Welcome. My name is Ray W. Rowney, Jr., author of License to Steal. I’m so happy to have you as a visitor to my blog about my book.
I’m using this blog to expand on some of its topics using current day issues, in the hope that together we can stop the declining values in America.
I was moved to respond to an article in The Greeneville Sun, appearing January 10, 2015, entitled “President Outlines Free College Plan in Knoxville”. As justification the President stated “…a quality education cannot be a privilege that is reserved for a few. I think it’s a right for everybody who’s willing to work for it.”
I believe the President and I define differently “a quality education” and “willing to work for it”. Based on my 76 years of life, the business experience of starting at an entry level position and progressing to an executive position over 23 years; experience as a college teacher, adjunct evening faculty member, and small business consultant for 10 years; the founder and treasurer for a small public charity for the past 23, I offer the following inputs to this discussion:
In follow-up speeches, the President says his purpose is to enable all Americans to compete and to win. Since we all tend to like professional sports, one need look no further than professional football or basketball to quickly confirm that those who are best in their jobs, did not achieve this success due to a college diploma, but to tireless practice in developing the skills necessary to achieve on the playing field.
For the past several years I have been concentrating my efforts on promoting the need for America to return to its core values:
The Bible’s wisdom is quite clear: We will reap what we sow, and we should not live by bread alone.
My plea to all Americans is that each one reach one (starting with our own families and communities) with the message of the need for revival of America’s core values, that once again the next generation can rival “the greatest generation” of World War II.
Ray W. Rowney, Jr.