It's true that I don't always agree with all official positions of any organization that I belong to. I have never ever voted a straight ticket, either. Nevertheless, I do belong, and I don't have to.

The issue here is attack. If anyone -- anyone -- had opened this >ahem< discussion with two links to the opposing sides and had asked questions rather than immediately bringing out the heavy artillery -- or in Ed's case, the pea-shooter -- chances are there would have been a lively but respectful exchange of opinion. There might have been a few surprises. There might even been something approaching agreement on a couple of points.

But NOOOOOOO.... It's more important to prove one's patriotic fervor by condemning every organization in sight that has cast aspersions on any governmental policy of the current administration. Does anyone honestly think that I can agree with anything that a person taking such an approach says about an organization to which I belong, and for whose overall work I have great respect? What's so pitiful is that anyone would have the nerve to be surprised that I'm angry.

Let me tell you something. When someone knocks on the door with a bazooka, it doesn't matter whether he takes his hat off afterward to speak to the lady of the house. She will still whack him with a frying pan.