As a self-taught writer, artist, philosopher, spiritualist, futurist, and having been an 8th grade drop-out.

(Shhh... don't tell my kids)

I could fill a library with my opinions regarding the importance of restructuring the educational principles, values, and ethics currently being deprived in the public school system, and in America.

The irony is, I was initially attempting to answer an interesting question pertaining to reforming the school system in the USA, posted by another hubster... and wah-lah, a philosophical journey began. (My sincere apoligies for NOT answering that hub's question, as the answer which followed grew into a more exploited view than anticipated, all on it's own!)

First and foremost, the only weapon we have to combat ignorance; is intelligence.

Sadly, for a country founded by such intelligent men/women, it's irrefutable that our intellect has deminished to some degree, yet our technology and tools have increased?

Just read the literary accomplishments of our founding fathers. Compare it to today's top-notch writer's, and in my opinon, today's use of the English language has been basterdized, and fallen victim to a degree.

(*No disrespect to writer's intended, as I am one.)

Perhaps Newton's theory was applicable in more areas than just gravity, and laws of motion.

It's become apparent if you apply his theory in any subject; mental, physical, or even spiritual... The result proves:

To apply force to any of these subjects is returned by an equal and opposite reaction by the opposing force.

We fight for freedom, we're attacked and slowly enslaved.

We promote education, teacher's wages are cut.

We go to church, and people often preach, or enact the opposite of the wisdoms taught.

Clearly, our government preaches "Change" and yet Education, Health Care, Minimum Wage, are long over due to find increase and resolve, as the descending trends set over the past 50 years is now proving fatal to economic interests, family values, societal principles, and our efforts in preserving and protecting both the planet, and our own human decencies.

It's certifiably a far cry from "The Brady Bunch", "Leave It To Beaver" or "The Little House On the Prairie" that's for damn sure.

So let's outsource the blue-collar jobs, manufacturing, and increase the bottom lines of foriegn countries, big business, and oil, all the while pretending to build financial security for our countrymen/women.

Couple the frustrations of the parents who need to work 80 hrs per week, whilst televisions, the internet, and the all too disllusional acceptance & ignorance of these pathetic reality tv shows pushing complacency upon the youth to become hell bent on opposing both labor and education, for the exchange of prostituting their minds to think, everyone's their own movie star, celebrity, or self-proffessed MySpace King or Queen.

Since that's not insulting enough, let's abuse the traditions of our founding fathers, ancestry, and remove the spirited teachings and moral fibers that sewn the essence of freedom into our flag, our hearts, minds, and souls. A practice slowly disappearing as has the circulation of our money, in an all out "ball-less" effort to appease the apathetic greed riddled minority.

Forgive my rant, as this "All-Seeing-Eye" sees family values, faith, truth, honor, loyalty, and most importantly: respect for our own heritage caught in the flow... and we all know which way that goes!

Meanwhile, it's all I can see, as it wisks by while I'm steadiliy trying to swim upstream, and escape the inevidable vortex!

I don't care if you're Christian, Diest, Agnostic, or even Atheist.

I don't care what color you are!

I don't care how much money you earn, or your academic accomplishments, or even your sexual preference!

But I'll be damned if I can sit back, and eat steak, whilst my fellow countrymen/women are impailed by a stake from behind.

Then listen as the echoes are sure to manipulate the tale, to become a folklore of magestic proportions, as was that of our beloved Halloween favorite Count Dracula.

Be it my honest opinion, but America is almost a mirrored image of the collapse of the Roman Empire.

How did they fall again?

Oh yeah that's right...., they outsourced their war efforts to once thought expendible; German Barbarians, which brought upon a mixture of racial and prejudicial issues, as well as a mixture in the once pure Roman bloodlines.

Then the Roman Government was 'rumored' to have abused taxation, and the people's efforts to maintain their well being, and the establishment of the empire. Sounds Familar!

And, lastly, the Catholic values, virtues, and traditional principles maintained in the Roman's spiritual pratices were intruded by; Option B, when Christianity found a foothole into the status quo, creating religious debates, wars, a choice, and dessimation towards both religions.

