I completely understand - I have many friends and family members who voted for Bush on Tuesday, and I respect them as much today as I did Monday.

I'm not friends with raving right-wing idiots, and have already disowned anyone in my extended family who fits that category. So I know we are kidding ourselves if we try to label every one of the majority of voters in this country who voted to keep Bush in office as idiots, rednecks, blind Bible-thumpers or any other creative, derogatory name in the book.

My father voted for Bush. My father, who is more responsible for my dedication to social justice, peace and equality for all than any other human on this earth. My father is not stupid and he is not a bigot. He had his reasons. Maybe they were misguided, maybe they were as valid as mine were for supporting Kerry. I don't know. What I do know is that he is a man who doesn't do anything blindly, and he thought long and hard about his choice here.

If the far right wing is now pulling the strings in the Republican party (and I think they are), is the best response we've got to drive our party to the other extreme? Fill ourselves with hate for "them", adopt strategies based on dirty tricks because we think that is the only way to "win"? Insist on fighting these traitors on their own terms by refusing to budge an inch on issues (call them what you want - moral, cultural, social...) on which it has become obvious we do not hold the majority view (like abortion and gay marriage) in this country?

I still have hope we can pull together to get America back on track. I am sick to death of the drama and the hate. Count me in on whatever team emerges from all this with the goal of restoring the vital power and influence of truly progressive leaders who have the best interest of ALL Americans at heard (including both right-wing nutcases AND flaming liberal freaks!).