Umm, welll to me you're presenting yourself as if you're throwing a tantrum in the middle of the floor, or perhaps it's in the perception of your words screaming at me, I don't know. Why you would need to be "defensive" with me I don't know either, as I've not said much to you, only provided a little info. (ouunnhh, I truly didn't want to go here with you, Lindy) Your first sentence makes an assumption I'm a conservative or liberal and lumps me in with "everyone" "here", which is fine with me, but .. which is also ludicrous because you don't know the first thing about me, how I think or my politics. I've already said to you numerous times that I didn't want to go "a round" with you, that we didn't agee on things. It's got nothing to do with being thin skinned, offended or insulted. I just do not like to argue and fight the way you do.

By the way, before this board was Justin's and Robert's, I was here. Before you, I was here. You don't "know" me but after all this time of reading pretty much everything everyone writes (ok, I admit to skipping Don), I feel like I "know" all of you. Your mode of um, communication, is just not one I would use. I am in all truthfulness not here to present my opinion; I am here to learn. Which happens on a daily basis, BTW, from the people here. Haven't a clue how everyone would treat me if I started "getting into it", but I would hope simply courteously and, I wouldn't need to be "cut any slack". Being a woman is neither here nor there. Thing is, I would hope I wouldn't come across like a deranged child. My 14 year-old granddaughter is capable of presenting her arguments in a more logical manner.

My suggestion to you to read the Iraqi blogs wasn't meant as an insult but a help. My statement that my son is in the fray wasn't meant to elicit sympathy but to say I have "boots on the ground" over there and am privy to a small amount of truth right from the area. I trust that with all of your verry evident unhappiness regarding the political front that you are volunteering in some manner to help get out the vote or participating in some way to actually effect change, not just yelling about it.

Betsy