Found this interesting quote within a quote today. It describes the US in a nutshell right now:

"It's not difficult to find rationales for writing off just about any opponents of current war plans. Paul Rogat Loeb, author of "Soul of a Citizen, " has pointed out the predictable result is an insidious cynicism that short- circuits genuine debate: "Ordinary citizens can't speak up because they don't know enough; young people are dismissed as naive; older people we're told are trying to relive the '60s; academics are just eggheads; religious people are unrealistic; immigrants are suspects; celebrities are airheads and so on." "