NFL What a disgrace !

[david wild]

They are protesting that blacks who commit crimes get shot, whites get shot too but that does not matter, they say blacks get shot at more, but they forget that blacks do more of the crimes, and yes the truth is blacks commit more crimes no matter how you try to twist the numbers, blacks commit more crimes than any other race of people in this country. 

[mowerman]

 For what it’s worth I quit watching football me and the old lady were not protesting we just lost interest overpaid fools with no respect or town team or fans. Piss on them all .... just spend Sunday’s outside now...bob

[mowerman]

probably said that before but.....still tuned out now....no plans at all for watching,...bob

[Keith S]

I said it before and I'll say it again: What a bunch of cry babies. 

[DailyDiesel]

At least this guy stands for the anthem..... 

[HeavyGunner]

7 hours ago, Keith S said:

I said it before and I'll say it again: What a bunch of cry babies. 

What does this have to do with the topic at hand?  That's right I forgot when liberals don't have an intelligent argument they go right to pot stirring and name calling. 

[41chevy]

7 hours ago, DailyDiesel said:

At least this guy stands for the anthem..... 

 Using the flag I shed blood and 57 of my unit died for as a blanket? . .Disrespectful POS deserves a old fashioned butt kicking +  Least he's got the A for A$$hole hat on

Edited October 19, 2017 by 41chevy

[DailyDiesel]

The worst part....I don't think the guy has any clue of what he is doing.

[41chevy]

12 hours ago, DailyDiesel said:

The worst part....I don't think the guy has any clue of what he is doing.

Nope, not a clue! Worse that kneeling IMO. But I also cut him some slack . . .He Does drink beer from a  straw and reportedly drives a SAAB 93.. 

Edited October 20, 2017 by 41chevy

[carlotpilot]

46 minutes ago, 41chevy said:

Nope, not a clue! Worse that kneeling IMO. But I also cut him some slack . . .He Does drink beer from a  straw and reportedly drives a SAAB 93.. 

WHAT no prius?

[KDog Trucking]

On 10/17/2017 at 2:37 PM, Mack Technician said:

Kamp Dogg you cheddar-head 

If Luck is a Lady then Karma is her nasty, hag, sister...

R.I.P. Aaron   

 

I don't believe in Karma. But I did skip church that day so I didn't miss the first quarter of a noon game, and it's no coincidence I think that our QB goes down.

Now, even worse people were talking about the possibility of signing Kapernick. I would  absolutely stop watching if they did that. Fortunately, it hasn't come to that. I couldn't stand to look at him with his beats headphones saying things like:"It was defense, yo!" :=

 

[B MACK]

After the meeting this week , ( and the team owners and the league  were too afraid to address the issue of standing during the anthem)..  It was said that they are protesting the lack of care or giving to the community. ( Inner city or black community)... Well with all the 10's to 30 million dollar contracts they get why don't they give to "the community" themselves????

[41chevy]

22 minutes ago, B MACK said:

After the meeting this week , ( and the team owners and the league  were too afraid to address the issue of standing during the anthem)..  It was said that they are protesting the lack of care or giving to the community. ( Inner city or black community)... Well with all the 10's to 30 million dollar contracts they get why don't they give to "the community" themselves????

 

Colin Kaepernick  has a 2017 salary of $14.5 .  Not enough money to make a difference he says.

I did find out what started his protest with his initial statement .  '' I began paying attention to reports about the thousands of unarmed black people being killed by the police every year. The posts on social media deeply disturbed me, but one in particular brought me to tears: the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson.  This could have happened to any of my family. I felt furious, hurt and hopeless. I wanted to do something, but didn’t know what or how to do it. All I knew for sure is that I wanted it to be as respectful as possible to my fans''.

[kscarbel2]

4 hours ago, 41chevy said:

 

Colin Kaepernick  has a 2017 salary of $14.5 .  Not enough money to make a difference he says.

