Somebody e-mailed me today and asked why I had not posted for several months. I think this thread is why. It is deeply hateful, self satisfying and righteous. I heard our leaders apologize--almost profusely, for the treatment of the Iraqi prisoners. If it were widespread and systematic I know we would have heard more. I have six children. I live fearful for their future. I lived for two years in a communist country. Much of my liberalism was squeezed out of me. I am not proud of it; at times it is downright embarrassing, not so much because I feel I am on the wrong side of an issue, but by taking a contrary stand other people leap with their assumptions--they leap with joy at the possibilty of a public forum to be "right" again. I've placed my heart and soul in the folk community for over 25 years. It's a good place, especially when it laughs at itself. I've never learned a thing from an angry man. I really haven't. I can't hear them.