No respect, no morals, no trust - welcome to modern Britain

[Amsel]

Maybe our education system is part of the problem. Especially with organizations like the NEA steering our childrens minds.

This is obscene to me and I can't believe the NEA is reccomending it. I take that back... I believe it.
NEA - Recommended Reading: Saul Alinsky, The American Organizer

[Maximowitz]

My God, that's almost Socialism!

[Amsel]

Originally Posted by Maximowitz

My God, that's almost Socialism!

I'd rather the teachers union focus on useful things like math, science, history, the fine arts etc. instead of the useless dribble of Saul Alinsky.
But I'm just saying.

Fine arts is especially important to learn for the children.

[Clay_Allison]

Originally Posted by Maximowitz

If you feel you need to carry concealed weapons in a school because they are "helpless targets" then there is something seriously wrong.

I'm 2 hours drive from Fort Hood. Yeah, something is definitely wrong here. Thanks for noticing.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by Njaco

Maestro, don't get me wrong. To me its not as simple as "What do you believe in?" It goes much deeper. And its personnal. Faith is personnal whether its in a higher power or in the power of the earth/nature or whatever. Maybe I'm talking about setting a foundation, something that will hold you for all your life.

An example:

I was a singer in semi-famous rock bands around the East coast. And I was immersed in that culture - drugs, drinking, all that. I am amazed at the situations I have been in and walked out without a scratch. I'm no drug addict and never have been. I was a heavy drinker until I decided to just stop.

Why? and how did I do that when I saw numerous friends who couldn't stop sticking that needle in their arm or crack open that whiskey bottle?

Because I had a foundation within me that allowed me to make decisions and the courage in the face of friends and others to stand my ground. I don't care if it was a christian belief, or jewish or muslim or athesist. It was something that gave me a foundation.

and that is what kids are missing. Yeah its the parents. But that is what the parents aren't giving the kids. A solid core.

and now I'm rambling and not making sense.

So in fact, we were argueing about the same thing but said in a different way : education.

Your education saved your ass just like my education saved mine.

Parents gave up their parenting hoping teachers would do it in their place. Oh, how they were wrong !

[bigZ]

I can see many valid points in this thread. But I don't think you can blame it on any one factor. I moved from Britain recently to New Zealand. I have 2 boys aged under 4. The lifestyle here especially for kids is fantastic with plently of facilities(Each new block of buildings require a kids park) and free events.

Something not touched upon is the destruction of the family unit. I would like to point out I am not attacking single parent mothers(my own mother was a divorcee and brought up 2 boys from an early age). Without takling the faith aspect of marriage. It is all about a couple making a solem promise to be commited to one another. A fact lost on many and pushed by the media in making it more about the event(Ring, dress ,car, location). In Britain the government often talk about family values(always worries me when a politician talks about values) but offers no incentive.

If I remmember rightly to "teach" translates from Latin to "guide". Sadly a point missed from the British education with its tick the box mentality. Just before I left school things were starting to change for the worse with regards restrictions in activites in case" little Johney got hurt", and the curtaling of school trips. Perhaps am being unfair but some of the newer teaches just couldn't command the respect that the of older generation of teachers. In fact some of the best teachers and well liked were the most feared.

Lets face it in modern western society thier is a culture of selfesness and greed. Just look at the adverts "Buy it because you deserve it ".

Fortunately I think their is still more good kids than bad. But if you believed everthing in the newspapers you would think that "teenager" is just another name for a social outcast. Its all too easy to blame the kids but I think adults need to step upto the plate.

[Njaco]

BigZ, you are right about the destruction of the family unit and it started in the 60's especially with Vatican II. The removal of faith - like I stated any faith - has created a hole within the family and left them to wander. People who never should be parents are now producing with no help on how to.

From the schools to the government, that one core foundation in us has been removed. Why is it bad to kill? Why shouldn't you steal? Where is the concense of society?

On this veterans day over half the poulation look at it as just another day off, school children don't understand (Just ask any of them how many US states there are) and those that are slightly interested are bombarded with ACLU revisonist history to the point that they don't care.

I somehow get the feeling over the past several years that when some soldier returning from Irag or Afghanistan is welcomed by his hometown that sometimes its not actually genuine but a duty because of what happened to Vietnam vets. It should be heartfelt, and for some participating it is, but sometimes I see political correctness seeping all over it. That and the fact the some elected officials just want to look good.

I have to back off as I'm getting alittle political and I don't want to foul up the thread.