what would happen.... ?

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Dave,
You'll probably get upset with me, but my first thought when I saw this was, "Oh, like the Hitler Youth". I think you would have to be very careful with something like this. It could easily become a monster you would not recognize with very unintended consequences.

There are so many ways I could head on this. How about this. I think one of the real strengths of this country has always been its conflict of different views. Consider the whiskey rebellion (We'd just fought a war partially over taxation, now here we are taxing people against their will), New England threatening to secede over trade, the conflicts over states rights (and that's a lot more than just the Civil War), the draft riots during the Civil War, the conflicts between urban and rural areas and ways of life, protectionism versus free trade. The list is endless. Whenever one side gets too strong and starts to take us to an extreme, the majority of the country says, whoa, too far. Usually we bounce too far the other way and, after a few years, bounce back the other direction. We never settle in the middle since we are vibrant and growing. If we ever do settle, I think we are done for.

That's why I don't normally get too upset with people with different views. I get frustrated, I question their reasoning ability or sanity, sometimes I see a very obvious flaw in their thinking, but I understand that people do things that are reasonable to them, not necessarily to me. I do have my limits. Gunning down unarmed men, women and children is one, but I think we do need our conflict of views since I think that keeps us strong and growing. And often frustrated.

Boyd,
I hope you are still enjoying this. And I do appreciate the opportunity to aggrevate so many people.

 

[Davaroo]

Dave,
You'll probably get upset with me, but my first thought when I saw this was, "Oh, like the Hitler Youth". I think you would have to be very careful with something like this

Not upset at all - I admire your vision.
The same potential for corruption exists within everything. The Hitler Jugend is a prime example of what I am referrring to, althought the motives behind it's leaders were wrong. Take that out and the Hitler Jugend did exactly what was intended.

Am I referring to brainwashing? In a real sense, yes.
But think: that is being done, already.

Some of it is contrived and purposeful; much of it is driven by "popular culture" and it's random values. But none of us can escape that our youth are currently being brainwashed as we speak.

So suppose we structure that andchoose the things which are imbedded:

Respect for God
Respect for Country
Respect for Others
Disciplined thinking
The creation of personal wealth
The need for action.
The knowledge that Life is what you make it, not what is given to you.

In other words, "doing the right things." This country was built on the power of the moral individual, a man of courage doing the right things. Returning to that seems to be a worthy goal.​

 

[babylady4]

Here here!

 

[warmfuzzies]

I was just reading that the original public school system was set up, so that every 50 families would have a grammer (elementary) school and every 100 families would have a secondary school, to 'prepare boys for Harvard'.

Imagine how much control over our childrens education if we all had that kind of set-up! Interesting thought, anyway, though I am sure it would not work in the modern world.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
It would work if we accepted that it could.

It wasn't an option back then... There was no thought for those folks that education could be taken lightly, or that the upbringing of an individual was to be left to chance.

THEY accepted that you could not be the best if you did not embrace BEST as a target.

Where we fail, today, is to believe that such thinking might be unacceptable. You know, we might upset someone if we hold out for courage or doing what's right. It isn't "PC" to expect ourselves or others to be that good... "so do what you feel, what seems right for you."

What a load of minimalist manure! It's no wonder people talk about the "Dumbing Down Of America." When we stop holding ourselves to a high enough standard, then that's what we get.

My remedy is to not "settle," or accept mediocre as a standard. I choose to hold out for a reconstruction, in myself and others. I want to see moral individuals with the courage to do right, so I promote that.

We don't need "change" so much in this country, as we need a resurgence of what we know has worked.

I call it "The Renaissance of America."

 

[Boyd]

I agree completely. The country has lost many of its core values. If you were to suggest 50 years ago taking "In God We Trust" off the currency, you'd be beaten within an inch of your life. Also, 50 to 100 years ago, the criminals didn't have the ability to sue someones insurance company when a burglary goes badly or they get maimed by the homeowners dog.

And why I am talking about suing..... America has gone sue crazy. Our European counterparts are laughing their collective buttskies off as we sue each other for every little thing......

Then there are the judges and politicians who want to interpret the constitution on what they meant ... well in my opinion it's in black and white, theres no room for interpretation to the original bill of rights, and the constitution all the way through Lincoln. Everything added, subtracted or interpreted after that is all bull puckey in my opinion.

I would like to see the resurgence of america, but we have to help ourselves, no one else is willing!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
As is always the case. The world at large cares little for any of us, except when there is gain of some sort. Give them a chance to save a soul, save a voter or save another marketing prospect, and people will care. Outside of those motives, chances are good there is only you and what you do to advance yourself.**

It is no less true for this country, as a whole. If we are to reverse things, then it starts with each of us. "E Pluribus Unum," is our motto, after all... "Out Of Many, One." It must be a genuine grass roots effort, equal to that which formed our nation.

Each of us, you and I, have to believe that we can be right thinking individuals. We have to be concerned with our own character and that of all our fellows. We must abhor the easy way, or the hand out - and embrace that which is the right way.


** ...there are exceptions of course, but you gotta go with the odds on this one.

 

[beak]

Quote:
In God We Trust was 1st printed on currency in 1957. A mere 52 years ago. Just a factoid.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
AMEN!

We really do think alike!

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
In God We Trust was 1st printed on currency in 1957. A mere 52 years ago. Just a factoid.

It was first used on the two cent piece in 1864. It was used on silver dollars in '57