Hi!  My name is Jim Olson and I'm looking forward to having some intelligent and perhaps controversial discussions.  Wouldn't it be great if together we can influence the future of our wonderful country?

I'm an author with five novels and one non-fiction title to my credit.  The manuscript I'm currently writing is a political novel, An Eagle Unchained, that offers solutions to national problems the politicians will never consider.  Later this month I'll be celebrating my 69th birthday, and would like to believe I've gained some small degree of wisdom over that period, although there are plenty who will debate that contention.

I grew up during the 1940s and early 50s when America was vastly different than it is today.  In my opinion many of the changes have been detrimental.  For example in those days children could go "trick or treating" without worrying about doctored treats or sexual predators.  Kids worked for their spending money by mowing lawns or shoveling snow.  Sundays were the Sabbath and most families attended Church services and then tried to live by religious principals for the rest of the week.  It was a time of patriotism when people felt a great pride in their country and were willing to make sacrifices to ensure the success of our lifestyle (for part of this period we were fighting WW II).  When I was in first grade my school held a paper and scrap metal drive to earn money for the war effort.  I still have a post card showing 'The Spirit of Visitation', the airplaine our donation helped finance.

Today America is in decline.  Vocal minorities are dictating to the majority of Americans and we are allowing it to happen.  I'm not going to bombard you with a list of statistics, although as we go along from post to post I'll be quoting some some very disturbing numbers, along with excerpts from the manuscript in progress.  In this post I'll simply make a couple of points.

The vast majority of Americans (even the majority of those who speak English as a second language) will tell you that the only way for this contry to remain unified is for us to speak a common language.  Yet a vocal minority has forced our schools to teach children in languages other than English even though this will handicap those chidlren when they enter the work force.  History has demonstrated time and again that a nation divided by language will eventually destroy itself.

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe in God.  However a minority has forced the removal of God and religion from our schools, or businesses and our government.  As a nation we believe in the Constitutional guarantee to worship in our chosen religion without government interference.  Yet a vocal minority is becoming increasingly secular, changing our Constitutional guarantee from Freedom OF Religion to Freedom FROM Religion.

I believe we all must make a commitment to recapture the Spirit of America instead of simply griping about the problems caused by politicians and special interest minorities.  There are solutions to America's problems that the career pliticians will never consider unless we, the majority, force them to protect our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I would be interested in your comments about reversing the decline in America.  Please take a moment to voice your opinions.

If you want to learn more about me, there is an extensive bio on my other website, www.booksbyolson.com.