Attorney General Eric Holder is not detecting outrage over the torture issue because he is not reading articles and letters at progressive sites like Salon or Commondreams.org. So instead of just writing another outraged letter to a largely already convinced audience, send one directly to him at this email address:

AskDOJ@usdoj.gov.

This will remove any excuse he might have for having not having been exposed to outraged demands for investigation and prosecution. Below is a copy of my letter sent to him this afternoon:

"Dear Attorney General Holder

"In a recent Newsweek article you were quoted as saying that you lacked motivation to proceed with investigation and prosecution of those Bush Administration officials who planned and executed the torture of prisoners in the custody of the United State government because you had not detected sufficient outrage on the part of the public.

"First, I was unaware that expressions of public outrage were prerequisites to investigation of criminal activity. I thought that as law enforcement personnel became aware of the probability that significant violations of the law had occurred they would proceed with a thorough investigation.

"Secondly, if you need to view expressions of outrage to initiate investigation and prosecution, I refer you to articles and letters to the editor found at salon.com and commondreams.org, and doubtless other websites, where, unfiltered and unedited by factotums of the corporate-controlled mainstream media, the true voice of the American People can be figuratively heard.

"Thirdly, if you cannot be bothered to do a little research, at least listen to the opinion of this American Citizen: the Bush Administration's torture (aka "enhanced interrogation") program was a violation of federal law, which you are sworn to uphold, a violation of international law and the Geneva Convention, and a filthy stain on the reputation of the United States. The contempt these people, from President Bush and Vice-president Cheney on down, expressed for truth, justice, and law is the moral equivalent of using the United States flag and the U.S. Constitution as toilet paper. This Republic cannot endure if the officers endowed by the People with the most political, economic, and military power, use that power to sadistically abuse persons under their direct control and then are in effect given immunity from prosecution for those crimes. That is the way things are done in a totalitarian regime. In a Republic, the empowered leaders should rightfully bear an enhanced liability for criminal abuse. We have put our trust in you to defend the law and Constitution to preserve liberty and justice for all.

"If you are keeping a tally of expressions of outrage, chalk one up on my behalf, then go visit some of those websites."

I've noticed a few things in 31 years of teaching high school courses in just about every branch of science.

1) It's not just science that is often held in low repute or contempt. Every academic discipline that requires sustained attention and organized thought processes is frequently derided or addressed with passive-aggressive non-cooperation. Even gaining compliance on simple requirements like writing one's full name on a paper or answering questions in complete sentences is a daily battle.

2) There should be some kind of nationally recognized and legally endorsed statement that secondary education is primarily concerned with complex problem solving. This would help resolve endless struggles between high school teachers and the many students reluctant to move beyond basic skill acquisition.

3) American school systems do not have a delivery system for helping teachers achieve "best practices" in instruction. Administrators often have little or no expertise in science or other subjects and spend almost no time in classrooms anyway. Most teachers end up inventing their management and instructional programs independently. My proposal is to have a state-funded position of a "best practices" resource person for each subject who circulates through maybe 50 schools observing in classrooms and training teachers on approaches and lessons that are most effective.

One the subject of air-headed politicians...I've said this before...sit every candidate for high public office down for an examination in history, geography, economics, science, language, and mathematics. Publish their scores and responses. There is no reason a powerful nation of 300 million people needs to select a leader with a questionable knowledge base and inferior intellectual skills.

Test them. Usually they have made statements supporting the high-stakes testing program by which schools are evaluated under the No Child Left Behind Act. So...what's good for the goose...

Sit Ms. Palin down in front of a map of the world with national boundaries drawn in, but no names. Challenge her to correctly identify the locations of 100 countries, major oceans and seas, and perhaps a mountain range or two. Toss in the 20 most populous cities in the world and a few major rivers.

Seriously, ALL candidates for high public office should be subjected to examinations in geography, history, economics, science, mathematics, and the U.S. Constitution, all at least as rigorous as those used for secondary school students (the AP exams would work just fine...). Publish each candidate's score and the answers given. I would personally anticipate that certain much-touted candidates are really not much smarter than a fifth-grader. You could use some questions from that show, too, and perhaps a few from the show where people in a taxicab are challenged to answer questions. There is no reason the most highest offices in the world's leading economic and military power should go to a person with a substandard knowledge base and a demonstrably limited intellectual capacity.