Well, mg, have you read the entire 2 threads from which this one arose, and seen my serious contributions to them? I eventually felt I had said all that I needed to say about this subject, and that to say more would not help anyone. The jokes are a sort of comment in light of all that has gone before. You have to look at the whole thing in context.

People's feelings have been very hot on this issue, and some people's feelings have probably been hurt by it.

I was in one sense attempting to defuse the tension that has built up here, and I was also making a certain satirical comment regarding these kind of debates...which become endless, and don't seem to result in anyone having a change of heart, but rather hardening their position.

I don't think this helps people.

We all believe in the essential human values: freedom, justice, mercy, kindness, brotherhood, love...

I guarantee it. We all do.

We also experience fear. It is when our fear gets the better of us that we turn to anger, hatred, bitterness, and vengeance.

Humour is something that can ease those feelings a bit and give us a fresh look at what unites us, rather than what divides us.

I consider troll and CarolC to both be friends of mine, and I believe that the things we have in common far outweigh those that divide us. I believe that about all people. The animal jokes were mostly for the benefit of people such as troll and CarolC who have been posting to these threads over and over again, and who are friends of mine.

I can understand that you might not get where I was coming from. I take the bloodshed in the Middle East just as seriously as you do, I can assure you.

- LH