Have We Abandoned the Rule of Law?

Whatever happened to the teaching of civics?  Does it still occur in American classrooms?  If so, what form does it take?  I just pulled the Kentucky Core Academic Standards (page 540) where I took a look at the section on US government and civics.  All in all, the topic list looks good, although the teaching could take many different forms depending on who is doing the teaching.  When I was in school a few (ahem) years back, our US government system was taught very simply and clearly from the time I was an elementary child.  At home, my father expanded my education in citizenship with messages of the privileges, rights, and responsibilities of being an American in a democratic republic.

No Dog in This Fight

By the time this posts, the United States may well be involved in the conflict in Syria.  As I hear about what is going on there, I get an all-too-familiar feeling:  that we (the US) are getting sucked into another war, and I don't understand why.  Don’t get me wrong, I stand against people killing each other.  I do not support the use of chemical weapons.  I oppose a government’s exterminating its citizens.  I want to see stability in the Middle East.  I am against activities that strengthen a country’s ties to Russia and Iran.  Countries obsessed with opposition to Israel concern me.  Syria embodies all these things I oppose.