When I was in the sixth grade

I was required to take a music comprehension course.

It was one of those "fill

in the circle that best answers the question with a number-two pencil"

tests. As I neared completion of my "test" I realized I was

marking the answer sheet wrong. The questions were on one paper. The little

circles I had to fill in were on another sheet of paper. I tried to ask

for help. My teacher's response was "No talking during the test."

I tried to "fix"

the error of my ways. I could not. I had already marked the column where

the answers to my last set of questions belonged. When the test was over,

I told my teacher what I had done. Her response: "Don't worry, it's

just a music comprehension test; it doesn't matter."

She was wrong. It mattered

then and it matters today. I made such an abominably low score that the

rest of the class laughed. None could believe I could be so musically

ignorant.

Was my self-esteem worth a

retake? Worth my teacher taking the time to stay after school and give

me another chance? Apparently not.

Today, all six of my siblings

sing reasonably well. None are intimidated by the sound of their own voices.

Three sisters play musical instruments. The talent extends to many cousins

and aunts and uncles. Music is a strong suit in my family. With everybody

but me.

And I suppose I will never

know if I ever really had a chance, because to this day the laughter of

my sixth grade class rings in my ears as I hear the teacher call out the

grades on the music comprehension test.

A few weeks ago I heard the

story of a little boy who was given routine tests on the first day of

kindergarten. Immediately upon seeing the scores the teachers knew they

must do something quickly to save this child. His tests were so low that

there was discussion among school officials about prompt intervention

on his behalf.

Within two school days the

child's teacher knew the test had failed this kid. Intervention was not

necessary. The test results were wrong, but they are in place. The numbers

are now part of this child's "permanent record."

It happens. We are an imperfect

people with many imperfect systems in place. We are a growing country,

a very young nation. We are constantly learning about the error of our

ways and every day we make mistakes. It is good that we seek to better

understand where we have come from and where we are headed.

Like no other country before

us, we have guidelines to follow, rules to live by, laws to follow. And

our people have the right and responsibility, when a rule or law is no

longer right or appropriate, to change that rule or law. We cannot, however,

and must not attempt such change in midstream.

As we celebrate Veterans Day

once again, yet another crisis is upon us. Veterans will play a major

role in the outcome one more time. It is as it should be.

Of course, many see the protesters

in Palm Beach County who march in defiance of the "flawed ballot"

only as "old people who should have studied the ballot better or

demanded assistance at the polling centers." They wish they'd shut

up and let the country go forward. What's done is done.

We fail to remember that many

of those "old people" are veterans. Their votes and the votes

of so many military men and women currently representing America's interests

in other lands and on all the seas may be the deciding factor in this

year's presidential race.

It is sad and disturbing that

thousands of ballots have been thrown out because those who marked the

ballot did so for two presidential candidates. They claim now to have

been confused and some claim to have been refused assistance. I know how

they feel. Their mistakes will follow them forever. And so it is in life.

Can responsibility ever be

clearly defined? Is there ever to be a system that can be clearly understood

are protected to the fullest extent of the law?

I don't know. I still believe,

with all its imperfections, that America has the best thing going. But

remember, we are young. These are still formative years. We are growing.

In light of that fact, the one truly disturbing thing about the 2000 presidential

election is that only one-half those eligible to vote in this country

went to the polls.

The dissention in Florida?

We will work through it. We always do. The apathy across the land? It

may be the undoing of America.