Teaching Our Children to Become Communists

Did your children watch The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard in their school?

Millions have seen the video, which is interesting and witty. It's even right on some points. But it's also dangerously biased propaganda indoctrinating children against capitalism, which is painted as endlessly evil. Leonard is wrong about the government (it's NOT govt's job to take care of us and 50% of our taxes do NOT go the military) and she's wrong about (or outrageously slanted in her presentation of) almost every other "fact" she presents. From forests and renewable resources, to America's role in the world, to "toxics", Leonard gets her facts wrong and is cynically anti-American.

It doesn't get more slanted than this. This woman hates the producers of stuff, hates historically capitalist America, and hates Wal-Mart. But her socialist spin is being spoon-fed to our children. Have your kids seen it?

Here's a great review of The Story of Stuff, that notes:

"“The USA is 5% of global population, but uses 30% of resources.” …The USA also produces 27% of the world’s GDP. 30% of resources, 27% of GDP: this seems to be a good measure of our efficiency, not waste. Any economists out there who can explain to me why this is bad?"

and

"One thing that always frustrates me is that some people hate corporations, while still using their benefits. They hate big, nationwide or global-sized businesses. They want everything to be localized down to the mom-and-pop store level. Then they get in their car, use their computer or cellphone and send an email.

"Those last things would either not be possible or affordable without big business. Without a corporation paying zillions for research and development, without mass-production, without a large production and distribution infrastructure, we arguably wouldn’t have the Internet. Or affordable cars with easily-repairable parts. Or computers and email. Or forget those “consumer” products, and focus just on healthcare: Who do you think developed that flu shot and other disease inoculations? Or the heart stent procedure that probably saved the lives of multiple people in my family? AIDS and cancer research, the almost-worldwide eradication of polio, or (to use a specific example from someone I know) advances in knee implants, providing knee pain relief, faster recovery and less physical therapy, a wonderful alternative to total knee replacement?"