My responses...

Here are my responses to Rick & Rick's friend...this is getting to be a full-time job!

Some great thoughts here. In order to have a life outside of this discussion I will hit those points I disagree with...

In response to Rick's thoughts, I disagree why Rome fell. There are adherents to single factors, I think a combination of such factors as Christianity, decadence, lead, monetary trouble, and military problems caused the Fall of Rome. All of these factors led to the creation of divergent forces that the nation-state could not deal with effectively & simultaneously. Also…Rome didn’t “give” the multiple cultures a common way of life…they forced it upon them so that the empire could exist.

In its simplest analogy…Rome’s conquered empire became too large for the ROMANS to run effectively…and everyone went back to their own cultures & identities they had before Rome conquered them. To your point, military degradation did play a part in the collapse.

Affirmative action simply tries to provide balance to our current situation. As an example, when I worked at Best Buy they had 51 % of their total workforce either female or minority. However, those numbers did not exist in management…less than 9% of Best Buy management was female or minority. Best Buy does not deal with government sales contracts & therefore is not held to affirmative action standards. Although this nation has come a long way, I think we still have to figure out how to improve the opportunities for minorities.

How does NCLB dumb down the masses? NCLB strives to correct the problem you encountered…the education standard should be same in Utah as Missouri or wherever. Before NCLB we had no uniform educational standard throughout the nation…NCLB requires the states to have that standard. Now, there are major problems with NCLB…first & foremost it allows the states to set the standards…which is like allowing the consumer to choose what price he’s going to pay for that cheese. Second, the feds didn’t fund NCLB 100%...so the states have to bear the brunt of the cost…which makes the poor states poorer…

Finally, your challenge on open minds is a good one…have you devoted the same energies to that liberal ;-) view?

Okay, now on to Mr. Freeland’s thoughts…

I disagree with the summary that previous thoughts put America as the only one who has committed egregious sins and acts. I never said that America was worse than any other nation on earth…I feel that America is the greatest nation and we should all be very proud of our accomplishments and history. I never intended my tone or one-sided facts to diminish that belief of mine.

I believe that what makes America great is that we are inclusive and compassionate…the periods of history you mentioned exemplify that national trait at its best I think.

I believe the emails and articles branding all Muslims and Islam as a whole as evil are examples of America at its worst…ignorant, fearful and antagonistic.

I think you are completely correct when you say that…” Overall, diplomacy, understanding, love, compassion, and a desire for peace should always be the first option. However, to think that alone will cure the world's ills is dangerously naïve…”

I also believe that thinking military solutions will have more impact than diplomacy & inclusivity is naïve as well.

Just my two cents…Jon