Entirely Too Opinionated

I am taking American Government this semester, and one of the cool things about the course is that we study both the national government and the Texas state government. Recently, we finished studying the federal government and started reading the state government textbook. While I think the state government is the most interesting and most relevant part of the course, I must say that I really don't like this book. It is entirely too opinionated! Here are some non-factual statements I found in just the first two chapters:

• "Providing equal education funding for all students in Texas at a competitive level with other states is an urgent priority for today."
• "The education system must be improved..."
• "...the fact the Constitution is poorly written..." (Fact?! Where's your data? Prove it!)
• "A constitution should include only organic law, that is, it should organize responsible institutions of government. The Texas Constitution is poorly written."
• "The need for change is obvious..."

You know, I don't necessarily disagree with these opinions. Some of them I don't know enough about to evaluate (I've never read the Texas Constitution), and some I agree with, like the part about education. But I still have a problem with a government textbook that tries to tell me what to think. It is the job of a textbook to educate, to give a student the facts so that he can make up his own mind about whether or not things need to be changed, etc. If the writers want to express opinions, they should start a blog or something. (*wink*) I feel like they are insulting my intelligence and attempting to brainwash me or something! Hmmph.

Haha.

This post just reminded me of something from my childhood. Back when I was being homeschooled, my parents would play the "Fact and Opinion" game with me to help me learn to distinguish factual statements from opinion statements. There were all these cards with different statements on them and the answer on the back. My parents, or I should say my dad, taught me to be very vehement when I heard a non-factual statement. I'd yell out "OPINION!!!!" every time I came across one, feeling very smug that I'd called them out on their improvable statement. (In fact, within our family it's still a running joke. We often yell "OPINION!" at another family member if they start spouting off statements like, "Figure skating is stupid," etc.) So I guess, all these years later, I'm still playing the game. Haha, my parents raised me well. Good job, Dad. :)

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Oh, and it seems I just got tagged by Jill. Okay, if you insist:

23rd post, 5th sentence: "I have nothing more to say on that subject." [That subject being the Astros' dismal loss to the Chicago White Sox in this year's World Series.]

So now I have to tag someone else. Okay, James, Karen, and Cassie! Find your 23rd post, 5th sentence and post it on your blog! Only if you want to, of course. (What do you wanna bet James doesn't respond? I'll double it...)