Gastonia, NC Correspondent-The Amber Alert system has proven to be a very powerful tool in locating and rescuing missing and endangered children nationwide. Yes, having your phone go off at an inopportune time with an alert can be annoying, and often the digital signs along the freeway seem to have incomplete information, but overall the … Continue reading Do amber alerts place more importance on people with children and their domestic problems? Should alerts be extended to missing adults and pets?
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)?
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 … Continue reading 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)?
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?
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. However, … 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?
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?
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 … 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?
Symposium 2016: Should drivers be required to pass annual driving tests to improve road safety?
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 … Continue reading Symposium 2016: Should drivers be required to pass annual driving tests to improve road safety?
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?
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 … 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?
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?
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 … 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?
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?
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 … 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?
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?
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 … 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?
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?
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 … 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?
