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• rlw895January 08, 2013 - 12:36 pm

  I agree with a lot of what Murray wrote too, though I took him to task on one point having to do with an overemphasis on religion. I agree with a lot of what you wrote too, but not all. What is missing from our society is what I call socialization. In the past, people used to congregate, meet face-to-face, and get to know each other as people more. Certainly churches and other centers of worship provided and still provide a lot of opportunities for that. For various reasons, including technology, skepticism about religion, and the ability of people to survive without much human contact, we are becoming a less socialized culture. All sorts of bad things come from that, including the sudden violent lashing out seen in these mass killings. Where I disagree is the idea it is religion per se that is the difference. Socialization and moral teachings can be achieved all sorts of ways, and always have. We should recruit religious organizations for the secular purpose of socialization, but we need to provide more opportunities for it. It doesn't help that to save money for ourselves we deny it to government and other non-government institutions that used to provide lots of opportunities socialization and outreach to people who need socialization but do not avail themselves of the opportunities. I think of schools, social workers, mental health workers, foster care, community/recreational services, the arts, employment programs--make your own list--and the budget cuts they have taken, and I worry that socialization is not anywhere near where it should be in our country today. With our present political fights, I don’t see it getting better anytime soon.

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• CD BrooksJanuary 08, 2013 - 12:53 pm

  Mr. Willmschen does not visit here so you may want to express your views to him in a letter to the editor...Good luck with that.

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• rlw895January 09, 2013 - 9:37 pm

  CD: But YOU read it! And who knows how may others? Maybe as many as a dozen;-)! I'll settle for that. From such small beginnings...

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• pornacJanuary 10, 2013 - 7:29 am

  Thanks for my socialization class today. Maybe I should get out more to increase my social skills.

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• CD BrooksJanuary 10, 2013 - 9:20 am

  rlw895, but I'm all ready a fan. It's the Lloyd character that needs to hear you! :)

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• Danny BuntinJanuary 10, 2013 - 7:26 am

  OK, lets have a Muslim prayer at 9am every morning. See how fast Lloyd starts whistling a different tune. Lets not kid ourselves, Mr Willmschen is only referring to his religion.

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