Has our society lost its morals? Is our youth being taught it's okay to cheat and steal? According to some scary statistics, our standards of what we consider right and wrong have drastically changed during the past 30 years. What used to be thought of as lurid is now socially acceptable.

I think it's shocking to know that a third of our nation's teenagers admit to shoplifting within the past year. You might think that only the "bad kids" do that, but that's not always true. And you can't always blame these problems on the parents - it's the whole community that raises the child. This means everyone has to set a good example for America's youth.

About 30 years ago it would be considered normal to return extra change accidentally given by a cashier. How many of you would actually give back an extra five dollars? Most of us, including me, would consider it our lucky day - and keep it. This is a prime example of how corrupt our ethics are today. All most Americans care about is their own welfare, even at the expense of others.

Another example of the corruption in our society is our lack of responsibility. What is the first thing someone says when they are called to serve on a jury? "How am I going to get out of this?" People don't even take a few minutes out of their day every two years to vote. These privileges are one of the many things U.S. citizens take for granted.

Violence is another big problem. Just a few weeks ago a riot broke out after a basketball game. It wasn't about property or money, it was about which basketball player was better. Three men now lay in their graves because of this quarrel. It's one thing to argue, but when lives are lost, I think we have a problem.

Our society is in serious trouble if these events continue. What can we do to mend our morals? I can't say, but I do know we will reach an irrevocable point if we don't do something soon. ?