Thank you. I agree that experience isn't working, because it seems to me that "experience" actually means being corrupt. Maybe not hand-in-hand with Satan corrupt, but certainly people in all political areas are being bought out and bribed. In some cases perhaps even blackmailed.

I think that companies and chains a big part of capitalism, but when you have a store like Wal-Mart which offers everything you need in one stop, all at a lower price than anyone else, that seems more like Socialism-in-a-can. Sure, it isn't really Socialism, since we can go other places, but just wait until your subdivision is owned by Wal-Mart, your house was built by Wal-Mart, and everything in it was bought from Wal-Mart. Getting everything from a single source is the basic concept behind Socialist economics. No one has to worry where to get something because it's all provided by one institution.

I'm not saying that one store shouldn't be able to have lower prices than another, that's what competition is all about, but I think when a store bullies it's suppliers into giving them deals not available to the other stores... Well that's just plain cheating.

But that's the problem with capitalism... It's not a game or a sport, there are no real rules. The only thing that dictates how one runs their business are their own ethical standards, which some people have more of than others.

As for how soon before this country becomes Wal-Merica? Well, Wal-Mart has just purchased a vast amount of land just outside the city limits here, and was rejected when proposing the construction of our sixth Wal-Mart (it would be our third Super Wal-Mart). The reason it was rejected was because there is a building/property where a Sam's Club used to be, and Wal-Mart still owns that property. The new Super Wal-Mart has to be built on that location. So what is Wal-Mart doing with the other land? Well they got it cheap because it's somewhat of a crappy area- by crappy I mean a former street runoff pond. They're looking to get approval to built a residential subdivision there, and they already stated that they would have some authority in laying the groundwork for any homeowners' associations which form in the area.

This is another reason I'm running, to be able to have leverage on the County Commissioners and hopefully stop approval of the development.

The only thing I have to say against that, is that getting rid of "God Bless America" is wrong because our country, and our constitution was founded on the beleif in a christian God. So, whether or not you beleive in God, addressing Him when you address America has direct ties to our independance and early culture.

Um, sorry crazeedaizee, but you might want to check your facts. The founding fathers didn't have anything to do with God Bless America. That phrase was coined following 1918, when Irving wrote the national anthem. It was later added in as propaganda in an attempt to raise nationalism levels. Following 9/11 was when the phrase really became popular, before then it wasn't used like it is now. That's a big argument now-and-days, the whole 'is it american' and 'every religion means not one religion'.

Secondly, our government was based on freedom, not religion. The Intelligent Designer was right in pointing out that the outline came from the Roman Republic, though most of the body of our government is original thoughts with some British ideas thrown in there (placation... 0:).

Finally, America's early culture has nothing to do with a single religion. People came here fleeing from prosecution, the Native American's didn't even believe in one God. We are a melting pot, and any sort of conformity to me, is just wrong.

THESE FORUMS ARE KILLING MY EMAIL.

Anyways, yes, it can apply to a very select group.

I feel your pain one track mind. =D But at least this forum has people chattering away!

I do have a question for those of you reading this though, a simple... I don't really know.

How many people here are up-to-date with international affairs as well as national (applicable to your own country)?

I'm just wondering because I was reading about China's current... mess, and I have to say that I'm a bit shocked in the familiarities with the U.S. Education for my generation puts so much emphasis on the fact that the USA is the greatest, and will always be the greatest. I, of course, know better, but I didn't think we were so close to being over-ran by China and Japan.

That's because education in America sucks. You notice they never tell students anything about politics in schools? Shoot. Teachers weren't even allowed to tell us what happened on 9/11 the day it happened!!

Maybe not in your school. I remember being told what happened by my math teacher right before lunch started.

Really? They wouldn't tell us or talk about it at all. I was in the fourth grade at the time, and my mother told me that the teachers weren't allowed to talk to us about it.

See? I think that's dumb. I always think it's dumb to sugar coat things for little kids just because they're young and supposedly "can't handle it". They are future voters, and I don't like that half of my school doesn't know that there are problems in Turkey right now, or can't find Iran on a map. That's going to make it so people vote for the wrong reasons when they have a chance to vote.

Well, this is a relatively sheltered generation of americans, so it may have been a good idea to attempt to sugar coat it.

There's nothing to sugar coat. The twin towers got rammed with airplanes and lots of people died. That's it. Maybe it shouldn't said EXACTLY like that, but they should be told. It's wrong to hide stuff like that from people, even if they're children.

You have to look at it from another point of view as well, from the view of a child who has family and friends working in the twin towers. I lost friends in 9/11, but I was too young to understand what happened until my parents told me, explained it. One o. the reasons for witholding the information from children was in case that a child did loose someone that day

If the teachers had told me what happened, I don't know how I would handle it coming from a stranger, if not a stranger then a teacher without as strong a bond as family. For many of us younger generations, we would not have been able to link together death and destruction. Our parents had to tell us.

As for the attitude that the older generations should have been told, the same thought applies. You should be told by people who you are close to that you may have lost someone you loved, not by someone who did not understand that person, or their life.

The information was withheld for moral reasons.

Well, i guess I didn't look at it form that point, but what I started out talking about was why teachers are not allowed to talk about politics in class. Why can't they have students debate controversial issues like abortion or gay marriage? Why is it so bad for students to learn about other people's opinions, learn to respect opinions different from theirs, and to make a decision on issues that they are undecided about?

In terms of politics, I'm sure that teenagers are as politically aware as adults.

Onetrackmind- Some teenagers are more politically aware then adults *Grins*

Craizeedaizee- There is a huge moral standing on teachers being unable to talk about controversial issues such as gay marriage and abortion. Teachers are allowed to talk about things such as international affairs and non-religious affiliated issues, and some schools even allow the debate of abortion and gay-marriage. For the most part it is discouraged because those issues are based on culture, and America has too many different cultures too not have culture clashes.

Then there is the fact that those same cultures often view themselves better then others, or view others as wrong. Thus, students coming from those cultures with the influences of their parents and family and few others often don't have the maturity to deal with the idea that their culture may not be the right one.

Thats why we have gangs and electorial issues. There are too many opinions with too many backgrounds for one to be considered right.

And adults are any different?

And adults are any different?

Just thought I'd throw in my two cents - I was about the most sheltered child ever. I found out two days after. That was when I learned what the twin towers were. And I wasn't that young, either.

Discussing politics in school? As long as it doesn't get too heated, and no one calls in the parents, I think it's fine. We do it in my English class, too. Of course, there's always the risk of someone being offended, but the way I see it, there's always that risk in anything you or the teacher says . . .

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