Moral values and fundamental principles matter. Our entire Republic, our liberty and way of life depend on the citizenry of this nation freely (as in free will choice)following them. When we depart from that, the loss of all of those things lies at the door.
The people who founded this nation understood this.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."- John Adams, Oct. 11, 1798
What's most disgusting is that six years ago the student body elected mentally handicapped women to the prom royalty. It was a proud day for the community and school. Now look at this six years later. Tolerance is a two-edged sword.
Morals, values and those fundamental principles are the very fiber of civilized civalization. By very definition, morals are right and wrong. Values are those things we put utmost worth in and cherish. Those are the very fiber of what defines the standards of those fundamental principles we live by... our compass. Your post hit it on the "central nerve". Interesting times we live in...