There are racists, there are violent fighters, there are haters. Most of them find comfort in the Republican party, if they vote at all, because they feel like the certain Republicans are supporting their hate-filled ideals.

But that is a segment of the population that isn't the majority. It's not even close to a majority. There are more homosexuals in America than there are red-hot racists.

Most people are worried. Worried. Scared. Nervous. They feel persecuted.

We need a powerful, confident, charismatic figure to step in and say "We'll get through this." There is definitely a window of opportunity for such a person.

The hatred of the Republican machine, like any virus, is eating into itself. It cannot sustain the hate and vitriol. Hillary Clinton's nomination would contribute much to its salvation, for example.

I don't want the left to eat into itself, either.

I try to think about what it was like to think about America on September 12th, 2001. On that day, I was freakin' glad that Rudy Guiliani was talking to America because George Bush was non-existent, sure. But I also didn't care about ideologies. I just loved my country.

I want to bring that feeling back. I don't give a cr*p about the Republican platform or their power. I love my country, and I know it works best when we have a strong middle class and an outlet for the extremely poor. We work best not when Paris Hilton has a tax break but when the working classes feel like they have some upward mobility. That is the secret of our society, and if we're not careful the Republicans will simply take that away.

God I am so glad that I am not Republican. Man, at least I have that. How they reconcile themselves with their God, I don't know, but then again, I never understand how white people in South Africa justified apartheid, either.

Black Republicans have no idea what being a Republican means.

Anyway, although I digress, as much as I despise the ignorance and stupidity of the American people, I do not believe that people are stupid. They are afraid and many of them collapse into survival mode, but they are not stupid.

If anything, I'm pissed at the DLC for being unable to talk to these fearful people on their own level. The Democratic Party, the party of Huey Long and...others is completely incapable of relating to the average working person. And that is just about the dumbest form of stupid.

What the hell is wrong with the Democratic Party?

I'm not sure what it is, exactly, but I'm pretty sure the answer is NOT Hillary Clinton.

There are two types of people in the world: those that oppose what Hezbollah did to Israel and those that think that Israel's response was too destructive of Lebanon. (There, of course, is a third category of people who's response is "Reggie Bush settled his contract and is ready to begin training camp!"

Bill Maher is not unique with his commentary that Israel should bomb the f*ck out of Lebanon. He is unique only in the artistic community. But there are plenty of neo-cons that agree whole-heartedly with him. And, actually, there are more than a few artists that agree with him. Dennis Miller and Mel Gibson come to mind.

America has a wonderfully rich history dealing with oppression. We, having built our society on the backs of slave labor, should understand fully the danger of trying to suppress a people's rage by the barrel of a gun. Let's not even begin to admit that Lebanon has a burgeoning democratic government that dealt with several divergent religious sects.

I always have to fight the temptation to lecture people as I sit here and type. I don't know everything, and I'm probably wrong about a lot, but people that think that the answer to the problems of the world is to instigate wars in the Middle East are freakin' insane. It's just insanity. Now, granted, talking to Arabs and Persians as if they were actually human beings is probably no guarantee that they won't do something harmful to us in the future, but I think it's also a given that invading Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and I guess Syria and Iran will also not ensure our safety.

Bill Maher spoke out about the prospect of launching a war against Iraq. But, once we invaded he totally changed his tune. "Well, now that we're there, we might as well do it right." This most recent support of Israel's incursion of Lebanon is just more of the same madness.

Personally?

I think he's just sticking his neck out to take some heat off of Ann Coulter. I'm pretty sure that they are f*ck buddies. Which totally makes sense. For her, even though he doesn't agree with most of what she talks about, he's a man. And, for him, even though she is a skeleton, she is not a whore. Well, not when it comes to sex, anyways.

It's a bit too soon to be referring to the neo-cons as failures, my friend. As we speak they're attempting to goose Israel to invade Syria.

The Bush Administration WANTS THIS THING TO ESCALATE!! And, guess what? IT IS.

They do not see their intractability as a part of the problem. They see themselves as the last line protecting society from the chaos and destruction of so-called terrorists. They see war as the answer.

Didn't ANYONE hear Condi talk about "birth pangs" of a "new Middle East" and how we would "prevail?"

That is the rhetoric of a greater conflagration, not the concillatory language of someone who is ready to compromise.

And I have seen no evidence that anybody or any country or any international body, can stop the neo-cons from continuing on their regional war-making path.

I sure wish we would wake up.