I did find out what started his protest with his initial statement .  '' I began paying attention to reports about the thousands of unarmed black people being killed by the police every year. The posts on social media deeply disturbed me, but one in particular brought me to tears: the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson.  This could have happened to any of my family. I felt furious, hurt and hopeless. I wanted to do something, but didn’t know what or how to do it. All I knew for sure is that I wanted it to be as respectful as possible to my fans''.

Paul, this causes me to recall my July 9, 2016 post. With Ferguson, based on what we're told, a bully/drug dealer/criminal was made a martyr rather than identified for what he was.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cultural decay and declining standards of behavior in America. That is the situation before us. Frankly speaking, I love my country. And thus, I have been saddened for many years as I watch decay and decline. I am not alone.

The events taking place in American society today are shocking.......and shameful.

The definition of “socially acceptable morals and values” is clear to any ordinarily prudent individual.

However, unlike the automobile and truck which have “evolved forward”, from primitive machines into the highly sophisticated ones we know today, American society appears to be “regressing”, moving away from the signature morals and values that for decades defined America, and made our great country the envy of the world.

The American government, I feel, inherently bears significant responsibility in guiding the positive forward development of American society.

However, I don’t believe the U.S. government has actively tried to influence the forward development of American society since the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961).

Over the last 20 years, we have observed what to us in our youth was unthinkable. Who on this forum in their teenage years would have walked into a school and taken the life of another human being. The thought never crossed our minds.

But the minds of recent generations are clearly different, indicating that we as a people and government combined are seriously failing in our responsibility to lead society.

We have a responsibility to effectively raise the bar of morals and values for each new generation of Americans. However, and clearly so, society is plunging to a lawless state that in some aspects is already out of control. And yet, our government of the people does not speak of this crisis, nor address it.

When tragic events occur, leadership utters politically correct words like "troubling" and "heartbreaking", and then resumes their normal routine.

At some point several decades ago, the values that shaped our morals and values stopped being taught to a sizable portion of the masses, and we’re seeing the effects today in the form of senseless tragedies.

Our government refuses to speak of (acknowledge) America’s crisis in society, apparently taboo in Washington, and has taken no steps to address it.

But today, for the first time, the media (U.S. News and World Report) actually put it in print......"the battle against cultural decay and declining standards of behavior [in America]". I believe this the first time major media has spoken on this taboo subject..

An American society with strong moral principles and values is not an option........it is a necessity to safeguarding our future.

America has become unraveled more since Ferguson, when a bully and criminal was shot by police. He wove his own ending (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/new-evidence-supports-officers-account-of-shooting-in-ferguson/2014/10/22/cf38c7b4-5964-11e4-bd61-346aee66ba29_story.html). Rather than call a spade a spade, Washington kowtowed to protesters supporting this bully and criminal, protesters unwilling to advocate that "All American Lives Matter".

As people crowed that black lives matter, they looted the stores in their own Ferguson and Baltimore neighborhoods. That speaks volumes.

Unless you state that “all lives matter”, you’ve lost all credibility with civilized society.

Being an American should no longer be a given……..it should be a privilege, because enjoying the fruits of America’s high quality of life……is a privilege.

A United States citizen may lose their citizenship if they are convicted for treason, seditious conspiracy, or advocating violent overthrow of the government. It may be time to begin using this path, revoking the citizenship of those whose ethics, morals and values are not acceptable within American society.

Why did the media initially fail to state the Dallas gunman was black? When an attacker(s) is white and the victim is black, the press nowadays makes a point of reporting color. For example, the tragic South Carolina church killings. However, when the attackers are black and the victims are white, the media no longer mentions color. Why the double standard? Either stop mentioning color, as people are people regardless of color (all lives matter), or mention color in any circumstance.

.

.

 

[41chevy]

On 10/21/2017 at 2:34 AM, kscarbel2 said:

Paul, this causes me to recall my July 9, 2016 post. With Ferguson, based on what we're told, a bully/drug dealer/criminal was made a martyr rather than identified for what he was.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cultural decay and declining standards of behavior in America. That is the situation before us. Frankly speaking, I love my country. And thus, I have been saddened for many years as I watch decay and decline. I am not alone.