Eventually, creating war & fighting from within the empire for something neither party official owned, and could never uphold through the practice of murdering each other! Yet, we see this here today across the globe, as the 10,000 year old battle forges on, and by ignorance people attempt to take ownership over the name, rather than employ the wisdoms taught in a multitude of wise teachings.

Yeah, blame it on Allah, and fetch 72 virgins.The painful part is, I stopped calling myself a Christian. Not because my beliefs changed. Instead, I got tired of having to defend a faith, due to variables in a name, practice, or interpretation thereof!

Hmmmm... Again, I am perplexed to imagine how this country will ever rebalance, when we've learned nothing other than the fact that a man's appetite will always preceed his will! ~Go a few days without food, then ask yourself how that poor homeless lady can boisterously dig through garbage to find nutrition. Yet, we laugh, shake our heads, and complain it's too close to our back-yard!

Where lies my hope when my eyes see, and yet the harder I push to be empathetic, and helpful...the more I am educated as to how apathetic many are, and that's hurtful. Funny thing is; it's easier to be ignorant. The problem is knowing the difference, and still watching as our own people starve in the street.

A dog has a better chance at being rescued than a person, so where's our true values?

Perhaps, at the corner hardware store, buying a stronger lock? a fire proof case? a gun? and loading up om greed meter bullets trying, hoping, and praying [to a set of virtues based on a God many do not serve] all while asking that we never become the garbage dwelling homeless person?

Meanwhile,to preserve any nation, this world, and protect mankind's humanitarian efforts, people musn't fear speaking against the powers that be, as it's obvious "We the People" [the majority] by far out number the minority dictating the terms of our liberties and freedoms.

The very minority of people that are slowly inducing a silent fear into the majority, and then calling it conformity, superiority, or better still; in the interest of unity!

Ultimately, I respect the efforts of our current administration, and even still, is it enough to sit in silent wait, doing nothing... hoping and begging for change?

I think we all own stock in the outcome.

I'm guilty for having been ignorant at times, as are nearly all of us. The defining character difference being, those who acknowledge these hinderances, and elect to employ a sincere effort to pursue a resolve, and to correct upon it... rather than just sit around & bitch!

Complacenty is a silent killer!

I personally despise it!

In fact, I believe that is the main factor that eventually killed the powerful Roman Empire. They got complacent! They got fat! They got lazy! They got what they deserved!

As probability has it, so then will we, if we continue down the path we're traveling as a nation, as a whole!

(Not that I welcome or condone such a punishment, nor do I respect the Romans any less)

Fortunately, I elect to believe in a Higher Power. I won't name names, God forbid, it might start a war, or another egotistical display of ignorant debate... whereby science(s) & religion(s) alike proffess to have ownership over "evil-lation" (evolution), and yet fails to respect the mysterious voids in nearly every great mystery remaining to our very existence. While the Relious finatics kill to preserve a teaching that despises murder, judgment, and claiming ownership over that which nobody owns, but was meant to be shared equally... wisdom!

As it's my theory to seek, find, gather, and share pieces of wisdoms abundance... it appears Newton's theory aforementioned applies, it can only be measured and weighed by equal measures of ignorance!

Thus, blaming the economy... cutting the teacher's wages is to the likeness of training the apes to be dumb, and incubate them in a zoo-like state of awe & shock....

*Metaphorical interpretation of the last paragraph meaning: under-educate the public/society/youth long enough, and soon nobody will notice the absence of truth, integrity, honor, and loyalty, and the robbery that's taking place. Yeah... $4.00 for a gallon of gas, highest quarterly profits ever recorded for oil companies in the midst of a reccession, and a we limp away like chimps with a sore ass, a flat wallet, and NO Banana!

Not very stimulating in my opinion. [Kinda like the checks nobody saw]

Don't get me started...

I might start pushing for the legalization of marijauna, as it has less potential threats and side affects than 80% of the FDA's tranquil pharmaceutical remedies!

And, would rebalance the economy... but no, we'll just raise health care rates, spike the pharmeceutical costs for the now medically addicted & abused, while lowering the insurance rates a point or two to ensure our emergency rooms, doctors, and surgeons can get a little richer, write more scripts, to cause the poor, addicted, afflicted to get just a little sicker, and then the news & media can pollute our minds into believing this level of ignorant bullshit is normal everyday happenstance. Which eventually causes people to get immune to giving a damn, and literally becoming "Comfortably Numb" as Pink Floyd stated 30 years ago.

