RE: Theological Attack On Public Schools

["Dale Courtney" <dmcourtn@moscow.com>]

Mark wrote: 

> I have a couple of quick points to make on this issue.  First 
> of all, Dale's service to this country is not something he 
> needs to be villified for.  It is something we should say 
> thank you for.  If you compare the salary rates, especially 
> those of 20 years ago to the regular population, any benefits 
> and/or education he got and is still recieving has a long way 
> to go to make up what was given in public service.  I realize 
> that this comes from another old veteran and might be suspect 
> but I think not ;-)

Mark, 

I appreciate the kind words. Having spend 3.5 years of my life
underwater, and missing the birth of my first son while underway at sea,
I can tell you that the personal cost put in by military members is
significant. And civilian salaries are *significantly* higher than
military ones (we still have enlisted members who qualify for food
stamps!). 

Having said that, shifting the argument to an *argumentum ad hominem*
(attacking the person instead of the argument) is an old debating trick
to win an argument by tearing the other person down. My circumstances of
being in the military have nothing to do with the truth or falsity of
the proposition being defended -- that the Moscow public schools are
declining while other alternative schools (private, homeschool, coop,
etc) are increasing. 

If Mr. Burton wants to trash my character without knowing me, he's
welcome to it. I'm done with this discussion until the census stats come
out. 

Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho