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Show February 10, 1977 The Utah Independent Page The Paper That Dares To Take A Stand A CORNER ON EDUCATION By Erma J. Christensen A series of textbooks Sciences Social for called CONCEPTS AND VALUES: author, Paul Brandwein, is to be found on the state approved list. The author has written elsewhere that the family's influence on children is deadly, they must be taught to find their own values, accept homosexuality as normal, there are no absolutes, and morality is a myth. (All emphasis mine throughout this column.) Following are excerpts from an essay on A Critical View of Values Clarification by Alan L. Lockwood, assistant professor of U. of Wisconsin, education, September 1975. ...What role, if any, should VALUES play in school curriculum?.. ..In this essay are discussed some problem areas in the clarification: vaiues (1) definition of value; and (2) the moral point of view.... judgments ...Complicated are involved and what is REALLY VALUED is reflected in the OUTCOME of life as it is FINALLY LIVED.. ..The creators of values clarification oppose strongly authoritarian, indoctrinary approaches to education. Such approaches are subject to charges of being indefensibly arbitrary and violative of certain human rights. In avoiding the pitfalls of authoritarianism, however, it is NOT NECESSARY to embrace ETHICAL RELATIVISM.... ...Values clarification theory incorporates the assertion that the nature of society is such that a wide range of values impinge on the consciousness of each citizen. In the face of this potpourri of values, young people arc often confused, and uncertain about which values to hold. Values confusion causes idiosyncratic behavior patterns, children behave when they are treated with respect, us adequate persons, do not demand and expect traditional sets of values in education. Because people writing curriculum have no values, no morals, believe in no absolutes. They have access to millions of tax dollars to print their ethical relativism -- and we let them.) More quotes: "...The moral point of view imbedded in values clarification is that of the ETHICAL RELATIVlST...(no absolutes, every valuejs relative. Phyllis Schlafly Ed.) Which holds that one persons values are as good as another's; When historians describe the everyone is entitled to his own opinion; and when it comes to years 1969 to 1976, the name of morality, there is no way of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger showing one opinion is better than will emerge as more influential another... .Because values than Presidents Richard Nixon or clarification appears to embrace Gerald Ford. But will his legacy be good or this stance, it is worthwhile to consider some of the central arguments bad for the United States? As all roads once led to Rome, funrelativism. ...The against damental objection to ethical all channels of our many facilities led relativism is that it can be used to intelligence-gatherin- g justify VIRTUALLY ANY AC- to Kissinger. It is unlikely that TIVITY in which an individual or a there ever was a time in our history access to society chooses to engage.. ..sum- when so few people had sensitive information. marized as follows: Lets examine the high points Since all standards of value eight-yea- r are utterly without foundation, of Kissinger's stewardship. since no way of life or course of acThe SALT Agreements of tion is really superior to any other, then the sensible thing for me to do 1972 were negotiated by Kissinger is: (I).. .have greater tolerance and proclaimed to the world as a toward various modes of life and device to stop the spiraling arms race". They did, indeed, stop the patterns of behavior...(2)...create my own set of values and attempt United States. Regrettably, they to enforce them with all the energy did not stop the Soviets, who have of which I am capable... (3) to built and deployed five new series throw off all moral standards and of intercontinental missiles since norms of conduct...and follow my then. The Helsinki Agreement of and impulses (hedonism?). ..(4) to go 1975 was negotiated by Kissinger world as a along with the crowd and abide by and proclaimed to the the standards of the community of means of getting the Soviets to which I am a member, this being permit freer movement of people the line of least resistance and the and ideas in eastern Europe. It one least likely to get me in only put the stamp of respectability and permanence on the borders trouble.... ...Relativism does not closed by Soviet troops along the Curtain. provide a consistent basis which Iron The Paris Agreement on Vietvalues clarification wishes to supnam of January, 1973 was conply. ...My contention that values cocted by Kissinger and ethical proclaimed to the world as a clarification embodies relativism as its moral point of view promise of peace. When Kissinger is noteworthy for 2 reasons: (I) a agreed to allow North Vietnamese in Vietnam program of value education which troops to remain South devotes its attention to questions of while U.S. troops pulled out, he PERSONAL PREFERENCE and sealed the doom of Southeast Asia. The fragile peace that KisDESIRE presents a myopic view of which singer has wrought in the Middle program morality.... A avoids the controversies associated East is laced together with tremenwith value conflict, conflict dous amounts of American aid, resolution, and moral justification first to one side, then to the other. TRIVIALIZES the complexity of Yet Israel would not have needed value issues in human affairs.. ..(2) our aid if Kissinger had not snatvica values education program ched defeat from the jaws of apathy, flightiness, extreme which. ..is grounded in ethical tory in 1973. After Jimmy Carter was uncertainty, inconsistency. ..on the relativism must accept the poselected in November, former other hand, those who have had sibility that its students will emvalues clarified do not manifest brace ethical relativism as their Israeli Defense Minister Moshe these but are moral point of view clearly an Dayan remarked: It is satisfying characteristics, rather.. .positive, purposeful, en- achievement of DUBIOUS to know that Kissinger will be thusiastic, proud. (Baloney!) MERIT." (this I agree with- -it is replaced." Finally, there was the African (This writer wonders why seen in students in every walk of adventure. Kissinger did nothing knowing how their life. Ed.) parents, to oppose the Cuban conquest with Soviet weapons of Angola, but he Am I therefore .become your enemy, because labored long and hard to -- Galatians 4:16 I tell you the