It amazes me just how timeless insightful wisdom is, yet try explaining the arts scientifically, not to mention poetry, music, second sight, supernatural, paranormal, and phenomenon, etc.

Now, consider what I said about training apes...

Lead the people through psychosis to 'think' hard labor, honest work, morals, values, virtues, and ethics are a thing of the past... by preaching the silent complacencies of security, prosperity, and freedom.

But all the while secretly burying the unknown power of philosophical insight and independent thinking, such as was so with; Socrates {poisoned} Christ {crucified} Martin Luther {escaped death} William Tyndale {burned at the stake} Martin Luther King Jr. {Shot}.... I could go on, but the point is "We the People" cannot, must not, and should not be so ignorant as to place too much reliance in any leadership who is bias towards producing the best results for the majority!

Again, we the 'little' people are the majority. Yet, only 1-5% rule the 95-99% of the rest?

So, when I here the question, do we need to step-up education here in the United States... You're damn right we do. As a high-school drop-out forced into the work force to avoid further pressure to a poverty situation, I did both!

I worked, and educated myself. Only there's some confusion as to what the word education means. Education is a state of mind, and employing the use of intelligence. This is not limited to academically acquired information, as one can easily argue that a parrot can retain & repeat things by simple measure of repetition.

Therefore, furthering ones exploration of intelligence is often acquired in both the academic arena (college, trade schools, vocational, etc...) whereby, I challenge anyone to put a person in the field cultivating a harvest for 4 years straight. Then put a person in a classroom for 4 years straight studying cultivation, and what you'll get is two people who know farming & cultivation. But one can do it, while unless a physical adaptation takes place the student would in probability starve, for the 1st year or two if to explore the field option.

We here train ourselves to believe; the student is the superior over the field man/woman. We project he/she who can dictate but cannot deliver is a leader. We simply put have been baited like the portrait I drew, and posted below of a monkey drawn to a banana.

No wonder 1-5% rule this nation. It's not the money. It's not any super-power or limitation of ones influences or environment growing up. It's not Mommy & Daady's fault... It's our own damn fault for craving the banana, and rather than refuse to accept the terms of the minority, we remain silent, until our will is silently broken, surpassed by our hunger, and finally the terms of the banana start looking good!

Just ask yourself; "Did I pick my job as an act of passion?" ~Or~ "Did my job pick me?"

Same concept, different shackles!

So, as I remain optomistic, and respect our military, my country, and the fact that our government has a multitude of responsibilities to contain, maintain, and defend in our honor, I can honestly swear to God to the flag or under oath, that I am not anti-American, nor anti-Government. I will not solely label myself Democratic or Republican or Liberal or Consrvative, as I believe in the Republic and for which it Stands = Democracy, and Freedom requires a tempered balance of Conservatism & Liberism.

Too much of any of these, and bias disregard intrudes, and as such I prefer to be a philosopher over that of politically correct. Simply because to be politically correct is the minority's stronghold, and crosses the thresholds of the majority's liberty & freedom, which then transmutes in a whisper as an oxy-moron!

I am anti-ignorant...

No matter who's driving that bus! But I'd bet the farm, and my shrinking retirement, there not only needs to be changes, reform, tactical, practical, and rational approaches made to advancing the education system, it goes for for our democracy as well.

For to continur down the path we are exploring, is a sure-fired disaster. Personally, some say ignorance is blind, and for those genuine cases I am forgiving. But having skipped a few stones accross the lake of fire in my day, in many experimental explorations, I can honestly say, Hell is not a place I care to remain, nor revisit... But if need be, I'll follow a demon's ass straight to the pit to guide him home safely, full well knowing what team I'm playing for, and where I'll be sooner... or later.

Here I meant to edit one sentence that read fowl, and again...wah-lah, I find myself ready to write the next chapter, whereas, we discuss solving the problems together, rather than opposing each other, or bitching, as I admit in times like this is almost acceptable, but only if to lead to resolutions and rebuiding trust and integrity here in our schools, our homes, society, and our government.

