Promoting American values will go a long way

It will take a new generation of leaders to do it.

Civility of words and voice is one American value that needs a boost. Self-censorship in terms of the golden rule and using good manners needs new leaders to promote it by words, voice, example, and deed.

Recognizing individuals and groups who display behavior and deeds that benefit their community or the country also needs a boost. There are so many good things going on that recognition and promotion by the media will be a business boost to the media. Political recognition of American values and those who work towards them will benefit most politicians seeking bipartisan election support of their constituency.

Recognizing and promoting the Constitution and such simple principles as the rule of law, the checks and balances against abuses, and the nature of how a republic works are parts of required high school civics courses that must be taught to all American students, and not as an elective. American history must be a required course in high school, also. If there are not enough hours to teach all courses, then elective courses like pet care must fall by the wayside. It will take new American leaders to mandate this. Ignorance is not bliss. A generation of young Americans exposed to this kind of American values and leadership will probably later require mandatory English language education in high schools, negating today’s remedial college courses, and making our educated American workers even more competitive.

Hollywood can even be a part of this future leadership. Much as Hollywood took cigarettes out of movies to de-glamorize smoking, it has the potential to do the same for American values. It will take many more new leaders than exist there today, and the leftist people who still do today’s blacklisting for their own ideology will have to die off, or just fade away. For an industry that responds to the bottom line, Hollywood is just crying for new business leaders to change course if they are to survive, and hopefully prosper in making a profit.

What Americans don’t need is today’s political leaders and their staffs trying to take advantage of all this. They are part of the problem, and not the solution. Their opportunities have come and gone. Rather, those that define American values are defined by parents, and couples, and religious organizations, and schools as to mandatory high school courses. Voters must do what it takes to keep the government at all levels from telling us what American values are.

It will take new leaders, and perhaps a new national party. But as in changing the course of a big ship such as an aircraft carrier, it does take time, and new leaders to guide the newer course. In all this is hope for our great nation.