Tom, obviously any book contains the author's own slant but anyone that tries to gloss over the abuses of our early ancestors and the European mess they came from is sadly delusional. My post was primarily trying to contrast what's in the textbooks today, which I believe is much closer to the truth, compared with what I got fed in my early years. I was told that Custer was a hero and was massacred by evil Indians. The stories also told of the goodness and fortitude of the Pilgrims and their blessed union with their Indian friends on Thanksgiving.

I was not trying to say that the US is an evil empire because of our jaded history. In fact it's reassuring to me to know our country can overcome incredible evil to become this beacon of rights and liberty. My comparisons to the madness in Iraq was more intended to show that societal evolutions are all much the same. I think we're seeing something similar in the Mideast except it's exaggerated by the modern weaponry and the speed of information. Somehow though I knew that shining the light on any early American problems would be met with this defensive crap you always fall into.

Is it your contention that seeing the warts our country had at its inception is a bad thing? Man, what a paranoid way to live sitting back wondering when the next attack is coming from people you meet and talk with. Well dude, you're bringing the attacks on yourself because it was never my intent with this post to put down our country. Don't worry guy. I'll post one that says all the right buzzwords, feel-good, Mom and apple pie fluff you need to for once agree with one iota of something I say. I'll make sure to drink a few sixpacks, watch a bunch of NASCAR, and wear my pants so I have a great case of plumber's butt to get in the right mood first.