Unlike the trillions being pissed away for everything from cricket research to educating, housing, and feeding people in other countries before meeting the demands of our own.

"Then you'll have what we had here last week [ or President], which is the way he [or they] wants it. Well, he [they] gets it, and I don't like it any more than you men/women.!"

Compliments of "Cool Hand Luke" and found in Guns 'n' Roses song- "Civil War"

Yet, Does history teach us nothing?

Does the fall of the Roman Empire even ring a bell?

If we don't step it up, we're doomed!

Forget about money! The problem is rooted much deeper. The tolerance for ignorance is now evident in goverment, academics, society, and all points between. We've become master-debator's, and pro-crastonator's!

"Liberism is like marijuana... it's NOT so threatening when used in MODERATION!" ~Art Moran

Let's get real people. I love this country, and like my fathers before me, I feel we need another Martin Luther, Patrick Henry, or Andrew Carnegie. Perhaps, another 60's revolution, minus the LSD!

The constitutions in which established the early institutions of this great nation, are clearly worth fighting for, and yet... the real fight is insight, knowledge, and wisdom. We should give our right arms to ensure the youth of this country recieves the BEST teachers money can buy, add a few courses of ethics, meditation practices, and encourage individuals to inwardly seek spiritual insight, outwardly becoming empathetic, rather than apathetic, and instead of denouncing the unknown and ever-present void that hungers understanding of the ominescient mystery, embrace it... and maybe, just maybe, there's still hope for America.

(If the Myan's calender is scientifically viable regarding the year 2012? it won't matter, but it doesn't mean it's a free pass to become stupid, or justify any further tolerance for accepting ignorance that we've adopted into our daily grind! ~I'll bet my grand-parents would be rolling in their graves if they were privy to see the changes today in the 10-15 years since they perished and moved on!

~Think I'm wrong?

Great... Watch the news and see if you don't find it easy to weigh yourself against humanity by the sheer impact another's ignorance, as someone else's ass crosses a threshold you have not!

It doesn't take hypnotism or a 6th sense to know we all shake our heads thanking God, or counting our lucky atoms and molecular stars, when we watch the evening news anymore. Everyone of us is repulsed by the multitude of segments showing one ignorance after another, and often the only good we can find is patting ourselves on the back, as if to say:

"Well I might be messed-up, but not like that guy/gal. So we judge or in the least weigh ourselves against what media eventually establishes as normal occurances. Heck, a few more teachers having extra-relations with 16 year old kid, and soon people will be screaming to lift the age limits on that too! (As an example only)

The point is we weigh ourselves by societal scales that do NOT exist!

We are taught to weigh ourselves against a society that at large doesn't exactly have all the answers, but implies the thought "majority rules!"

So why the is the majority the ones suffering?

Who's fault is it?

How do we fix it?

Where can we turn when our jobs are all outsourced?

Where the heck did God Go?

Did science swallow God? and in doing so, slowly gobble up virtues by removing the element of respect for powers we do not control, but as scientist are only privileged to study?

Who are you?

Who am I?

Oh, look out, cause... in between my determination for success, and reaching a level of financial freedom, I too am aiming to set others free as well. Am I a genius, I think not. For if I were in one subject, I'd lack in another!

I seek the truth, and walk in the balance between heaven & Hell, trying to avoid being evil or struck by it, as well as welcoming angels to know I'll never be one !

I sincerely need to end this, as I am actually almost affraid to post it, as I cannot begin to imagine how this will be viewed, critiqued, welcomed, or attacked. I am prepared to expect all thee above as probability has it, we all interpret thing s different as with food, sex, beer, and music!

Then, we determine what's acceptible by pointing fingers at others or another's mistakes!

In my attempt to make my decent, and land this Boeing safely, We simply cannot defeat ignorance by beating it with a sword forged in the blood of the ignorant and blind. [Like the terrorist Video I recieved today in a private pm on 5 star forums.It wasn't exactly pleasent to hear Bin Laden being praised, and our President being ridiculed! ~And to think, I never knew these types of videos like the one I got today "The Beginning of the End," are being blasted all over our video networks.[But the comment from 1 American was enlightening]

Certainly, by exposing and exploiting ignorance, we learn humility is an awesome tool, as with the news and media when used appropriately to inform, equip, and educate....But, without providing solution or educating principles to follow it up, we are merely allowing pestilence to gain a foothold, and slowing inch it's way deeper into all our lives... until finally we accept it as normal.

