IF YOUR kid's summer camp is just too darn liberal, preaching togetherness and all that kum-ba-yah crap, never fear--there's a solution!
Those who want a little dose of Ayn Rand with their kids' summertime crafts can now book their kids for a stay at the Tampa Liberty School.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, the camp comes courtesy of the Tampa 912 Project, an organization "which falls under the Tea Party umbrella, hopes to introduce kids ages 8 to 12 to principles that include 'America is good,' 'I believe in God,' and 'I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.'"
The five-day program, available for up to 40 kids at the bargain price of $15, will "impart to our children what our nation is about, and what they may or may not be told," according to conservative writer and camp organizer Jeff Lukens.
According to the Times,
[Lukens] said he was not familiar with public school curriculum, but, "I do know they have a lot of political correctness. We are a faithful people, and when you talk about natural law, you have to talk about God. When you take that out of the discussion, you miss the whole thing."
Tampa Liberty is modeled after vacation Bible schools, which use fun, hands-on activities to deliver Christian messages.
One example at Liberty: Children will win hard, wrapped candies to use as currency for a store, symbolizing the gold standard. On the second day, the "banker" will issue paper money instead. Over time, students will realize their paper money buys less and less, while the candies retain their value.
"Some of the kids will fall for it," Lukens said. "Others kids will wise up."
Another example: Starting in an austere room where they are made to sit quietly, symbolizing Europe, the children will pass through an obstacle course to arrive at a brightly decorated party room (the New World).
Red-white-and-blue confetti will be thrown. But afterward the kids will have to clean up the confetti, learning that with freedom comes responsibility.
Still another example: Children will blow bubbles from a single container of soapy solution, and then pop each other's bubbles with squirt guns in an arrangement that mimics socialism. They are to count how many bubbles they pop. Then they will work with individual bottles of solution and pop their own bubbles.
"What they will find out is that you can do a lot more with individual freedom," Lukens said.
The freedom to be without candy and bubbles--or fun--in the summertime, apparently.
