Only because Mr. Simpson was a celebrity.

Aura Mr. Zimmerman was speaking with at 911 dispatcher not a police officer. The dispatcher said we "don't need you to do that". This was a request not an order. The dispatcher had no authority over Mr. Zimmerman's actions what so ever. So far it appears Mr. Zimmerman did go back to his car but the validity of that fact will be determined at trial should there ever be one.

Show us your integrity and cite the statistics that state 97 our of 100 scientists agree with your point of view. It isn't enough to just say it you must prove it.

While I applaud your enthusiasm for home schooling as an alternative it is not the answer for everyone nor should it be. We need good public schools to be sure out population remains educated. We have hundreds of suburban and rural schools districts who do a fantastic job in educating our kids. Why? Because the majority of them come from stable homes. Inner city schools are failing because of the break down of the family in urban areas in my humble opinion.

Of course home school students compare favorably to students educated in public schools. Home schooled students are in homes in which the parents are engaged in their kids education and it is a valued commodity. Were these same students attending a public school they would very likely still excel because of this. Not only that but you are using statistics for every public school in existence, including vastly under performing inner city schools. I am sure if you compared home schooled students to high achieving suburban school districts you would find a very different outcome and that the numbers would be similar.

There will be layoffs this year in public education. In my school we will be laying off half of the custodial staff and one half of the building will be cleaned each day. Hours for other support staff will be cut to save money. However, there will be no reduction in teacher or administrative staff. I do not disagree that the support staff should be reduced in time of economic duress but I believe we should be cutting at every level, not just those at the bottom of the economic scale.

It would be wonderful to think we would start reigning in teacher, administrative salaries and benefits. However, this will not happen until even more jobs for lower income Americans are lost. As always happens cooks, custodians, bus drivers, maintenance workers, and any other support staff will be cut before teacher and administrative salaries even are even considered.

None of the Above Mr. Williams. Most of us do not care to even think about race these days. We simply want to live and work in relative safety and be left alone by the government. I will vote for the person who will give me the best chance to do this whether they be white, black, yellow, red or purple. Any underlying theories regarding anything else will not be considered.

I followed most of this column but you lost me with the Sarah Palin analogy. That one is able to inspire 700,000 folks to purchase her memoir is and argument she is phony and lacking in courage? I am wondering now if you are one of these moderate republicans who wishes to be liked and therefore will lob lame attacks at Sarah Palin in an effort to be trendy?

An opinion I can agree with 100%. I love to read Mr. Harsanyi because one day he has me rolling my eyes and the next pumping my fist in the air in agreement. I am never bored.