Tonight, Star Parker spoke at two Catholic universities in St. Paul, MN, the University of St. Thomas (UST) and St. Catherine's (St. Kate's). Star is an engaging speaker. Her real life experiences are delivered in a manner that is riveting to most of the audience. She had had four abortions and with her fifth pregnancy, something made her uncomfortable. She started going to church and put her life together. Her talk at St. Kate's focused on poverty, what the left is doing to perpetuate the welfare system, and the five steps she used to get out of if.

1 - Take personal responsibility. Stop finding someone or something to blame. Regardless of background, it is possible for most people to improve their lot.
2 - Work at any job. A minimum wage opportunity is a start, not an end.
3 - Get educated. The left wants to manage and control who has access to what kind of education - they do not want vouchers. The media perpetuates this view.
4 - Save and invest money. Star favors private retirement accounts. Her mother lives on $700 social security a month. As Star said, "What if all the money my parents put into social security had gone into a savings account? My mother would have far more than $700 a month."
5 - Help someone help themselves. This is not a "do for" but rather provide real assistance.

Star's approach can be summarized as follows: Most people will succeed enough if given a chance. The welfare system is self-perpetuating and those perpetuating the system often have no clue as to the reality of the environment, how it saps an individual's self-esteem, and the problems that have arisen because of it. A recipient cannot save money, cannot get a job and can't marry - if the do, at least in CA, the welfare checks stop.

The students at St. Kate's were respectful. Unfortunately a significant number have bought into the blame someone mindset. Even when they heard real life events from someone who was trapped in the system, some simply refused to listen, use their minds. They have been so programmed that everything wrong is the result of someone or something else, they do not think. Even when confronted with facts, they refuse to acknowledge that there just might be another view.

Originally scheduled to speak at the University of St. Thomas (UST) , Star was denied access to the campus by UST officials because of the behavior of some UST students when Ann Coulter had spoken there a couple of years ago. Star was guilty by association because the same group that sponsored Ann Coulter was sponsoring Star Parker. Couldn't have that UST officials said.

In response, Star said she'd show up anyway. In the meantime, the College Republicans at St. Catherine's (St. Kate's), their president Renee Zeimer and their advisor, Dr. Terrence Flower stepped up and offered a venue. Star was scheduled to speak at St. Kate's when UST decided maybe they better open their doors to her at UST. (Could it be because the president of UST was meeting with the Pope on this visit?). You can read the report from UST here.

Labels: higher education