I'm glad it's called a 'race' because each of the candidates is racing to see what dirt they can sling on the other. Last, but certainly not least is the presidential race. Are you kidding me? Teenagers who are terrorizing cities? Where are we heading? This is becoming the norm, rather than the exception. Today, they are 16, 17, 18, and being sent to jail for the rest of their young lives for murder and worse. For the most part, these punks and thugs were well into their 30s and 40s. I look at stories from the 1920s and '30s, in the days of Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, gangs and mobs who terrorized entire cities and states. Is that where we have gone wrong? Is that why people are so angry, hostile and dangerous? God can only be mentioned in whispers in public places, Christmas, Easter, displays, religious sayings, anything to do with any higher power are subject to criticism should they be displayed in public buildings.

That brings me to another 'protective' agency, the ACLU, which supposedly protects the inalienable rights of everyday citizens, but also removes the most basic of rights of others. Those of us who grew up in that era are certainly no worse for that discipline. We have agencies that protect children from abuse, and that is a wonderful thing, but it takes the lowest form of discipline out of the household, as well. Today, that action can get you severe repercussions by child protective agencies. I was raised in an era where parents, police, teachers, anyone in authority, were to be respected, and you got your mouth slapped if you used even the mildest form of profanity. Things like people who cut you off at four-way stop signs when you have the right of way people who fly down roadways at speeds well above the limit, weaving in and out of traffic, and endangering everyone else on the road people who think directional signals are optional equipment on their cars people blasting radios in tight neighborhoods, regardless of time of day (or night!) people who think it's OK to use the most offensive language imaginable on the streets, in stores, in school, anywhere they want absentee landlords who don't care any more about their buildings or tenants than the rents they collect. We are seeing this 'gimme, gimme' in every walk of life. I don't want to see the tax-paying people get hurt, and I hope they won't take unnecessary chances. Now, I assume these punks and thugs don't claim their robbery earnings to the IRS, so I'm going to use the term 'tax-paying people' to refer to the ones who do. I can well understand their being fed up with thugs and punks who think life owes them a living on the backs of hard-working, tax-paying people who just want to protect what they've spent years building up. 12 about the recent attempted robberies that were thwarted by the owners of convenience stores. I read with interest the article in the Sunday Standard-Times of Aug. I see immense amounts of anger, lack of courtesy to one another, people just being outright rude, unconcerned with their actions and how they affect others. I'm finding it difficult to get my thoughts into logical form, as there are so very many things flowing through my head, tumbling over each other, trying to get out.

Bad manners make for bad guests.