Do you think ordinary people wonder about all of the value placed

[patrice]

on embryoes compared to the lack of value assigned to non-combatants killed in the line of duty?

I mean ordinary people here, not the DU, just people listening to the evening news and they hear about Bush's veto today - do they notice the contradiction that Bush's War poses? What do you think?

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Depends on whether they ever actually process information--

you know, like, think, or whether they just acquire opinions from various corporate media sources and parrot them.

[patrice]

4. Almost everyone thinks to some degree or other and this

question doesn't seem to take much thinking power to form, but then I'm probably not a good judge of that, so I'm having trouble imagining the average reaction to Bush's veto.

[neoblues]

5. While there are considerable numbers of people...

far more intelligent than myself... it's evident that for some of us, the question of what goes through the minds of "average" people (along with those within say 30% (or more) above "average" and all those below "average"), is very difficult to comprehend.

Try to imagine seeing the world in simpler terms. Imagine going through the day simply not understanding so many things. Recognize that truly expansive numbers of people cannot even read and understand anything much more complex than the briefest of texts--say a few sentences of obvious language. Imagine that there really are people who have to be told not to use the electric blow-dryer while sitting in a bathtub full of water (having somehow never been told either that it's dangerous or the basics of why; presumably they didn't know what it was that 'got' them whenever they experienced an electric shock--or they've never been shocked). I don't know...

It wasn't many decades ago when I just assumed most people had a reasonable level of both intelligence and education. Then again, I myself didn't pay a great deal of attention to the rest of the world, politics included. Alas, in the last eight or ten years (especially since Bush), I've come to have a growing concern that... by at least a small majority, the "public" is composed of seriously intellectually challenged individuals. Many are simply dumber than fenceposts. I suppose nearly all of them voted for Bush, and most of those who did not, simply were unable to get through the process of voting without making a mistake.

I remain hopeful, however, that if we can improve our schools (both in the sense of effectively teaching and in making schools and learning as interesting and fun as possible to keep students engaged) and ensure that everyone gets a good education (everyone can afford to stay in school, have the books and clothes necessary, gets whatever counseling is needed, etc), we can improve this situation. Alas, "Education" is suffering worse than ever and governmental social services/programs are being cut (and will continue to be--considering our ever growing and long-term level of Debt). It will take serious re-prioritization, and that will require a different party having major majorities in our government. Hopefully we'll achieve this someday, soon. I just hope it's not too late (for so many things).

[patrice]

6. I agree that the needed changes have to begin with real Education.

I taught high school for 10 years (AP Psychology and English). The experience has lead me to the conclusion that we should have year-round school, tri-mesters, perhaps, separated by good-sized breaks, classes from 8a.m. to 8p.m., don't take attendance - just teach those who want to be there, but allow anyone of any age to return, to individually appropriate curriculum, whenever they decide to go ahead and do the work.

I'm afraid you may be right about that "small majority". That makes each and every person who begins to wake up and think really for themselves so very significant.

[Vincardog]

2. Considering the Fristians believe that destroying those clumps of cells

involves "Ripping them limb from limb" it does no good to try to ascribe logic to their thinking.

When you remember that this veto is a vote to throw those cells in the trash instead of using them to do good, you have to wonder at their "Values".

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Well..... one you can do something about.... and the other,

you can do something about.... but I don't think they see it that way at all.