Society

Homeowners and investors in real estate pay substantial taxes to fund local school operations. Should property owners who don’t have children be exempt from the school portion of local property taxes or should their portion of school taxes be diverted to other public services such as fire and police protection (or another service)?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gastonia, NC Correspondent-Public education is just that: It’s for the public, and for the benefit of the public at large.  The education of our children isn’t only for the benefit of their parents or their families, it’s a huge benefit to the entire American society.

Say I’m a single man in my 50s who’s never married and never fathered any children.  I own my own business, make a comfortable living and own a nice house in the suburbs.  It would seem that I probably have a case to argue that I shouldn’t have to pay taxes to support the local schools, right?  Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: Liberals are still reeling from the election win and have appeared to have gone into breakdown mode over the results. Instead of acceptance, they have created a world unto themselves. Will their radical agenda continue and should they be allowed to have a stranglehold on others?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Owatonna, MN Correspondent- I was truly amazed by the depth of despair displayed by so many Democratic voters after the November elections. I heard numerous anecdotes about people in tears, depressed, talking about moving to Canada or another country, and viewing Donald Trump’s victory as the end of the world as we know it. Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: Are people who choose to have pets rather than children discriminated against? With the perception that pets are now part of a family, should laws be changed to prevent businesses from discriminating against people who have pets?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Myrtle Beach, SC Correspondent- As a proud dog-Mom I would say yes! Now, let me clarify, I KNOW my dog is NOT a child nor do I treat him like one. However, he’s expensive! I keep him up to date on shots, feed him, take him to the vet for ear infections, buy him toys and treats, new beds, $22 a night when we leave town, the list goes on. Also, he was adopted from our local Humane Society a Non-profit. I think we are discriminated against for the sheer fact we can’t deduct a portion of their care. But, that’s not really what this question is about. Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: Should drivers be required to pass annual driving tests to improve road safety?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gastonia, NC Correspondent- If you think the wait times at the DMV are long now, wait until an idea like this one takes hold.  I think it’s ridiculous to propose yearly driving tests, although I wouldn’t argue with making them mandatory every 7 years or so, or more frequently if a driver has been found guilty of offenses like DUI and texting while driving, which indicate a lack of appreciation for the seriousness of motoring.  The average person’s faculties don’t deteriorate significantly enough from year to year to make an annual driving test anything other than a tremendous waste of time and resources. Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: The idea of real men, “Alpha Males,” and manhood in general seems to have taken a long detour from the American landscape. Is society in a downfall because of this phenomenon, and is there anything constructive that can be done to bring manhood back from the brink?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gastonia, NC Correspondent- I am fortunate enough to have found one of the few remaining women who not only “lets” me run the household, but outright demands that I “be the man” in our daily affairs.  I’m not a dictator, but when the final decision comes, it’s mine to make for good or ill.  I am not a strutting egomaniac or petty tyrant, but when I deal with others my self-confidence usually gets me the outcome I desire.  For too long, alpha males have been lumped in with guys who are pushy and overly aggressive because they actual lack confidence and real masculinity.  I eat those guys for breakfast, and any woman worth her salt won’t give them the time of day.  Alpha males built this country, and it’s time for them to reclaim their status and realize that there’s not a damned thing wrong with being male. Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: There is an ongoing controversy raging as to whether Uber is an internet transportation connection as opposed to a full transportation provider. In reality, is Uber a full transportation provider due to the services it offers?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gastonia, NC Correspondent- The radical within me cheers services like Uber and Lyft for the way they are overturning the applecart and making the ossified taxi system in most cities scramble to compete.  On a recent visit to St. Paul, Minn., I took three cab rides and four Uber rides.  All three cabs were in dire need of maintenance, and the first one reeked of burger grease so strongly that my fiancee’s coat had to go to the cleaners.  Three of the four Uber drivers were highly professional, driving very comfortable newer-model vehicles and charging about half what the cab would have. The fourth was a very odd woman who played a radio evangelist on the radio while keeping a top speed of 45 on the busy freeway, but at least the car was clean.  The fact, however, is that Uber is a full transportation provider.  The last Uber driver told me that Uber had helped her get the car she was driving, and if that’s not akin to Yellow Cab providing the battered old Dodge van in which we were picked up at the airport, I’m not sure what is.  I hate the idea that changing its status will make Uber a less attractive option, but I can’t deny the facts. Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: America’s original values and its culture have been undermined for at least 50 years or more with a resulting deconstruction of what the term America or American means. Is there true deterioration? If so, how can it be remedied?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Owatonna, NC Correspondent- To say that America’s values and culture have been undermined implies deliberate action by a person or group who is (are) intentionally working to “destroy” what once was in terms of culture and values. I’m not sure it’s quite as simple as wanton destruction. As more and different subgroups of Americans claim a direct stake in our society, these groups will work to change our culture in ways that will either right past wrongs or give them a greater say in the important decisions we make as a nation. They will also have more input into what we accept as normal in our daily lives.

Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: Two classic books, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird are no longer permitted reading for students in a county in Virginia. These classics and others have had a history of being banned in schools and libraries across the country. Should these books and others be banned, and who should have the say-so in such decisions?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Owatonna, MN Correspondent- Three issues are at play here: free speech, the rights of individual school districts to teach children the way they think is best, and political correctness. It has always been my belief that freedom of expression is the most important Constitutional right in America. Everything else stems from that core right. I also believe that local government should be the most important level of government. Each locality should have the freedom to govern in the best interest of their constituents. Political correctness is the 800-pound gorilla in the room that casts a cloud over race relations because far too many people are trying to legislate morality by controlling what words can, can’t, should, or shouldn’t be spoken in public. Continue reading →

Symposium 2016: The word hero is one that is bandied about quite regularly and seems to be applied to almost anyone just doing his or her job? Is the term overused and should hero status be assigned or given to only a certain few?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent- The word hero is one that is overused and political correctness has allowed its overuse. Now it seems that anyone can be a hero, and it has gotten to the point that the word has lost its real significance. Nowadays it seems that a person can be a hero automatically, solely through their trade or profession. Everyone is awarded a prize or honorary award simply for doing ordinary, everyday things. Continue reading →

A judge in Texas recently ordered a school to restore a Charlie Brown Christmas decorative display that had been ordered taken down by the school principal and local school district. Should schools be allowed to incorporate Christmas-related displays during the holidays?

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gastonia, NC Correspondent-The continual hand-wringing over Christmas in the schools is getting quite tiresome.  It’s not as if there are any punishments handed out for failing to participate in the rituals, and no one’s forcing a non-observant child to dress in swaddling clothes and lay in a manger.  I have one child in elementary school and another in middle school, both in quite “liberal” schools, and both have a variety of seasonal observances throughout December. Continue reading →