That to me is BULLSHIT!

As a cultivator, I aim to bury bullshit, plant seeds, and share in the harvest of knowledge, and the storehouses of wisdom as we clearly have an obligation to one another, and that which is mysteriously entos. (Greek= "Within Our Midst")

Trying to find a starting point to bridge the gaps of indifference created by mankind, is seemingly becoming the equivalent of screaming at the deaf, or using flash cards in the pressence of the blind.

(*No disrespect intended to the handicapped, lord knows I am fascinated by those such as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Jeff Healey and more...).

In my closing to this argument against the importance of increasing our educating efforts in America, I am often sadly under-estimated due to my leaving school early.

Yet, I could easily list a few hundred, if not thousnds who set the standard before the educational principles became ruled by beauracratical ineptitudes (political attitudes, lol), and the IQ of individuals became noted as to how well one could recite anothers life passions & work, rather than be passionate and more focused on expanding, creating, pursuing, or succeeding at each students pace, and level of understanding on his/her own independent ability, passions, areas of interest, etc...

To reform this country, morally & in regard to socioeconomic growth, we need to determine whole-heartedly the decision below for starters....

The ultimate conquest is to determine when to be forgiving? ~VS~

When NOT to be too tolerant or too Liberal, and invoke Law?

Somewhere between the two lies the resolve. And unlike the guy in the pic below, I know the answers out there, and I'm certainly not ready to put my tail (nor my head) between my legs, for to do so would feed the problem, not the resolve.

**In truth, I had no intention of expressing such a explosive rant, and yet in a medative way, I feel my writing spirit has just devourred my exoskeletol concerns for being politically correct, and beyond doubt, or perhaps opinion...I needed that out!

(If I offended anyone undeservingly it wasn't intentional.

As for terrorists, which includes American's knowingly promoting ignorance, and spreading pestilence... I'm not sorry, and for some they're lucky I am still choosing forgiveness, cause when tolerance reaches the end, this dog will hunt!

For by God as my witness, I am much more a philosopher than a politician, and had people learned to listen, and implement a stronger philosophy in their daily lives concerning the metaphysical principles of mind, body, and soul... and getting those 3 elements to get along...

Then maybe, just maybe there's a chance we can help those like the guy in the picture below' who are practicing ignorance, to become aware; that their decisions, actions, & efforts, will always be measured the outcome. Now learning from those results, be it miraculous or disasterous, it is there we find those values, intrests, and principles are investments far more valuable then money, silver, or gold.

Unfortunately, we live in a captolistic society, as we should pay more to the educator's, hang those who repeatedly violate the privilege life affords us, and learn to bury the bullshit where it belongs, back into America's rich soil.

Until then, I'm just an artist, a poet, philosopher, writer, architect, engineer, father, student, teacher, visionary, comedian, psychologist in training, and a million other things... none of which do I desire to honor more than preserving the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and awesome insight behind those who founded this great land!

Now, I just need to figure out how the hell we allowed stupidity to intrude and embed itself into the bossom of this great nation!

In the pursuit of peace, love, and happiness... one must ask themselves;

Am I a Cultivator?

~OR~

A Predator?

To Be Continued....

As I have several thousands of hand-written pages of writings concerning matters of philosophy, psychology, business ethics, self-development, overcoming addictions, and afflictions, I sincerely hope the readers are patient, as it's taken me nearly 5 years to interpret some of the deeper meanings in my writings, and continues to open my eyes wider everyday, there is a positive message I am confident will touch others, as it's touched me while exploring my writing passions, and oddly... I cannot pinpoint th source from which it transmutes, nor found me!

I will tell anyone with a similar passion don't ponder too long, you might try something stupid like the guy below!

Until next time, may you find peace, happiness, and tranquility. As for me, writing is all thee above, and more.

~Art Moran (rewrite from original hub)1:44am 7-1-09