They are not going to let 30 dead kids stop them.

You can, by using the logic that "it's just an inanimate object," effectively nullify about 70% of the laws in America.

You sound like a libertarian, and I respect that.

I think of "civil rights" as those that allow me freedom of thought, individuality and existence.

Certain things need to be monitored, controlled and even outlawed in society if that society is going to be safe and effective. But, calm down, I'm not even thinking about guns here. I'm thinking about heroin, loud music coming out of your neighbor's apartment, and slaughterhouses. (Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone had a slaughterhouse in their front yard? Oh, the stench! Housing prices would plummet.)

If we cannot even agree that guns are harmful, then we have nothing to talk about. You want to deny the obvious. That's okay, that's your perogative. But, there's a reason I chose the nickname "Baseline Reality." Because I really wish we could get to a point where we stop debating the most obvious f*cking things in America. "Guns hurt people." "No, they don't!" "But there are 18,000 gun homicides a year in this country." "But guns don't hurt people!"

It's all we can do at this point to agree that the sky is blue and gravity exists.

Everything above that, however, seems totally open to debate.

It drives me nuts.

But Americans love nothing more than to feel persecuted. God. Have you noticed how well we do that? We're 80% Christian, but you wouldn't notice it listening to the preachers who swear that Christianity is under attack. Gun lovers swear that their civil liberties are being violated even though their stash of handguns is safely protected. Which, of course, gives them the time to go out and protest against a woman's right to have an abortion. I see THAT as a civil right, the right to have an abortion. Others feel differently.

And I would like to remind you that the owning of slaves was written into the Constitution. It was, by your definition, a CIVIL RIGHT. Matter of fact, it was so ingrained in our society that we had a little war over it. And you know what eliminated it from the country's way of life? Progressive amending of the Constitution.

Being progressive kinda suggests making progress. You can't make progress without making changes. That sometimes involves changing things that people like. That is GOOD. It doesn't turn someone into a "so-called" Progressive.

Sorry for getting all high and mighty. I really need to eat something.

But, seriously, I'm not trying to take your guns. And if I ever do, you have my permission to shoot me.

What I WOULD like to happen is for people who own guns to realize how stupid it is to own them and to voluntarily give them up. Kinda like smoking.

But, I also believe, (addictive personality that he well-documentedly possesses), that he seriously believes that he can eradicate terrorism throughout the world by unleashing America's might and sheer force of will.

Our foreign policy had flaws in it long before Prince George showed up at the White House door, but it's safe to say that that sense of pragmatic realism we used to possess went bye bye before Laura even had her china pattern picked out. (I'm sure she picked something plain. And white. Colors and personality are just so flamboyant and rude. White china is fine. Well, maybe eggshell. You only live once! Unless you think that's too, I don't know, flashy? Maybe just the white, then.)

THAT was evidenced by his immediate withdrawal from the ABM Treaty--remember that?

And then when those planes struck, whoa boy, fuhgedaboudid.

This horrific confluence of seemingly unconnected phenomenon to create a powerful disaster was already effectively illustrated in the movie "The Perfect Storm." When history tells of these years, though, the title will be changed to "The Perfect Shit Storm."

In any event, George Clooney will star in that one as well, I'm sure.

political suicide than Mary Cheney can get George Bush to push legislation legalizing gay marriage.

The more we try to discuss the subtle nuances of the political dance that is Middle Eastern politics, the more we look like jackasses. (No offense.)

This whole area has been a delicate disaster waiting to explode/implode ever since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Just because we've now got a Decider instead of a President doesn't mean that the issues have suddenly become crystal clear.

And I personally believe that who ever was opposed to Maliki's statements regarding Israel's actions was just pandering to THEIR congressional districts. Either that or they were pandering to the Israeli lobby.

Regardless, I'm pretty sure that no one in Baghdad gives a poop what some two-term congresswoman from Duluth thinks about Maliki's speech.

You're much too young to realize this now, but someday you will laugh your ass off that you ever thought a four to five year difference in age was an "age difference" at all. Just because you didn't go to high school at the same time together doesn't mean that there is an age difference. You're both still in that covetted 18-24 age demographic. In the eyes of a marketer, you're perfect together.

Ah, but your question takes me back...

I'll never forget when I was four and I fell in love with a fetus. Sigh. People said she was too young but I said, "Wait! You don't even know her."

Only Rick Santorum and Sam Brownback can understand.

