So in reading one of my fabulous work related papers (The Chronicle of Higher Education) I came across an article about a new law passed in Ohio in April 2006. It's their very own Patriot Act, with some startling (read: disturbing) items. The one discussed is that all state agencies (including professors & employees at public universities) have to answer a list of questions about the organizations they support and swear that none of them are on the US Department of State Terrorist Exclusion List. If the person applying for the job, license, etc. does not answer or answers that yes, they do support one of these organizations, then that person will not get the job. And will probably be unable to get a job anywhere, in Ohio at least.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but we now learn in high school that McCarthyism wasn't really all that great. So how is it that a state can get away with doing essentially the exact same thing now, in 2006? There is a lot about the current political climate that scares me, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. But I am. More than that, I'm wondering just how long it will take for one of our lovely senators to pick this up and run with it on the national level.
4 comments:
Ohio strikes again!
Hey now, be nice to Ohio. You know I've got family in that Buckeye State. It's just a little backwards sometimes. ;)
If by any chance, you are looking for an interesting book on Joe McCarthy, you should read "A Conspiracy So Immense" by Oshinsky. Excellent book. I actually have it somewhere, if you'd like to borrow it. McCarthy was certainly a crazy.
I agree with you however, that Ohio isn't the only place that seems to be honoring the late Senator with crazy legislation. The federal government seems to be doing a very good job with that as well. Have heard about "The Imperial Life in the Emerald City"? Its a book by Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Talks all about how when interviewing people to go and work in Iraq for the reconstruction, they asked questions such as "who did you vote for in the 2000 election?" Sigh.
Re: Ohio in general - They invented some kind of candy which involves peaunt butter and choclate. Both of which, I enjoy. So we musn't be too harsh.
Also I can't spell the word chocolate. Which is ironic, considering how much of it I eat. That is all.
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