The events taking place in American society today are shocking.......and shameful.

The definition of “socially acceptable morals and values” is clear to any ordinarily prudent individual.

However, unlike the automobile and truck which have “evolved forward”, from primitive machines into the highly sophisticated ones we know today, American society appears to be “regressing”, moving away from the signature morals and values that for decades defined America, and made our great country the envy of the world.

The American government, I feel, inherently bears significant responsibility in guiding the positive forward development of American society.

However, I don’t believe the U.S. government has actively tried to influence the forward development of American society since the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961).

Over the last 20 years, we have observed what to us in our youth was unthinkable. Who on this forum in their teenage years would have walked into a school and taken the life of another human being. The thought never crossed our minds.

But the minds of recent generations are clearly different, indicating that we as a people and government combined are seriously failing in our responsibility to lead society.

We have a responsibility to effectively raise the bar of morals and values for each new generation of Americans. However, and clearly so, society is plunging to a lawless state that in some aspects is already out of control. And yet, our government of the people does not speak of this crisis, nor address it.

When tragic events occur, leadership utters politically correct words like "troubling" and "heartbreaking", and then resumes their normal routine.

At some point several decades ago, the values that shaped our morals and values stopped being taught to a sizable portion of the masses, and we’re seeing the effects today in the form of senseless tragedies.

Our government refuses to speak of (acknowledge) America’s crisis in society, apparently taboo in Washington, and has taken no steps to address it.

But today, for the first time, the media (U.S. News and World Report) actually put it in print......"the battle against cultural decay and declining standards of behavior [in America]". I believe this the first time major media has spoken on this taboo subject..

An American society with strong moral principles and values is not an option........it is a necessity to safeguarding our future.

America has become unraveled more since Ferguson, when a bully and criminal was shot by police. He wove his own ending (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/new-evidence-supports-officers-account-of-shooting-in-ferguson/2014/10/22/cf38c7b4-5964-11e4-bd61-346aee66ba29_story.html). Rather than call a spade a spade, Washington kowtowed to protesters supporting this bully and criminal, protesters unwilling to advocate that "All American Lives Matter".

As people crowed that black lives matter, they looted the stores in their own Ferguson and Baltimore neighborhoods. That speaks volumes.

Unless you state that “all lives matter”, you’ve lost all credibility with civilized society.

Being an American should no longer be a given……..it should be a privilege, because enjoying the fruits of America’s high quality of life……is a privilege.

A United States citizen may lose their citizenship if they are convicted for treason, seditious conspiracy, or advocating violent overthrow of the government. It may be time to begin using this path, revoking the citizenship of those whose ethics, morals and values are not acceptable within American society.

Why did the media initially fail to state the Dallas gunman was black? When an attacker(s) is white and the victim is black, the press nowadays makes a point of reporting color. For example, the tragic South Carolina church killings. However, when the attackers are black and the victims are white, the media no longer mentions color. Why the double standard? Either stop mentioning color, as people are people regardless of color (all lives matter), or mention color in any circumstance.

.

.

 

I find it amazing how the perception of facts change . 429 civilians killed by police nationally, 146 were minorities, 9 were black.  Blacks killed by blacks 7881. Should be addressing that. IMO.

Causes of moral decline? Loss of the traditional family along with it's values, lack of religion,, drug culture and societies acceptance of drug use, video games, roll models whom most have no morals and the massive politically correct , non offensive push by many (not all) schools, and the climate of not taking personal responsibility for ones actions.

Edited October 22, 2017 by 41chevy

[kscarbel2]

56 minutes ago, 41chevy said:

I find it amazing how the perception of facts change . 429 civilians killed by police nationally, 146 were minorities, 9 were black.  Blacks killed by blacks 7881. Should be addressing that. IMO.

Causes of moral decline? Loss of the tradition family along with it's values, lack of religion,, drug culture and societies acceptance of drug use, video games, roll models whom most have no morals and the massive politically correct , non offensive push by many (not all) schools, and the climate of not taking personal responsibility for ones actions.

