Nothing dogmatic or far-out about my political position, GfS. I believe I am pretty much in the same position as Benjamin Disraeli, who said, "I am a fiscal conservative, but a social liberal." And unlike a few others I could point out around here, I am perfectly willing to revise my positions on various issues if I encounter new and valid information, and/or if someone can give me a good and sufficient reason why I should do so.

It's called "having an open mind." You really ought to try it sometime.

I am not a member of any political party, although I tend to vote Democrat, all too often because the Dems represent the lesser of two evils. The one person I would vote for for president with no qualms in Dennis Kucinich, but he, of course, has been systematically excluded from candidacy by the Democratic Party because he has proven during his political career that he is a man of integrity. Also, I agree with the platform that he enunciated.

No, to the goose-stepping arch-conservative, I may be so far out that I'm no longer in the ball park, but I'm right in there shoulder to shoulder with most Americans who were born with a brain, are in the habit of using it, and feel that the benefits of living in a democratic society should be shared by everyone, not just those who are wealthy enough or influential enough to afford it.

I pay my taxes because I feel that that is one of the prices of living in a civilized society. But along with a lot of other people, I don't see that I'm getting my money's worth.

And one of the uncivilized parts of this society is that it denies freedoms and benefits to certain specific members of society because they don't conform to what the self-appointed arbiters of personal behavior feel is proper—even though what they do has no effect whatsoever on the lives of others.

I do not believe that anyone should be allowed to go into other peoples' bedrooms and try to tell them what they can and cannot do. This, of course, in the case of consenting adults.

If that makes me some sort of far-out, raving "liberal" in your mind, then—so be it! I can definitely live with that!

Don Firth