.  But that is not the point of this bulletin.  My rant concerns the headline wording announcing this transitional development.  CNN and Fox News labeled Prince as a “legend” while MSNBC deemed him an icon. Well let’s check in with Mr. Webster and get his opinion of legend:

1a:  a story coming down from the past; especially:  one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable

Now let’s try icon:

: a person who is very successful and admired

I think the decision is obvious; MSNBC wins the battle over syntax in this case.  Now that’s just something you’re not going to get from MSNBC very often.  But what is the big deal?  Well if we cannot look to our journalists to protect the language, we are doomed.