Now Is the Time to Speak of Many Things: Cabbages and Kings

I. Middle-Class Population as Percentage of Country Population
*Finland and Netherlands - a little over 40%
*Germany and Canada - somewhat under 40%
*United Kingdom - a little under Canada and Germany
*Spain - a little under the U.K.
*U.S. - 27%.

II. Muslims: "Perception versus Reality"
(A.A. stands for Average Answer and A.N. stands for Actual Answer)
*France - A.A. 31 --- A.N. 7.5
*South Africa - A.A. 22 --- A.N. 1.7
*Philippines - A.A. 23 --- A.N. 5.5
*Germany - A.A. 21 --- A.N. 5
*U.S. - A.A. 17 --- A.N. 1
*India - A.A. 28 --- A.N. 14.2
*United Kingdom - A.A. 15 --- A.N. 4.8
*Turkey - A.A. 81 --- A.N. 98
(Data is from Pew, Ipsos MORI. The question asked was: "Out of every 100 people in your country, how many are Muslim?")

III. The Conspiracy Theorist, Michael Flynn
In a December 9, 2016 email, Jon Rainwater, executive director of Peace Action,  writes: "This week's media cycle highlighted [Michael] Flynn's penchant for conspiracy theories. Now the media is starting to cover a real whopper of a theory that is supposed to be in his area of expertise and germane to his role as NSA. He claimed that 'Arabic signs were present along the United States' border with Mexico to guide  potential state-sponsored terrorists and radicalized Muslims into the United States.' Flynn further said in his interview that he had personally seen photos of such signs in Texas. 'I know from my friends in the Border Patrol in CBP that there are countries -- radical Islamist countries, state-sponsored -- that are cutting deals with Mexican cartels for some of what they call  "the lanes of entry into our country.' "

"Flynn said in an interview with Breitbart News on Sirius XM radio: 'I have personally seen the photos of the signage along these oaths that are in Arabic. They're like way points along these paths as you come in. Primarily, it is the case that one  I saw was in Texas and it's literally like signs that say in Arabic, "move to this point!" 'It's unbelievable.' "

IV. The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act
In a December 6, 2016 email, Jon Rainwater forwards a statement on the Act that I find to be both cogent and concise. I'll start with the State Department definition of anti-Semitism and then carry forward with the statement:

"The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act endorses the State Department of anti-Semitism, which includes 'delegitimizing' Israel, 'demonizing' Israel to a 'double standard.' The Act directs the Department of Education to consider this definition when investigating complaints of anti-Semitism on campus. But the [Act] does not add any new protections for Jewish students; the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Department of Education's interpretation of the statute, already protects Jewish students against discrimination."

"The State Department standard is highly controversial because it conflates criticism of Israel with anti-Jewish hatred, shutting down debate by suggesting that anyone who looks critically at Israeli policy is somehow beyond the pale. If Israel advocacy organizations report, say, a divestment protest, federal investigators may come to campus to investigate, causing a severe chilling effect. And if investigators determine that the university in question tolerates an anti-Semitic environment, they may revoke federal funding."

The Anti-Semitic Awareness Act was approved in the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent, with zero debate and no public scrutiny.

V. Military Child Neglect or Abuse
A Los Angeles Times investigation found that the Army, Navy and Air Force knew of numerous cases of child neglect or abuse but failed to intervene, or to alert the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) or child welfare agencies. FAP is not accepting those most in need due to... "failure on the part of others to report concerns in maltreatment incidents," warned an internal 2014 report on 27 deaths in Army families. "In several cases, command was aware of ongoing abuse but failed to report it," the report said.

A 2014 report on 50 deaths in Air Force families over 5 years reached the same conclusion. "We get about 25% of the incidents," says Rene Robichaux, who oversees an Army-wide clinical child abuse treatment program from the Army Medical Command in San Antonio.

America's longest wars have always been associated with poor mental health in military families, behavioral problems in children, a higher risk of divorce, and higher rates of suicide, studies show. FAP counted 5,378 child abuse and neglect victims in military families in 2015. (Source: David S. Cloud, "Child abuse in the military: Failing those most in need," The LA Times, December 29, 2016.)

VI. U.S. Students Lag on Education
"On a 1,000-point scale, U.S. students averaged a 470 in math (students in 36 countries did better), 496 in science (students in 18 countries did better), and 497 in reading (students in 14 countries did better)."  "PISA (Proramme for International Student Assessment) data show America's teens perform worse in all three subjects compared to Vietnam students, where the average income, adjusted for purchasing power, is one-tenth of the U.S. average; and they do worse in math than students in Latvia, where the average income is less than one-half the United States." (Source: "PISA test shows U.S. must act globally on education," an editorial in the Albuquerque Journal, December 17, 2016.)