RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS REQUIRES A CONSTANT DEFENSE

So, while the court's Second Amendment ruling was a victory, it also was an important, troubling reminder: Our rights, once solid, require constant defense against those who, like Stevens, believe that government's authority should be expanded, not limited.

SOMETIMES, IT’S NOT ABOUT POLITICS: JENS TENNEFOS

Tennefos was a dedicated legislator, but first he was a man of family, faith and service to his community. His rich life will be celebrated this week when family, friends and admirers gather to say goodbye.

FORUM EDITORIAL: OBAMA’S POLICIES FAIR GAME

The presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama seems to have adopted a strategy whereby any criticism of his stated policy positions will be characterized as a personal attack. It’s exactly the kind of conduct Obama claimed would not be part of his “post-partisan” campaign style. Yet, he seems juvenile and hyper-prickly when he’s legitimately challenged.

BOMBING VALIDATES U.S. POLICY

So much for the argument that inmates at Guantanamo Bay pose little or no danger. And so much for the argument that most of them are innocent victims of U.S. hysteria regarding terrorism. Some of them are very dangerous, indeed. Deciding which detainees to keep in custody and which ones to release is an extremely difficult task.

SHUTTING OFF OIL RESERVE ISN'T ANSWER

The truth of the matter is we have erratic and increasing crude oil prices. Few people believe this is a short-term problem. It is the result of global politics, terrorism and U.S. foreign policy - managed or mismanaged, depending upon your point of view. That being said, America might well be better off topping off the reserve, and holding it for a real crisis.

Is cutting off the reserve a small step? Yes.

In the right direction? No.

BASIC SOCIAL STUDIES

Americans should be distressed at what seems to be a trend regarding knowledge of our nation’s history: As studies have indicated for several years, young people just don’t seem to know enough about it. The same goes for basic economics, politics and other matters.

A new investigation of the problem involved quizzes given to 14,000 students at 50 colleges and universities. They were asked to answer 60 multiple-choice questions on U.S. history, politics, international affairs and economics.

On average, college freshmen were able to get just 53.7 percent of the correct answers. Seniors managed only a slight improvement, to 55.4 percent.

FIRST RULE OF N.D. POLITICS: ACCEPT REALITY

Liberal Democrats in North Dakota may frown at the following description of Sen. Barack Obama's campaign but they shouldn't. Likewise, conservative Republicans may smile and nod, but they probably shouldn't do those things, either.

N.D. PSC MADE RIGHT DECISION

PATRIOTISM AMONG DIPLOMATS

Now, the bad news: A survey of more than 4,300 diplomats working for the State Department has disclosed that many of them apparently don’t understand their jobs — or the meaning of the word “patriotism.”

After the State Department admitted that it was having trouble filling vacant diplomatic positions in Iraq, the American Foreign Service Association, a union representing diplomats, asked about 11,500 of them to respond to a survey. According to the union, 4,311 responses were received.

‘EMPTIED PRAIRIE,' CROWDED MARKETPLACE

Marketplace and North Dakota alike have grown. The event draws more than 7,000 people these days and gets more innovative and exciting by the year. As for North Dakota - well, it's understandable that old perceptions die hard. But if the good folks at National Geographic had wanted to correct their distorted view of the state as one big abandoned farm, then Wednesday's event at the Alerus Center would have been be a great place to start.

PARENTS HAVE RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT KIDS ACTIVITIES

Clearly, the student's privacy rights aren't absolute. The state's interest outweighs those rights when it comes to financial aid, and the parents' interest in the matter of drug or alcohol abuse should do the same.

Seventeen-year-olds can join the Army, but they can't vote. Eighteen-year-olds can vote, but they can't drink. American society doles out adult privileges over time, not all at once. And a modest delay in granting students full privacy rights would be a good thing for students, parents and Minnesota alike.

DRIVERLESS VEHICLES? NO THANKS

We’re all in favor of using technology to increase safety on our roads. If radar and other such creations can be used to cut down on the number of accidents, we’re all for it. But to actually buy a vehicle that drives itself, well, we’re not quite ready for that yet.

MORE ‘SUNLIGHT’ NEEDED ON JOBZ PROGRAM

Details on who benefits from the Job Opportunity Building Zones program are considered “private” information under state law, even though the revenue offset by the tax program affect all taxpayers.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PAINTS THE SAME OLD PICTURE OF ND

While outsiders wonder why we live in a state that has a ‘feral edge to it,” some of us can’t imagine living in states without glorious fields of wheat, canola and sunflowers, and without prairies teeming with native plants and wildlife like moose, coyotes, mountain lions, pheasants, deer, ducks and geese.

ND OIL SUMMIT WAS A GOOD FIRST STEP

People in the oil patch need to have sufficiently big plans, though. If it does turn out, as was said at the summit, that North Dakota's portion of the middle Bakken shale formation could be the biggest single oil field in the continental United States in 30 years, the benefit-cost ratio should be watched carefully.

Oil production companies might be tempted to be closed-mouthed about their plans and projects. But the more open they can be, the fewer conflicts with the population of the Williston Basin there could be. The summit was a good first step. About 320 people took part.

WSI MUST STAY ON COURSE

How much of the structure of the agency is sound remains to be seen. Then, it will be a matter of finding out how much WSI is willing to embrace change or repair.

Feb. 15 and the consultant's report can't come too soon.

U.S. SHOULDN’T ALLOW WTO TO TELL US WHAT TO DO

One-world” conspiracy theorists often warn that Americans risk losing sovereignty, at the cost of our own liberties, to other countries. The mechanism, they say, is various treaties under which the United States pledges to abide by decisions made by courts or councils dominated by other nations.

Perhaps the conspiracy theorists are on to something, to judge by the World Trade Organization’s action regarding gambling on the Internet.

CRACKS IN MINNESOTA'S FOUNDATION START TO SHOW

CROOKSTON - A few weeks ago, the Minnesota Department of Revenue issued its annual November Budget Forecast. The forecast indicated a revenue downturn of more than $700 million, a sharp decline from what was expected last June.

Since the forecast was released, I've had several people ask me how the state's budget situation could change so rapidly in less than a year. If you remember, the governor in February was talking about how the state had plenty of money and pointed to a $2.2 billion budget surplus.

STATE REFINERY ISN'T REALISTIC

It sounds good, that another oil refinery should be built in North Dakota. But realistic? That's a different matter.

The proposal from a candidate for the nomination to run for the North Dakota governorship is that the state should build one. Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, said he thinks a state-built refinery would help make the price of gasoline reasonable.

LAWMAKERS ARE IGNORING VOTERS’ WISHES ON IMMIGRATION

One of the ways Congress found to trim spending in response to a demand by President Bush was to slash funding for the proposed fence at certain locations along the U.S.-Mexican border. Instead of the two-tier fencing called for in a 2006 law, the barrier apparently will consist of only one layer of protection.