You're right Paul.

In June, I posted:

Over a 15 year period between 1995 and 2014, there were 3,158 terrorism-related deaths in the United States.

But in 2015 alone, the FBI says Americans murdered 15,696 fellow Americans.

Terrorists of all factions needn't bother with the US, as we're doing a far better job than they could ever dream of killing ourselves.

Looking at the numbers, radical islamists murders are a niche problem. There's now a far greater need to watch your back in the supermarket parking lot, at the gas station, that remote summer campground, or................

Set aside the talk of protecting ourselves from a handful of radical islamists for a moment, and tell me how we're going to protect ourselves from dangerous fellow Americans, and illegal aliens including gangs like MS-13?   They dress like us.....you can't spot them until it's too late.

Trump says Chicago is more dangerous than Afghanistan.......which puts Detroit on the same scale as Somalia.

If I was president for a day.............

[41chevy]

 Enforcing the laws,Judges who follow the letter of the law and not their interpretation.  Punishment that is punishment, No cable TV  internet and "special foods" and the comforts of home.. Bring back a prison program that teaches a marketable trade and pays the system to off set the costs.Finally put the incouragables in a special prison where they can't pray on and corupt the others. Repeat offenders? let the pick up pebbles in the desert! Biggest thing I would like to happen is treat our older people as well as we currently treat our criminals.

[kscarbel2]

9 minutes ago, 41chevy said:

Enforcing the laws,Judges who follow the letter of the law and not their interpretation.  Punishment that is punishment, No cable TV  internet and "special foods" and the comforts of home.. Bring back a prison program that teaches a marketable trade and pays the system to off set the costs.Finally put the incurables in a special prison where they can't pray on and corrupt the others. Repeat offenders? let them pick up pebbles in the desert! Biggest thing I would like to happen is treat our older people as well as we currently treat our criminals.

Enforcing the laws.......that's a certainly a subject.

An illegal immigrant (illegal alien) is......illegal, i.e. not legally here according to US law. And yet, the government has intentionally allowed them to remain here for years, apparently at the request of business and in return for paybacks.

And the government has now invented a new term, "undocumented immigrants", in an attempt at ridding our minds of the notion that they are here......illegally. Some intentional and carefully orchestrating brain washing here.

After we're all passed, the powers that be will have successfully installed the term "undocumented immigrant" and the notion that these people are okay to be residing in the United States......illegally.

[41chevy]

22 minutes ago, kscarbel2 said:

Enforcing the laws.......that's a certainly a subject.

An illegal immigrant (illegal alien) is......illegal, i.e. not legally here according to US law. And yet, the government has intentionally allowed them to remain here for years, apparently at the request of business and in return for paybacks.

And the government has now invented a new term, "undocumented immigrants", in an attempt at ridding our minds of the notion that they are here......illegally. Some intentional and carefully orchestrating brain washing here.

After we're all passed, the powers that be will have successfully installed the term "undocumented immigrant" and the notion that these people are okay to be residing in the United States......illegally.

All of what we have been discussing boils down to a few things, Power and Profit.  The most frightening phrase to me,  was used by Bush43 in his speech yesterday. He made a statement about the United States "Ruling Class" being up set over being attacked  for lack of action by the current administration. I never knew that this country had a ruling class separate and above the common people. Fits with Mitch McConnell calling a 2 TRILLION potential loss "Chump Change".

When I was in Richmond getting a waiver for my M917 (3 7/7 inches too wide) I hear the term "paperless immigrant" to describe a DMV applicant.  As for new accepted terms try on Empty Barrel as being a racial slur. Here I always thought it was all noise no action.

[kscarbel2]

12 minutes ago, 41chevy said:

All of what we have been discussing boils down to a few things, Power and Profit.  The most frightening phrase to me,  was used by Bush43 in his speech yesterday. He made a statement about the United States "Ruling Class" being up set over being attacked  for lack of action by the current administration. I never knew that this country had a ruling class separate and above the common people. Fits with Mitch McConnell calling a 2 TRILLION potential loss "Chump Change".

