Force-feeding values to school students
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We adults should be listening to why Thai students are protesting against the government's order for them to recite its 12 values, not dismissing them out of hand because of their youth.
An ad hominem error of logic is one which appeals to the listener’s feelings or prejudices instead of her intellect, for example, by saying “you don’t make sense because you are too fat/skinny/short/tall/young/old”, when those traits are not related to the matter at hand.
Today’s young adults have much to commend them. Malala Yousafzai was just 13 when she began speaking out against the Taleban’s ban on educating girls. Joshua Wong, 17, is leading as many as 200,000 pro-democracy Hong Kongers fighting against the Chinese government in its greatest crisis since Tiananmen Square. A Thai friend of mine was 15 when she gathered signatures here protesting against the court-ordered brutal execution by stoning of a woman in Nigeria for adultery and presented her petition to the Nigerian Embassy.
Our youthful protesters say, “Values can’t be forced” and “Learning is through action, not recitation”. If you, dear reader, disagree with them, then show how we can force values, or how we can have our students learn when we act one way but teach another. I, for one, dare not.
So, students, speak out, non-violently presenting your arguments, but be sure to welcome opinions contrary to yours, and respect the equal rights of others.
Burin Kantabutra
