OUTDONE BY FRANCE

ROGER CLEMENS WILL BE PAID 4 MILLION A MONTH TO RETURN TO PLAY BASEBALL FOR THE YANKEES. SPIDER MAN, THE MOVIE, SENT THE ALL-TIME RECORD OF 148 MILLION DOLLARS FOR ITS U.S. DEBUT MAY 4TH, 5TH AND 6TH, 2007. A WOMAN JOURNALIST CALLS DECISION MAKING ABOUT WEARING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT APPAREL A "COMPLICATED TERRAIN." 35% OF DEMOCRATS IN THIS COUNTRY THINK OUR PRESIDENT, GEORGE W. BUSH, KNEW IN ADVANCE ABOUT THE 9/11 ATTACK ON THE TWIN TOWERS IN NEW YORK. THIS EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 17% OF THE POPULATION. THE NUMBER OF DEATH PENALTIES INFLICTED DIMINISHES EACH YEAR. POLITICIANS ARE INVOKING HARRY S. TRUMAN IN THEIR RHETORIC.

WHAT CAN WE MAKE OF THESE FACTS WHICH ARE THE RESULT OF INFESTING TRENDS? WOVEN TOGETHER, THE STRANDS OF HEDONISM, SELF-GRATIFICATION, ANTI-INTELLECTUALITY, WISHY-WASHY MORALITY, PARANOIA AND COWARDICE, CREATE A QUILT DEPICTING AMERICA'S DEMISE. GENUINE COURAGE OF ONE'S CONVICTIONS, AS EVIDENCED BY PAST PRESIDENT TRUMAN, IS NOT POLL-DRIVEN POSTURING. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. ACTIONS BESPEAK THE POPULARITY OF BASEBALL, FILMS, FASHION, BLAME, REFUSAL TO BLAME, WEAKNESS AND THE REFUSAL TO BE STRONG.

HEROISM AND COURAGE BURST FORTH ON FLIGHT 93 ON SEPT. 11, 2001 AS ITS PASSENGERS TOOK ON THE TERRORIST HIJACKERS AND WENT DOWN WITH THE PLANE. THIS TRAGEDY IN THE AIR ALSO INVOLVED TRIUMPH. BUT ON THE GROUND, AT VIRGINIA TECH, TRAGEDY WAS HOLLOW. AMERICANS HAVE BECOME HOLLOW MEN AND WOMEN. AS HARRY TRUMAN SAID, "THE BUCK STOPS HERE," AND THE TIME FOR COURAGE HAS COME.

THE ACTIONS OF FRANCE, ELECTING A CONSERVATIVE, WITH ITS 84% TURNOUT IN THE RECENT ELECTION, SPOKE LOUDER THAN WORDS. ARE WE GOING TO LET FRANCE OUTDO US?