Scabby, that just about says it for me. July 4th came and went with only a few sparklers in the yard at this house; we don't tend to wax patriotic but we also know how to appreciate the good things we do have. I feel for Doug because I know so many who were emotionally wounded by the whole Vietnam experience, and every stupid politician (and that's about all of them) who has ever done a stupit thing just rubs more salt into those wounds. I'm becoming a Quaker, and choose not to pledge the flag, but it's not out of lack of respect for the republic for which it stands.