When I was in Richmond getting a waiver for my M917 (3 7/7 inches too wide) I hear the term "paperless immigrant" to describe a DMV applicant.  As for new accepted terms try on Empty Barrel as being a racial slur. Here I always thought it was all noise no action.

Since the day our country was founded, it has had a ruling class separate and above the common people. This situation has been the norm around the world for centuries.

"Paperless immigrant"???   What in the world?

The world remains colored and twisted, when and as required, to meet the goals of the powers that be.

[41chevy]

Yes they have always has been separate hence the electoral college, but first time it has been openly stated in my memory. 

Edited October 22, 2017 by 41chevy

[kscarbel2]

7 hours ago, 41chevy said:

Yes they have always has been separate hence the electoral college, but first time it has been openly stated in my memory. 

Here's the text of the speech (http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/full-text-george-w-bush-speech-trump-243947)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript of George W. Bush's speech delivered Oct. 19, 2017 at the at the “Spirit of Liberty: At Home, In The World" event in New York.

Thank you all. Thank you. Ok, Padilla gracias. So, I painted Ramon. I wish you were still standing here. It’s a face only a mother could love – no, it’s a fabulous face. (Laughter.) I love you Ramon, thank you very much for being here.

And, Grace Jo thank you for your testimony. And, big Tim. I got to know Tim as a result of Presidential Leadership Scholars at the Bush Center along with the Clinton Foundation, with help from 41 and LBJ’s libraries.

I am thrilled that friends of ours from Afghanistan, China, North Korea, and Venezuela are here as well. These are people who have experienced the absence of freedom and they know what it’s like and they know there is a better alternative to tyranny.

Laura and I are thrilled that the Bush Center supporters are here. Bernie [Tom Bernstein], I want to thank you and your committee. I call him Bernie. (Laughter.)

It’s amazing to have Secretary Albright share the stage with Condi and Ambassador Haley. For those of you that kind of take things for granted, that’s a big deal. (Laughter and Applause.) Thank you.

We are gathered in the cause of liberty this is a unique moment. The great democracies face new and serious threats – yet seem to be losing confidence in their own calling and competence. Economic, political and national security challenges proliferate, and they are made worse by the tendency to turn inward. The health of the democratic spirit itself is at issue. And the renewal of that spirit is the urgent task at hand.

Since World War II, America has encouraged and benefited from the global advance of free markets, from the strength of democratic alliances, and from the advance of free societies. At one level, this has been a raw calculation of interest. The 20^th century featured some of the worst horrors of history because dictators committed them. Free nations are less likely to threaten and fight each other.
And free trade helped make America into a global economic power.

For more than 70 years, the presidents of both parties believed that American security and prosperity were directly tied to the success of freedom in the world. And they knew that the success depended, in large part, on U.S. leadership. This mission came naturally, because it expressed the DNA of American idealism.

We know, deep down, that repression is not the wave of the future. We know that the desire for freedom is not confined to, or owned by, any culture; it is the inborn hope of our humanity. We know that free governments are the only way to ensure that the strong are just and the weak are valued. And we know that when we lose sight of our ideals, it is not democracy that has failed. It is the failure of those charged with preserving and protecting democracy.

This is not to underestimate the historical obstacles to the development of democratic institutions and a democratic culture. Such problems nearly destroyed our country – and that should encourage a spirit of humility and a patience with others. Freedom is not merely a political menu option, or a foreign policy fad; it should be the defining commitment of our country, and the hope of the world.

That appeal is proved not just by the content of people’s hopes, but a noteworthy hypocrisy: No democracy pretends to be a tyranny. Most tyrannies pretend they are democracies. Democracy remains the definition of political legitimacy. That has not changed, and that will not change.

