> I wonder if tolerance for diversity should also include tolerating other countries making their own laws, in this case Germany. It is a democratic country, ap

> I wonder if tolerance for diversity should also include tolerating other countries making their own laws, in this case Germany. It is a democratic country, apparently the majority don't mind this ban on homeschooling. Now yes, I am speaking from a far away perception. Anyone from Germany please help us out here. Is this this seen as such an egregious abuse of power people's power is just not enough to overturn it or is this what most would agree with? This leads to two fundamentally separable questions in my view. The first is, "do we have a right to criticize across cultural barriers like this?" The second is "Even if we do, is this our problem or a problem for the German people?" The answers I would give are "yes, as long as we contextualize, and it is a problem for the Germans not for us." So yes, I think they do deserve respect, and as much as I think Germany is wrong here, I don't think this is a case where asylum should be granted. There are many times we can and should say "not our problem." Unfortunately that isn't the way policy seems to work. > But what if they are crippling them should they be allowed? Out of curiosity, what do you think of the Supreme Court (unanimously) granting the Amish an exemption from mandatory education laws on the basis that such would destroy their religious way of life in Yoder v. Wisconsin? The most interesting part of Yoder, IMO, is Douglass' concurrence in part and concurrence in judgement where he complains bitterly about the fact that one whose education is cut short because of such religious reasons will have fewer career opportunities available. In the end even he agreed that the religious exemption must be granted however. Regarding your points on health care reform, I can understand that. Discussing the views you bring up will lead to long posts far off topic, but suffice it to say that the big issue is a state-by-state single payer would have to be funded through money currently flowing to Medicare. The states can't set up systems if they only have a free hand in regulating a minority of the health care market. There is no doubt that our system is broken though. The larger issue is that there is a question of centralization vs local control and I wonder what motivates people to feel like everything must be centralized to prevent people from endorsing policies they see as bad.