George Washington or Britney Spears

Americans, I have a question for you....

You enjoy all the freedoms and prosperity that life in the United States has to offer, but why won't you stop reading about Britney Spears or watching news coverage of Anna Nicole Smith long enough to ponder the men and women who made America possible?

"Huh? Did you say something?"

We are obsessed (if that's not too strong a word - I don't want to offend anyone by preaching) with pop culture. Top Internet search terms recently: Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, Poker, Pamela Anderson, and so forth. It's pretty much a merry-go-round of celebrities and pop icons on any given week or month. Oh, and TV ratings and movies -- they tell pretty much the same story. And sports. Can't forget sports. Yup, we love to be entertained. Nothing wrong with that per se, but am I the only one (or one of the only ones) to see that maybe - just maybe - we've gotten a few things out of balance?

"Hey man, pass the beer. What was that you were saying again about sports?"

There was a time when Americans actually cared - I mean, really cared - about their history. There was a time when the story of George Washington crossing the Delaware to attack the Hessians at Trenton inspired some folks. There was a time where it meant something that George Washington faced down a potential military coup in Newark, New York and saved the Republic from becoming a military dictatorship after the American Revolution. People used to care that George Washington refused to become king or dictator and that he voluntarily walked away from power. Not once, mind you. He did it twice - once after the war and once again after his presidency. But, not now. We don't have time for George Washington. We want to know about sex, money, sports, and entertainment.

"Did someone say 'sex'?"