Yet for years, challenges have been gathering to the principles we hold dear. And, we must take them seriously. Some of these problems are external and obvious. Here in New York City, you know the threat of terrorism all too well. It is being fought even now on distant frontiers and in the hidden world of intelligence and surveillance. There is the frightening, evolving threat of nuclear proliferation and outlaw regimes. And there is an aggressive challenge by Russia and China to the norms and rules of the global order – proposed revisions that always seem to involve less respect for the rights of free nations and less freedom for the individual.

These matters would be difficult under any circumstances. They are further complicated by a trend in western countries away from global engagement and democratic confidence. Parts of Europe have developed an identity crisis. We have seen insolvency, economic stagnation, youth unemployment, anger about immigration, resurgent ethno-nationalism, and deep questions about the meaning and durability of the European Union.

America is not immune from these trends. In recent decades, public confidence in our institutions has declined. Our governing class has often been paralyzed in the face of obvious and pressing needs. The American dream of upward mobility seems out of reach for some who feel left behind in a changing economy. Discontent deepened and sharpened partisan conflicts. Bigotry seems emboldened. Our politics seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication.

There are some signs that the intensity of support for democracy itself has waned, especially among the young, who never experienced the galvanizing moral clarity of the Cold War, or never focused on the ruin of entire nations by socialist central planning. Some have called this “democratic deconsolidation.” Really, it seems to be a combination of weariness, frayed tempers, and forgetfulness.

We have seen our discourse degraded by casual cruelty. At times, it can seem like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates into dehumanization. Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions – forgetting the image of God we should see in each other.

We’ve seen nationalism distorted into nativism – forgotten the dynamism that immigration has always brought to America. We see a fading confidence in the value of free markets and international trade – forgetting that conflict, instability, and poverty follow in the wake of protectionism.

We have seen the return of isolationist sentiments – forgetting that American security is directly threatened by the chaos and despair of distant places, where threats such as terrorism, infectious disease, criminal gangs and drug trafficking tend to emerge.

In all these ways, we need to recall and recover our own identity. Americans have a great advantage: To renew our country, we only need to remember our values.

This is part of the reason we meet here today. How do we begin to encourage a new, 21^st century American consensus on behalf of democratic freedom and free markets? That’s the question I posed to scholars at the Bush Institute. That is what Pete Wehner and Tom Melia, who are with us today, have answered with “The Spirit of Liberty: At Home, In The World,” a Call to Action paper.

The recommendations come in broad categories. Here they are: First, America must harden its own defenses. Our country must show resolve and resilience in the face of external attacks on our democracy. And that begins with confronting a new era of cyber threats.

America is experiencing the sustained attempt by a hostile power to feed and exploit our country’s divisions. According to our intelligence services, the Russian government has made a project of turning Americans against each other. This effort is broad, systematic and stealthy, it’s conducted across a range of social media platforms. Ultimately, this assault won’t succeed. But foreign aggressions – including cyber-attacks, disinformation and financial influence – should not be downplayed or tolerated. This is a clear case where the strength of our democracy begins at home. We must secure our electoral infrastructure and protect our electoral system from subversion.

The second category of recommendations concerns the projection of American leadership – maintaining America’s role in sustaining and defending an international order rooted in freedom and free markets.

Our security and prosperity are only found in wise, sustained, global engagement: In the cultivation of new markets for American goods. In the confrontation of security challenges before they fully materialize and arrive on our shores. In the fostering of global health and development as alternatives to suffering and resentment. In the attraction of talent, energy and enterprise from all over the world. In serving as a shining hope for refugees and a voice for dissidents, human rights defenders, and the oppressed.

We should not be blind to the economic and social dislocations caused by globalization. People are hurting. They are angry. And, they are frustrated. We must hear them and help them. But we can’t wish globalization away, any more than we could wish away the agricultural revolution or the industrial revolution. One strength of free societies is their ability to adapt to economic and social disruptions.
And that should be our goal: to prepare American workers for new opportunities, to care in practical, empowering ways for those who may feel left behind. The first step should be to enact policies that encourage robust economic growth by unlocking the potential of the private sector, and for unleashing the creativity and compassion of this country.

