Here is a my response sumbitted to the Northwestern to this letter:

Evolution in school has led to moral decline

http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/opinion/stories/opinion_19198513.shtml

My letter:

In response to Mr. Gardinier's recent (Dec 29th)statement, "is it a coincidence that our nation has been morally declining over the past 164 years?"

A quick review of the last 164 years:

The end of slavery, the beginning of women's suffrage, equal protection under law regardless of race or position, voting rights, the civil rights movement and act, the GI Bill, Social Security, the New Deal, the Great Society, standing up to dictatorship in WW2, Badger and Senior Care ensuring helthcare options for Wisconsin's poor, labor movements ensuring safety at work, fair pay and the 40-hour work week, universal education for all Americans, abolition of poll taxes, equal housing laws, Americans with Disabilities Act, and many more.

I believe each of these were huge moral steps ahead for American society. When people try to isolate moral issues by a narrow religious view, society as a whole falters.

Allowing your society as a whole to prosper by offering economic and social equality in opportunity (not result), is a more moral stance than one that says if you do not worship my god or conform to my standards, you have no rights.

Unfortunately, Mr. Gardenier and those that share his views seem to long for the good old days of equal rights for white, male, heterosexual, christian property owners only.

That is not a land in which I want to live. And it is definitely not a moral value.