God and Hay-Hooks
Krayton Kerns
12.5.07
Like most ranch kids my early years of employment began with odd jobs, very odd jobs. Other than trailing cows, which began about age four, my brothers and I joined the rock-picking workforce around age ten. It was a simple job. Rocks around the edges of the hayfield were pitched into the nearest brush patch while those in the center were piled knowing someday we would pick them up. Someday we will.
When I was eleven, my father bought a loader and my brothers and I were promoted to the hay crew. We youngsters provided the sweat and the ranch bought the tractor and hay-hooks. We received 2 pennies per bale stacked…before taxes. On a good day, with no mechanical failure or fights amongst the crew, we could earn twenty dollars. That was a great summer job. When the carnival rolled into town in mid-July, I was flush with cash and ready to party. For 25 cents a whack I hopped amusement rides until the snow-cones, cotton-candy and hot dogs came out my overflow valve.
More important than a paycheck, stacking hay taught me useful things about life: You get paid for what you produce, so screwing around earns nothing. If your stack falls down you restack it for free, so do it right the first time. Stacking hay has no regard for your feelings, gender, race, or oppression of your ancestors, so quit whining and get to work. Life is simple if you earn your money with hay-hooks.
I am telling you this because I spent Friday November 30th in Helena listening to expert testimony about mental illness and the juvenile justice system. This was the fifth meeting of the Law & Justice Interim Committee and we were told that a 2002 study shows 70.4% of the youth in the justice system are diagnosed with at least one mental disorder. To address this problem the committee’s research analyst reported the solution of “a healthy diet, consistent exercise, adequate sleep, and meaningful activities are key components of a mental health treatment plan.” (That sounds like a job involving hay-hooks.)
Dr Bateen, a Riverside psychologist, testified he has seen a profound increase in youth mental disorders over his 31 years of practice. Facing an epidemic of mentally ill, over-medicated, juvenile delinquents, my committee is asked to fix this problem through legislation. It can’t be done. The leftists are looking for bigger government and yet another program to conceal the failures of an unraveling society. The cause of the problem is ignored. Look back at these recent events:
*In 1962 the US Supreme Court, in Engle v. Vitale, declared “it is unconstitutional to offer verbal prayers in school.” Thus began the removal of God. Without Him there is no right or wrong. (Since I attended the underprivileged country school of Slack, we were still praying when I left in 1969. I hope I wasn’t permanently damaged.)
*President J.F. Kennedy was an advocate of supply-side economics. On November 22, 1963 his life and those policies were eliminated with the crack of a rifle shot. Vice-President Lyndon Johnson assumed power and ushered in modern day liberalism. The entitlement era of getting something for nothing became epidemic.
*In August 1971, R.W. Van Keuren of Ohio State University imported the first large round baler from Australia. When that first bale kicked out of the “Econ Fodder Roller” teenage unemployment skyrocketed in rural communities. No more lessons involving hay-hooks, now you learn about life on the streets. Hay stacking jobs were gone.
In consideration of the above, my points are two:
1) The recent epidemic of juvenile justice mental illness is not just about jobs stacking hay; it could be cleaning kennels, loading lumber, thinning beets or sacking groceries. The lesson is self-discipline and self-reliance. To eat, you must earn. The safety net promoted by 44 years of liberalism is a dismal failure.
2) We state legislators begin every session with a prayer, yet we prohibit that act in public school. Perhaps we made a mistake in 1962.
Rather than abandon failed policies of the past, the 60’s liberals now call themselves “progressives” and continue the charge towards socialism. Would society be damaged if bigger government was replaced by more God and hay-hooks? I think not. But the Law & Justice committee is afraid to go there.