A third focus of this document is strengthening democratic citizenship. And here we must put particular emphasis on the values and views of the young.

Our identity as a nation – unlike many other nations – is not determined by geography or ethnicity, by soil or blood. Being an American involves the embrace of high ideals and civic responsibility. We become the heirs of Thomas Jefferson by accepting the ideal of human dignity found in the Declaration of Independence. We become the heirs of James Madison by understanding the genius and values of the U.S. Constitution. We become the heirs of Martin Luther King, Jr., by recognizing one another not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

This means that people of every race, religion, and ethnicity can be fully and equally American. It means that bigotry or white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed. (Applause.)
And it means that the very identity of our nation depends on the passing of civic ideals to the next generation.

We need a renewed emphasis on civic learning in schools. And our young people need positive role models. Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone, provides permission for cruelty and bigotry, and compromises the moral education of children. The only way to pass along civic values is to first live up to them.

Finally, the Call to Action calls on the major institutions of our democracy, public and private, to consciously and urgently attend to the problem of declining trust.

For example, our democracy needs a media that is transparent, accurate and fair. Our democracy needs religious institutions that demonstrate integrity and champion civil discourse. Our democracy needs institutions of higher learning that are examples of truth and free expression.

In short, it is time for American institutions to step up and provide cultural and moral leadership for this nation.

Ten years ago, I attended a Conference on Democracy and Security in Prague. The goal was to put human rights and human freedom at the center of our relationships with repressive governments. The Prague Charter, signed by champions of liberty Vaclav Havel, Natan Sharansky, Jose Maria Aznar, called for the isolation and ostracism of regimes that suppress peaceful opponents by threats or violence.

Little did we know that, a decade later, a crisis of confidence would be developing within the core democracies, making the message of freedom more inhibited and wavering. Little did we know that repressive governments would be undertaking a major effort to encourage division in western societies and to undermine the legitimacy of elections.

Repressive rivals, along with skeptics here at home, misunderstand something important. It is the great advantage of free societies that we creatively adapt to challenges, without the direction of some central authority. Self-correction is the secret strength of freedom. We are a nation with a history of resilience and a genius for renewal.

Right now, one of our worst national problems is a deficit of confidence. But the cause of freedom justifies all our faith and effort. It still inspires men and women in the darkest corners of the world, and it will inspire a rising generation. The American spirit does not say, “We shall manage,” or “We shall make the best of it.” It says, “We shall overcome.” And that is exactly what we will do, with the help of God and one another.

.

 

[other dog]

On 10/18/2017 at 12:44 PM, mowerman said:

 For what it’s worth I quit watching football me and the old lady were not protesting we just lost interest overpaid fools with no respect or town team or fans. Piss on them all .... just spend Sunday’s outside now...bob

Me too Bob, I haven't watched a game all year. I still watch college football, which I always liked better anyway. I like Virginia Tech and whoever happens to be playing U.Va! 

[hicrop10]

Here's a few facts that Black Lives Do Matter.If all blacks were to leave the country,which would be 13.3% of total population.Poverty down 34%, prison population down 37%, welfare down 42%,gang population down 53%,homeless down 57%,aids down 65%,IQ of the country would go up 7%,Sat scores up 100 points, National income would be up by over $20,000, BUT THE DEMOCRATS WOULD LOSE OVER 76% OF THERE VOTER BASE.Just my 2 cents worth.

[carlotpilot]

15 minutes ago, hicrop10 said:

Here's a few facts that Black Lives Do Matter.If all blacks were to leave the country,which would be 13.3% of total population.Poverty down 34%, prison population down 37%, welfare down 42%,gang population down 53%,homeless down 57%,aids down 65%,IQ of the country would go up 7%,Sat scores up 100 points, National income would be up by over $20,000, BUT THE DEMOCRATS WOULD LOSE OVER 76% OF THERE VOTER BASE.Just my 2 cents worth.

the town you live in would be a hell of a lot more user friendly to