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[MetalSlimeHunt]

They didn't uphold the worst of the law, and that's definitely something. We all know that it's far from impossible for them to have let it stand, and they didn't. It isn't perfect by any means, but I think it's a victory all the same.

[Reelya]

Agree with Leafsnail about the "road to hell" saying and have a couple of examples from my view of its meaning. Often, it's good intentioned but with ignorance of the true effects of the actions you're doing.

#1 = prohibition: almost the definition of "well intentioned" action which blew up completely into "hellish" conditions, banning stuff has all sorts of unintended consequences: corruption, crime, gangs, murder, black market, unregulated products, disease epidemics.

#2 = welfare: it has been argued that specifics of welfare allocations has caused more families to break up since a single mother and the father leaving can get more welfare than if they "stick together", as well as fostering dependency issues.

#3 = public advocacy campaigns: often due to human psychology, the effects of a campaign may be totally opposite of the desired effect. I heard about a campaign which basically said "everyone's been stealing X, please don't steal X too" actually caused MORE people to steal 'X', since people seemed to rationalize that "if everyone is doing it, it won't matter if I do too.", they later changed the adverts to show a lone person stealing and some other people looking on disapprovingly, these new adverts had the desired effect. (it was actually a campaign to stop people stealing petrified wood fossils from a national park in Canada).

Interestingly the advert in #3, which backfired, was a lot like the Reagan Era's "just say no" campaign against drugs, which basically told kids "everyone else is doing drugs, but you can 'say no' ".

[RedKing]

I believe another phrase that encapsulates the same idea as "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions" is "the law of unintended consequences".

[Moghjubar]

Federal Government, "Unless he or she committed a serious crime or is a repeat border crosser, we don't give a damn." [hangs up phone]

I see some "serious crimes" being magicked into existence... one way or another.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Federal Government, "Unless he or she committed a serious crime or is a repeat border crosser, we don't give a damn." [hangs up phone]

I see some "serious crimes" being magicked into existence... one way or another.

The people who actually do things in the federal government care much less about illegal immigration than you might think. Outside of the Department of Homeland Security, it isn't a relevant issue.

[Glowcat]

The Texas Republican Party platform is officially against Critical Thinking.

Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

I would question how anybody in their right mind could openly say they're against developing critical thinking skills, but I may just be looking at things from a view tainted by critical thinking.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Oh man, challenging beliefs and undermining established authorities. Can't have that. Nope, all children must remain obedient slaves to their parents and what their parents believe.


It's almost as stupid as anti-vaccers.

[Truean]

This one's older than radio, actually. Socrates was killed for "corrupting the youth of Athens." Think about that one for a bit....

They don't want you questioning, or exposing kids to anything other than what the parents want. The parent loves this idea, because then they are the final and total authority on everything, despite being simply, objectively wrong. There are people who want to believe that the earth is the center of the universe and that the whole thing is only about 6 thousand years old with dinosaurs walking around with people (See, creationist museums). Fossil evidence, carbon dating? Whatever man, 6 thousand years and no older..... And how dare you teach their kids anything else in school.

[sigh]

[RedKing]

Makes for a great slogan though:

"The Texas Republican Party: Keeping Texas free of thinking since...uhhhh....ummm...."

[Darvi]

IDE/Theory: Bikini Bottom is located in the underwater Texas of the future.

[Nadaka]

Oh man, challenging beliefs and undermining established authorities. Can't have that. Nope, all children must remain obedient slaves to their parents and what their parents believe.


It's almost as stupid as anti-vaccers.

Almost?

If the anti-vaccers win and eliminate all vaccines, they will only be responsible for crippling and killing millions of innocent children.

If these guys win and eliminate all critical thought, it is the end of western civilization and all technological and social progress it has brought. It dooms the human race to extinction the next time a global critical event occurs.

[RedKing]

Well, let's keep things in perspective. They're only killing critical thought in Texas. Where it was already an endangered species.

[Frumple]

Well, let's keep things in perspective. They're only killing critical thought in Texas. Where it was already an endangered species cryptozoological myth.

Fixed for the even more uncharitable.

Being fair, there are some people stuck in that state due to jobs or whatever that's capable of critical thought, but...

[Urist Imiknorris]

Aqizzar and Janet are mad at you.

[Gunner-Chan]

In my case I don't even identify as a Texan or an American. I'm getting my ass out of here as soon as I can learn german well and we get everything in order.