For clarification:
John Witherspoon the black comedian
or
John Witherspoon the 18th century minister of the gospel, and patriot of the revolution?

Don’t you think country music and natural right are related? The Witherspoons reflect the theological-political problem.

I like the Founders as much as the next guy but I wouldn’t call anything involving Reese Witherspoon as the end point a decline.

I’m with jjv on that one.

You want real evidence of decline? One of last year’s contestants on "American Idol" (although he was eliminated in one of the early rounds) is a direct descendant of John and JQ Adams.

Witherspoon, despite the hefty salary she commands in Hollywood, hardly seems to me to be a typical Hollywood elitest. Wife and Mother first for her.

If anything, she’s one of the few things that’s good and right in the movie industry.

I don’t know much about the actual Reese Witherspoon, but there seem to be much better examples of decline. "Walk the Line" was a relatively decent and mature Hollywood product with, rarely enough in that industry, a relatively respectful presentation of Middle America. Ms. Witherspoon really "made" the movie, so at the moment, I’m favorably disposed.

For the sake of clarity, can you tell us what "Middle America" is? Relatively speaking, of course.

ML, if you have to ask ...

sorry pals but when I think of ’the decline of the West’ these days, I’m more likely to recall this, this, this, and oh yeah, of course this.