Dear Wes,

To begin, I congratulate you on your graduation from high school.  You worked hard the past four years and have positioned yourself well for a very productive future.  I could not be more proud.

As you head to college, I want to make you aware of the new world you enter.  It is not like any other world you have seen. 

• Guilt:  If you think your Catholic school over emphasized the guilt of sin, be prepared for professors and student organizations who will profess the guilt of capitalism, individualism, and success.  By your very being, you will be accused of being selfish, racist, homophobic, and a destroyer of the environment.  Using the very same tactics of religious cults, you will hear how misguided Mom and I are and now is your time to break away from our oppression.  You will be told that Jesus never existed, Friedman was a fascist (he was Jewish, but they’ll ignore that), and Reagan never did anything of value.  And if you believe otherwise, you should hate yourself for it.

• Western Civilization:  They will tell you that most, if not all of the world’s evil and failures came as the result of western European oppression.  Despite all the evidence to the contrary, you will be told that the North American natives were a 100% peaceful people who wanted to live only in harmony with man and mother earth.  You will learn how the white man systematically implemented genocide in an effort to take their land.  Although none of your ancestors ever owned slaves, you will be made to feel as if you yourself have several.  In addition, they will never tell you how every continent had slavery and the sacrifice Americans made to abolish this horrid economic practice.  

• Communism:  Imagine a world where everyone works hard, helps others, and shares his bounty.  No wars over resources because all is shared.  No money, no greed, no conflict.  Heck, its right out of John Lennon’s song.  They will tell you that such a world is possible, if only we can over overthrow the greedy corporations and return to the people that which is rightfully theirs.  They will tell you that life is a zero sum game.  For every winner, there exists a loser.  Those $120 sneakers you wear means three kids in Africa go hungry tonight.  People like Marx and Engels had the answer, but today’s 1% has oppressed it.  What they will never tell you is that every effort to implement such a plan has led to mass murder, starvation, and the deprival of basic human rights.  I recommend every college student read George Orwell’s Animal Farm at least once a year as a reminder to what Communism and its brother Socialism ultimately bring to the world.

• Religion:  For the first time in your life, you will be told by a teacher that religion is nothing more than a tool the power elite uses to keep the peasants at bay.  “Suffer now and receive your reward in heaven.”  There is no good or evil.  Only those with power and without.  Morality is subjective. 

• Individualism:  They will tell you that only the evil pursue success for their own well being.  In a civilized world, we should all work to enhance the “common good.”  Of course, it is their idea of the common good that must be pursued, not yours.  Private property?  How can anyone really own a piece of mother earth?  Profit?  The pursuit of profit exploits others and creates war.  Conform, adapt, and be a part of the team. 

I’m very confident that your mother and I have prepared you well for this world.  And as a business major, you will encounter many supporters of freedom, both in the markets and in life.  But don’t kid yourself.  In your weaker moments, some if this will actually seem to make sense.  As you expose yourself both sides of the issues, logic will ultimately prevail.  This is why the statist supports censorship.  An open dialogue weakens his case.  Keep this in mind:  intentions are meaningless.  It is results that matter.  And no system produces less misery than one that is based on freedom:  Freedom to own, freedom to speak, freedom to worship, freedom to pursue, freedom to self determine.  Ours may be a terrible system, but it is superior to all others.

Enjoy!  Four great years await.  I only wish I could go with you.

Dad