truth? overthrow the government of Rhodesia. As Kissinger prepares to leave K&H STEEL & TUBE office, the question is: will the new world order that he has been negotiating collapse like Neville NEW CHANNELS Chamberlain's umbrella? anti-Commun- ist FOR QALQ PHONE 486-20- 41 486-37- 71 ANGLES, FLATS, and SQUARE TUBING AJm USB) PTC mmd PLAT! WASATCH METAL & SALVAGE 2oswmsmsm PHONE salt lake cmr, UTAH 484-351- 1 BUYERS OF SCRAP IRON AND METAL WILL BUY SILVER Bars and Medallions TOP MARKET PRICES Continental Trading 227 West 600 South Salt Lake City. Utah 84101 Phone (801)531-645- 7 IRS AND BACKFIRE Charles Rielv The Arizona Caucus Hub Vaughn Ellsworth of Mesa, Arizona has for years been on the most wanted list of the Internal Revenue Service because of the speeches and seminars he has given, and the articles he has written, about arbitrary, cruel and unlawful practices of the IRS. Just before the statute of limitations of 6 years ran out, IRS W. for Ellsworth indicted had knowingly filing a false return for 1968. Ellsworth for some 15 years had used an accountant of the highest integrity by the name of Samuel Boren. He had monthly turned over to his accountant all canceled checks, deposit slips, cotton-gin statements, statements and all that the accountant could possibly need to make proper tax returns. acdisliking Admittedly counting, Ellsworth for years had made it a practice to deposit all income, identifying on the original and duplicate deposit slips, the source of that income. Since he . cattle-financi- was involved in ng several partnerships with varying and overlapping fiscal years, he would never know until the accountant produced his tax return whether or not he be showing a profit or a loss. At Ellsworths trial he established that there was no allegation of concealed income. IRS admitted that they knew of no income which had not been banked. The governments witness also admitted that Ellsworth's ac- countant had an excellent reputation. He had, though, according to an IRS Agent, used a mistaken approach in filing Ellsworth's return. Although the same approach had been used for some 20 years and although Ellsworth had been audited before without challenge to the method, the government was claiming at this time that Defendant Ellsworth used an improper method knowingly. The accountant swore that if were any mistake in Ellsworths return that it was the accountant's fault, and not Ellsworth's since all papers necessary to prepare a correct return had been given to Mr. Boren. The accountant testified that all of Ellsworth's books were prepared by the accountant, or under his supervision. The IRS Agent stated that not all papers were in the accountant's possession, since originals of bank deposit slips were kept by the bank rather than the accountant. Mr. Boren later swore that he had complete authority to inspect originals of deposit slips at the bank and did so on many occasions. In his closing remarks to the jury after a six day trial where Ellsworth was deprived at the last minute of the help of former lawyer Jerome Daly by a reversal of a previous ruling by Judge Carl A. Muccke, Ellsworth stated that he had established that he had made of his financial transactions to his accountant. Ellsworth was sure he had established full disclosure. His accountant, who witnessed the entire trial, also was sure Ellsworth had established as were about 70 friendly witnesses in the there full-disclosu- re full-disclosu- courtroom. To Ellsworth and his friends amazement. interrupted Judge Ellsworth's 9 remarks and stated, No, you didn't establish that, so you can't talk about it. If a person delivers all his financial records to a professional and in good faith signs the return prepared for him, he cannot be found guilty of filing a knowingly false return so long as he conceals nothing and docs make Judge Mueckes pronouncement stole from the jury their duty to decide the fact of was whether or not made. Muccke, not the jury, made a bad decision. His comment was tantamount to a demand for summary judgment of conviction. Ellsworths closing remarks h. You cant were blown it! You can always talk talk about about the evidence in a defense in criminal trial. That one attempt to deprive the jury of its independence of thought was alone ample grounds for reversal of Ellsworth's conviction. Boren later stated that up to the time of the trial, he would again have prepared the return, thinking it correct, as had some 6Y2 years earlier. Now for the blessing in disguise! Prior to Ellsworths conviction for knowingly filing a false return, several court decisions had held that a taxpayer could claim the 5th Amendment right against by possible refusing to answer specific questions on a tax return. H owever, the government and the judges were loathe to have this interpreted other than that it meant that the source of the income need not be revealed. The knew and the judges government that once it was interpreted that amounts" and figures" were included in the protection of the 5th Amendment that the IRS would have i ts back broken, since millions would begin claiming possible tax-prepa- rer full-disclosu- re. full-disclos- sky-hig- rather than confess their amount of wages or other earnings. The court had said such things, in effect, as Yes, it is true that gambling is permeated with criminal statutes, and admitting that as a source of income would increase the risk that one could be incriminating himself. However, the questions on a tax return are directed to the public at large, and they arc innocent and innocuous on their face. For the first time, then, the Ellsworth case is dramatic proof, before dozens of witnesses, that an honest and forthright tax return can lead to a prosecution and conviction of knowingly filing a false return if the government wants the individual badly enough. Over 25 of the some 70 witnesses have signed affidavits, and most of the rest have offered to, that they were convinced that Ellsworth was convicted despite trying to file an honest tax return through his ac- countant For the first time, multitudes of former taxpayers are requesting the affidavits of witnesses of Ellsworth's trial, and are attaching them to their own 1040's to justify their claiming of the 5th Amendment right against disclosures on their own tax returns. IRS asked for it" by convicting an innocent person a Now the tables are on them and taxpayers turning have proof that they do not have to be criminals" to claim the 5th Amendment. The IRS is panicking, and. P.S. It couldn't happen to a Muccke more non-crimin- deserving closing bureaucrats!" bunch al. of |