gatesfam@swbell.net

I'm a middle-aged white guy on my morning bicycle ride - and this is what I get. What's happening to our youth today...are they all on drugs?

With all the religious freaks out there killing and raping children, is it safe to send my little ones to church?

Obama is poised to be the first black president elected in this country. That's great. However, why aren't we acknowledging his white side as well? His mother is white, his father is black - so he's half and half - why does he have to be the black candidate? He's not fully black! It's just something I think needs to be addressed - especially if this is going to be a racially charged vote.

I think he and Hillary are the two best of the three remaining candidates (McCain, Hillary, and Obama - does anyone else really count at this point?).

Whichever of the two win the Presidency, I'll be happy - but I just wanted to bring this to everyone's attention, and see what kind of thoughts we can glean from it - what are you all thinking?

...the United States should never get involved in a war in the Middle East - it's a war we cannot win.

Why did we do this? Why are we involved over there? Does our leadership not realize that these sects have been fighting each other for more than a thousand years? What could we as such a young, mixed up country do to make the Middle East change their ways? NOTHING! We are in a war that we cannot win (a war on terror? I mean, c'mon, what is that?) against an enemy we cannot see, and who will fight to the last man, woman, and child to defeat us - what was the Bush administration thinking?

Now, we can't simply pull out - we've made a mess and we need to try to clean it up! But, the body count continues to rise, we've helped to start a civil war, and the balance of power in the Middle East is crumbling before our very eyes. So, was Sadam really that bad? Did he really pose that big a threat to our national security? Where are we now? Worse off, or better?

Hey, looking for quick help here. My step-mother's father passed away last night. I live in Texas, they live in Indiana - should I attempt to attend the funeral? Would it be a major faux pas for me not to attend, and simply send a sympathy card?

I just returned to Texas from Indiana after Thanksgiving. I knew her father, but not really well - he's been in a home for years. My kids look at my step-Mom as a Grandma, and her Mother as a Grandmother figure - she loves my kids, and my kids love her.

What should I do? Should I go up there? Or, should I just send sympathy?

Any help is appreciated. I'm torn here!

If he knew in 1814 how New Orleans was going to turn out today, with Ray Nagin and the Hurricane and the type of people who live there - do you think he would have marched his Tennessee Volunteers down the Natchez Trace to New Orleans to fight the British?