I don't know, Fred, DO you?  I believe you, speaking from personal experience, are the most qualified person to answer this question...

(These are stupid questions, by the way.  Everyday ... just trolling nonsense.)

First, there is reality, i.e. 'what is so.'  Although reality is ever-present, we do not necessarily perceive it, understand it or know it.

The Earth exists.  How it came into existence we do not know because there was no one to observe it, as far as we know.  So we theorize about it based upon whatever information we may discover — I say discover because reality already exists, it is up to us to discover or realize what is so.

The search for the truth requires telling the truth, i.e. being factual in our witnessing of what is so.  People pass on what they know from generation to generation, and to the degree that information is factually true, we may use it as a basis for understanding further, and passing along that information.

The important key to discovering the 'truth' is to be truthful in the dissemination of information as theory, opinion, or observed phenomena.  When belief or opinion is treated as fact, anything built upon that information loses its foundation.

Man-made climate change is a theory a best, a lie at worst.  Evolution is a theory, often contradicted by observable facts like human skeletons millions of years old.  Of course carbon-dating cannot always be used as a measure of something's age.  Scientific analysis is often incorrect, so not to be treated as fact but as a hypothesis, which may in fact be true, but yet to be observed consistently. 

It's not so much 'what is' that is misunderstood but the reasons given for its existence.  When it rains, we can say it is raining, and that is a fact.  WHY it is raining is a theory.

One of the cardinal sins is 'bearing false witness,' that is to say lying about something observed.  Thus one starts down the dusty road of delusion, leading people astray — usually to gain power or fame, at the expense of the deceived.

How to discern what is true?  That is the job of each of us, and then to listen to the response.  Honest dialogue leads to truth.

Sorry, Sillik, but "independently rare individual" is not a measurement of sanity.  Neither is being in the majority.

Sanity is measured by one's ability to discern reality, which may be rare, but scarcity is not the measure of sanity even though sanity is rarely among the majority.

Exactly.  Competition, like in sports and debate, sharpens one's skills.  Without competition, there is no debate and no mastery or excellence.  Which is the primary fault with socialism, no one may dissent from the 'experts' no matter how unqualified they are.

What makes someone an expert? MERIT!  The best driver, runner, scientist is determined by their accomplishments.  You don't take advice from losers, sorry, there is no nice way to put it.  No one starts out in first place, they have to train and compete for the position.  May the best person win.

Universities that depend on federal subsidy have become indoctrination camps for Marxism.  US History is not even a requirement any more to graduate.  Pupils are accepted based upon race rather than merit, driving the overall quality down.  It is the purposeful dumbing-down of America.  Students demanding (and getting) segregated dorms, classes, graduation ceremonies have completely turned it all upside down.

Discrimination against 'colored people' was a crime, now granting special privileges to 'people of color' is the norm. 

Black privilege has been the policy for decades.

We've come a long way, baby!

Just as we warned decades ago, anyone not toeing the party line is labeled a terrorist and can be treated as such.

Fred, your conclusions can be counted on to be 100% off-base every time.  That's an A+!

"We" are not a government of the people, we ARE the people who have chartered a representative government.  Collectivist groupthink is a mind f*ck. Is there no cure?

Sorry, Robert, that is NOT Buddhism.  "What you feel is right?"  No.  The Eight-fold path was clear, not a feeling, it is a code of morals.
Civics should be taught in school.  History should be taught in school.  Morality should be PRACTICED everywhere.
Honor needs no religion; without it, there can be no republican form of government.

Jefferson said 20 years...

The quote is right on.
Sillik is right off (again).
Socialism is not a 'vision,' it is authoritarian social engineering that does not respect individual ideas or self-determination.  It is arrogance at its core.  Socialism's first task is to kill off everyone that doesn't agree to its 'vision.'  See China, USSR, Cuba, Nazi Germany — all 'socialists' until they have the power, then totalitarian.

Who is the "we" that will "educate" reason?
Don't confuse resistance to lies as intolerance.
Don't confuse the acknowledgment of Nature's God as unreasonable — it is self-evident.
Let us learn how to discern fact from opinion.  We can have both, just don't confuse one for the other.

Except today they are taught to be social justice 'warriors' and turn on each other.  Boys are taught to be girls, and girls are taught to be boys and to cheer on the State to save them from personal responsibility.  Lord help us.

Independent thought?  LOL!  The product of the progressive liberals has been the mass indoctrination of servitude and groupthink.  It has only gotten 'progressively' worse.  Kids today don't know if they are coming or going, have no solid foundation in truth and personal responsibility.  Just a bunch of victims defending their powerlessness.  Dazed and confused is the goal of public education.

The small 'r' republicans are the foundation of the nation's liberty.  Statists of any stripe are the conspirators for Power, like the Survivor series', they partner up to overpower the others, then turn on each other until the last man standing can rule over the powerless.

Communism is NOT justice.  It is rule by the central bank.

From my perspective, whenever the truth is being spoken, God is speaking.  Whenever lies are being told, the devil is speaking.

The devil's best trick is to convince you that lies are truth and the truth is a lie.  Simple as that.

The truth is the truth is the truth, whether we know it or not.  But to deny that lies abound is to be 'bound' by them.

Thus, knowing the truth breaks all fetters.  It should be no surprise then to realize that what most think is reality is in fact a fiction.  The truth already is, we need only reveal the lies, and we can see true reality, which is essentially eternal which can only be veiled but never destroyed.

Do good for goodness sake.  It is its own reward.

Fred, without the collectivist group-think, "we" should be replaced by "I" and your statement would be more accurate.

"I" am responsible for directing my own interests while respecting the rights of others without bias.  I will determine what is "good" (i.e. best) and do what I believe is right, and will bear the consequences or benefits of doing so.

"We" definitely don't need "you" and your biases to determine the best direction for "us."  Stay in your own lane and respect others' choices of destination.  That is 'best.'

I believe it is simply a reminder to return to the principles upon which America was founded.  Teaching American history, civics, and good old fashioned American patriotism would be a good start.

Do students even pledge allegiance to the flag and to the republic for which it stands anymore?  How about singing 'My Country Tis of Thee' or 'America'?  I enjoyed that as a child, but I don't think it's done anymore, like teaching children cursive writing.  Heck, inner-city public high schools can't even graduate students with a 5th grade reading level.

The Department of Education has ruined public education and has promoted dependence, entitlement and victimization.  Which is why we home-schooled our children for most of their education.

No!  The true patriot is sovereign over himself and carries the duty and responsibility for defending his rights from enemies foreign and domestic.  He may not be disarmed in any way, nor must he trade his rights in exchange for servitude and dependence.

Bingo!  Give that man a cigar.

Because Waffler does not care about Liberty or Independence, he worships State power.  He is also retired from the IRS with a nice pension.

America was founded upon Christian religious freedom from the very beginning.  The republic is not suited for an immoral and irreligious people for it stands upon liberty and the responsibility that comes with it.  Peace with the native people's was also integral.  But whenever the people departed from the Christian way, servitude, war and pestilence followed.  Same as it ever was... 

See pages 26-27 of the book.  A person doesn't have to be alive to quote from him ... c'mon!

The Impact of Science on Society by Bertrand Russell, 1952, p.26 & 27

Nice!  Thanks, Mike.