Young love...(sigh)

When the Mexican legislature passed some sort of law, in an attempt to focus on large drug dealers, where they were going to make possession of small quantities of drugs a misdemeanor? And within 24 hours, Washington had made a call to Vincente Fox and by the next day he quickly vetoed the law because he was told that it would hamper the United States' drug effort?

I only bring that story up in an attempt to illustrate the efficacy and power of the United States on its allies. My point being, of course, that IF the Israeli invasion of Lebanon was truly causing the Bush Administration "problems," the campaign would end with one phone call.

I don't think there is nearly enough evidence out in the realm of public discourse to either prove or disprove that the Israeli disproportionate response to both Hamas and Hezbollah is NOT, in fact, U.S. policy.

In fact, common sense suggests to me that, since the vaunted United States military is currently bogged down in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Bush Administration would quite logically utilize the Israeli Army in this, the next phase in the War on Terror, as a surrogate battalion or two. (Wait, which is bigger, a brigade or a battalion? I always get them confused. I mean the bigger of the two.)

In fact, utilizing the Israeli Army as essentially an extension of the U.S. Army, it not only frees up our military personnel but leaves the hawkish Bush Administration in a win-win-win situation. 1)If it gets really ugly, out of control and becomes a bloody, public political nightmare, Condi can swoop in and call for a ceasefire...WIN! 2)If Israel successfully wipes out Hamas and Hezbollah...WIN! 3)If Syria and/or Iran get their blood up and try to enter the war on the side of Hezbollah then we can launch air strikes, missile attacks, a full frontal attack on them in the name of the LAWD!...WIN!

I mean, really, if I were a Bush Hawk determined to "prevail" in our efforts to form a "new Middle East," I really can't see the downside.

Which is why I hit my knees every day and thank the Lord that I'm not a Bush Hawk.

But I digress.

The article stated that:

1. Israel is fighting a just war. My response? NO IT ISN'T. (Granted, it's not a very long-winded response, but this is my first post so it will take a while for me to get a good head of steam going.) Israel didn't wake up two weeks ago to suddenly find itself surrounded by militant Arabic factions; they've been duking it out with people for 60 years in order to maintain their little corner of the desert. The only way to classify what Israel has been doing to the innocent people of Lebanon for the past two weeks is to call it a disproportionate response. Israel seems very intent upon destroying Hezbollah once and for all, and they may have a plethora of strategic reasons for wanting to do so. But, that doesn't make those decisions rational and sound, and it certainly doesn't make the decision to launch this war against Lebanon as "just."

2. Israel wants peace. My response? If it wanted peace, it wouldn't be launching a "just" ground war against their neighbors to the north. Although I'm quite sure I heard Orwell snickering from beyond the grave when I read your second point. "I couldn't have said it better myself," he chortled.

3. There is presently no alternative to the current military operation. My response? What can my response be to that classic "What's a brother to do?" argument? "We're hopelessly trapped in this military operation! We don't want to be in this war, but Hezbollah made us!" I don't know, here's a thought--how 'bout STOP BOMBING THE BEJEZUS OUT OF LEBANON? That's a mighty persuasive alternative. However, it's obvious that we've got a terrible case of two pit bulls locked on each other's throats here, with Hezbollah not backing down and Israel not backing down because Hezbollah's not backing down and on and on into infinity, which is exactly why a powerful third nation needs to come between them and broker some semblance of a ceasefire. It would be nice if the United States would fill those shoes on behalf of the world, but President Bush has decided that he's going to wield our strength as the world's sole remaining superpower (for now) in a less diplomatic way. Peace isn't really the answer according to this group.

And then, finally, as I sit here and paraphrase, the fourth and finally piece of your argument stated that:

4. Well, even though we didn't WANT to be in this war, now that we are, the military action conducted by Israel has already resulted in positive effects. My response? That is exactly the type of irrational, short-sighted, debilitating type of thinking that is only making this situation worse. This incursion of Israel's into Lebanon, performed with the absolute blessing of the Bush Administration, is doing horrific damage to our future. People throughout the Middle East who didn't like Hezbollah are now siding with them. People who were looking for a good reason, a really good reason, to start perpetuating age-old hatreds about Israel now have a really juicy, well-videotaped reason in this invasion of Lebanon to go recruit some more soldiers. I don't know quite how to phrase it without sounding over the top, but the only way there are any long-term "positive" results from this is if the secret goal is to actually launch a full-scale regional war in the area.

I don't want to stand alone with Israel against the world. I want to stand with the world. And the world is telling Israel to stop.