Man, calm down. Please go back and read what you just said. Do you sound like a compassionate liberal? I think not, I feel you are rather narrow in your thinking.

Damn straight....America for Americans. Oh that's right; Americans came from Europe...Africa against their will....and then, doggone it they started coming from Asia and South America....and flooding across the Mexican border. Oh what are we to do? :cus:

I am still so PO'ed about that....

If I might take a stab at what he was saying. Of course all our ancestors came here from another country. They came to this melting pot to be part of America. They came to America for the freedom we have. Most of them even took to the english language and abandoned their own. America as one is strong.

Katz, very nice posting you did. I only have one area to take issue with and that is "had Miss Palin not gotten pregnant, we would never have been able to witness the loving acceptance of the child and his father into the Palin family."

Yes, everyone in the family did accept the child - and Levi - at first. Bristol and Levi were paraded around as an engaged couple with their baby. Sarah then lost her race to be VP. Engagement was quckly off. Levi writes a tell-all book about the Palins. The sugar-coated lovey dovey act of Levi and Bristol (and closeness to the family for Levi) probably was just an act while Grandma Palin was running for office.

Bristol's now preaching abstinence as the proper birth control procedure. Basically, isn't that sort of like Lindsay Lohan preaching about dangers of drugs?

My grandmother arrived in America as a toddler. She and her parents taught us that America is a melting pot! They celebrated the fact that they could come here and start a new life and live as richly or poorly as they wanted, dependant on the amount of work they put into it. Americans ARE Americans by the melting pot definition. Africans were brought here against their will but many Americans died to release them from the bonds of slavery and we continue to make ammends via affirmative action and welfare. (I personally could not and never have bought or sold another person) If a person feels the need to continue to identify with the land from which they came instead of embracing their American identity, they are free to return to the place that holds their allegiance.

I do understand your point of view and as we have all witnessed many politicians actively attempt to skirt family value issues, etc. because their focus is on foreign policy, economics, defense...However, to counter a country without a moral imperative will simply flounder. Many Americans born in the 1940-50's no longer recognize their own country. Baseball fans would say as batters we have stepped out of the batters box causing our averages to drop.

Core values, our beleif systems determine whether our elected officials utilize their power properly (Hitler v Lincoln). so too many this is about politics.

My friend buggyone believes sex education is essential and should be taught in schools. Yet statistics to date indicate that teen pregnancy and single mom's are at an all time high. Worse yet STD's among teens is also. so that begs the question How effective are the school programs? And if they are not why are they failing?

Katzpajamas is so on point. If only schools would go back to teaching students how to think, how do make logical choices. for example do you know how long ago kids no longer had to diagram a sentence . It has gotten to a point that jouirnalist majors need a remedial course before they can enter college. Listen to the news casters and you will hear that say Its "so fun"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Schools should also get up on the two hind quarters and explain to parents tha education is a priviledge to be earned year in and year out. and if their child does not want to learn then s/he neeeds to experience he consequences. When my kids came home and complained about a teacher I listened careful to make sure it wasn't more than just a personality clash. Upon which I explained that it was my childs responsibility to find a way to work with that teacher,,because the rerality was that teacher had sway over that class. By accomplishing a truce of sorts would bode well in future years
I'm certain many reading this post are nodding their heads in agreement

But schools cannot do that along and now we are back to politicians

Most of us learned that life is not fair but many us of us had parents realisitic enough to simply say "that's life" make the wisest choices you can then hang on for the ride. And has I recollect DDoug started a thread with "Tell Them" and that is good advice.

The "Melting Pot" really is not so much of a melting pot but rather a stew pot where the various ingredients blend in the stew to make it taste very good but the ingredients still hold their original flavor

Most large cities such as New York has sections such as Chinatown, Little Italy, Little Saigon, an Orthodox Jewish area (Boro Park), Brighton Beach (Russian), and so forth. All of these have separate entities but then blend together for one great city.

If you just have cultural diversity taught at home, there is a possibility the parent might be a bigot and pass that on to the child. This is something that must be dealt with in schools and through community action programs.

Good post, especially those mentions of family responsibility instead of public schools. My wife taught for over 30 years and thus am very sensitive to what you say

You may find the attacked link from todays NY Times of interest..an editorial on the teaching profession which I think you may agree with.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/03/op...=1&ref=opinion

And thanks for not using the Palin family for any example !

Charter Schools
 

Whether you are for or against unions, this is a great article to read.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...066414112.html

47.4 million: Students in public schools*
3.3 million: Teachers in public schools*
1 million: Students in charter schools
72,000: Teachers in charter schools

I couldn't agree more. You may have misunderstood my sarcasm directed at CMann who said that "cultural diversity never helped any culture". I believe the opposite is true. Diversity enrichs a culture.
I just gotta keep my mouth shut here. :cus:

Again with the Palin bashing. Is there no shame. People make mistakes and try to do better. Are you saying that people who make mistakes and go to prison and then lecture to high school students "the error's of their ways"
are hypocrites too? Where is the logic? You claim to be a liberal. You compassion is only for other liberals? WOW!!!

Buggyone~ Who knows better the dangers of climbing the mountain and which crevices to watch out for...the guy who actually climbed and slipped into one and had to fight his way back OR the guy who never ever got as high as the foot hills? Some learn not to cross the road because they respect the advice of another, but there are always those who have to learn the hard way. While I am not glad that Bristol and Levi got pregnant, I am thrilled that she learned the moral charactor to turn it all around and into something good! As far as Levi and his book, there usually are two sides to every story.

Well said rubicon! GREAT QUESTIONS! Waiting for great answers...

*ANOTHER* lie. Teen pregnancies are NOT at an all-time high.

In fact, the teen pregnancy rate will probably shock you:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...7347IB20110405

And...