Although there's said to be a version of the poem written about four years earlier of "Children Learn What They Live" by the late Dorothy Louise Law Nolte (1924-2005) when she was only 30, this is a version of the poem which appeared in a school board newsletter in 1959.
Children Learn What They Live (1959)
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn . . .
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight . . .
If a child lives with fear, he learns to be apprehensive . . .
If a child lives with pity, he learns to feel sorry for himself . . .
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy . . .
If a child lives with jealousy, he learns to feel guilt . . .
BUT
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient . . .
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns to be confident . . .
If a child lives with praise , he learns to appreciate . . .
If a child lives with acceptance, he learns to love . . .
If a child lives with honesty, he learns what truth is . . .
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice . . .
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith in himself and those about him . . .
If a child lives with friendliness, he learns the world is a nice place in which to live . . .
With what is your child living?
I address this especially to our black community, because I feel we owe our young people a tremendous apology - as through the years we've beaten up on them over and over to the point that I fear they've been broken, perhaps beyond repair. Then whatever was left, if anything was left, we've allowed others to come in and finish them off. We've taken that "spare the rod/spoil the child" out of context and to the extreme. Which is more heaped in slavery, and how to control the slaves, than having anything to do with "biblical principles."
Now, we're having to deal with the back-draft of years and decades of psychological self-mutilation and devouring our young. We became the primary source of our own persecution. Children, all children, are the same - yesterday, today and always.
As usual, I expect a lot of backlash from the haters from all sides. But that's OK too. For I think they more hate the messenger rather than taking time to understand the significance of the message.
Brenda Manghane-Washington
* * *
I agree for once. Children live what they learn. They see what their parents allow them too, and most of the time follow those examples, whether right or more often than not in this day and age wrong.
Chattanooga is definately seeing the fruits of parental failure.
Cody Gillund
* * *
I, too, agree with Ms. Washington, for once. Something I figured could or would never happen.
The following quote is of Martin Luther King Jr. from his "I Have A Dream" speech: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Quite a bit of the second half of the poem Ms. Washington posted would be things that I consider a part of one's character. Ms. Washington has pointed out very clearly and creatively that the problem with many of the youth involved in gangs is directly related to their character and that the ones at fault for this are their families.
I find if fitting to quote MLK today as many Americans are out of school and or work today in his honor. These young gang-bangers do not understand the difficulty that their grandparents, great-grandparents etc. have endured in the past standing up and fighting for their rights.
Something they take for granted as they plague society. They are a plague on society not because of their skin color but their character, really its the lack of character. They have been judged within today's society by their character and we as a whole are saying we will not tolerate them here in Hamilton County.
Chris Sanders
Hixson