We are slow to change.

I'm leery of so-called universal truths. Because I think truth keeps changing. Depending on circumstances. We seem to live in a state of flux. That's why I think it's rather stupid to insist that our founding fathers knew what was best for Americans living in the 21st century. Sure, maybe they knew what was best in the 18th century. But times change. And so do universal truths. If for no other reason than a burgeoning population. More people. Crowded conditions. A constant reevaluation of what serves the common good. It wasn't the same 200 years ago as it is now. The founding fathers did a lousy job of preparing us for the future. Because they didn't know any better. They had a poor vision of what life would be like in the 21st century. Just as we modern Americans probably have little concept of what life will be like in the 24th century. My guess is that by then we'll have rid ourselves of American-style capitalism. Future generations will look at it as good riddance. As a national shame. Just as bad as a slave economy, on which our nation was founded. It took us almost another century to fully recognize that slavery was morally wrong. And we still haven't recognized the moral ineptitude of capitalism. And we still practice racial discrimination. Because we don't know any better. We are always in the evolving and learning process. We are slow to adapt. Slow to get around to doing the right things. We seem to be confused. Especially when it gets around to defining universal truths. Maybe the one solid truth is that we are slow to change. Very slow. --Jim Broede