Totally disagree with you on the teaching thing - especially at the college level. It is impossible to not show some bias in teaching. The history of our country is one great example. In elementary school, I was taught about the "cowboys and indians" and of course the cowboys were *always* the good guys. That certainly was some bias. Now, I do think elementary school should be as factual as possible...but once you get to a certain point in mental development (hopefully around college), it's good to see all the boundaries out there that exist (or lack thereof)...from the fanatical to the middle. Nothing wrong with that...it encourages different and critical schools of thought. But I understand the right's refusal to even consider such a nasty, terrible concept!
As for Islamic fundamentalists and their teachings - there was a great article on that matter in last weekend's Wall Street Journal. But this type of fanaticism is very different from public schools - so you lost me on the point you were trying to make there. Often, the fundamentalists are taught fundamentalist views from a very early age - programmed, if you will. Last I checked, that doesn't happen in America!?! Well...maybe Bob Jones University here...should we shut that down? It's quite extreme and fundamentalist.
And it's quite contradictory of you to say we're wrong for bringing bias to the classroom and then blindly impose your religious bias on everyone else. Religion is not a bad thing but belongs in the homes and churches of it's members, not forced down other people's throats. The word God implies a single, Christian diety. So I don't want to see statements about faith in God in public places. Faith is a beautiful thing (fundamentalists excluded), but having such "public proclamations" does not acknowledge other faiths - and faith, as we all know, is one of the most passionate issues on this planet. Let everyone practice and enjoy their faith without negative pressure for their beliefs.
My argument about the current administration doesn't blame them for everything (although we appear to be heading in that direction). My argument blames them for a failure to faithfully pursue diplomacy via the U.N. before taking this action. THAT is what I blame the administration for.
And your definition of hypocrisy fits the Bush administration perfectly. Here N. Korea has been *begging* us to confront them and we haven't. Why? Is it because Iraq was a much easier target and victory? Our efforts to "send a message" to other countries is questionable. N. Korea sees *more* need to have nukes now - because of an aggressive U.S. policy. So did we accomplish that objective? I'll bet they'll pay twice as much and work twice as hard to get more nukes now. Three cheers for brilliant foreign policy (sarcasm, of course)!!! Hmmm....(so sorry...I'm on fire today, listened to some conservative show today that really irked me...they claim to be fact-based but they spent so much time name calling and citing zero facts - and yet they claim *liberals* to be the name-callers! Where was that definition of hypocrisy again?!?)
On the journalist-killing issue...see this article and consider an eyewitness account - or does that count as evidence anymore?
Oh that's right, it's not on Fox or Rush. Don't believe it.
Jonsonia, not many people are speaking against this war for several reasons. First, the right in America has seen a great insurgence since Bush came to be - a once silent minority has suddenly found a voice and they don't know how to shut up (yet). Second, I think a lot of people are afraid - with the Patriot Act and Patriot Act II, there is a perceived crackdown on civil liberties - be it true or false. Finally, since two days before the war, public opinion has indeed shifted here. Most Americans agree with this war - and numbers have increased as success became apparent. The "fair-weather" supporter - that is, those who support it so long as it is going good - has turned this war into a very popular action stateside.
In closing - I am *so* glad to see the pictures we saw today. At least we are welcome by some. As usual though, the media clipped out some of the Iraqi's protesting against our presence (saw 'em live, but they disappeared from the evening news). Once again the right-wing censorship movement is running in high gear. Regardless, hopefully the rest of the world will take the good out of this situation...but I do share aidance's concerns...
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