Sarcastic Reader confronts columnists viewpoint

Dear Editor:

Brad Rhymer's guest column (What does it mean to be un-American?) questioning the prevailing notion of patriotism has me concerned.

His kind of free thinking, while quaint, only gets in the way of our modern quest to guarantee every citizen a life of absolute mental and physical security.

I blame the educational system for allowing young Rhymer to become such a loose cannon. I'm willing to bet he grew up without reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every morning and singing the national anthem before every public event. When he was young and impressionable, some degenerate teacher probably asked him some questions for which there were no simple answers. It doesn't take much.

Rhymer needs to learn that all of us in education are working hard to help all students develop three important skills: one, to show up for meetings on time; two, to appear interested while sitting through such meetings; and three, to become adept at passing standardized multiple-choice tests.

How many more Rhymers are out there, questioning authority? I don't know, but as long as there is even one, our noble mission remains unaccomplished.

Jim Glover

Associate Professor in Health Education and Recreation

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