...for simply betting on America.

You're by no means anti-American, Tom--the "mirror principle" is the last resort of the intellectually lazy--but I have to point out that you evidence a noticeable lack of faith in America, its values, and its institutions. The collective "you", in this case; the entire RightWing anger campaign of the last week or so struck me as distinctly surreal. We have nothing to fear from Ahmadinejad*.

Our freedom of speech and thought is a strength, not a weakness, and it proved itself yet again at Columbia. American values didn't fall like dominoes in the face of a speech by a psychotic tyrant; what a silly fear. If you Conservatives don't feel like you're up to the job of confronting somebody like Ahmadinejad, just step aside and let us Liberals handle it. We're not handicapped by awe of authority, and it did my old-time anti-authoritarian hippie heart good to see this generation of Liberals rip the authoritarian Ahmadinejad a new asshole. Bring 'em on!

I can pretty accurately predict your responses, so let me make clear that I'm not saying that Ahmadinejad is our friend and will not hurt us; simply that we're so much stronger, when we don't forget who we are, that it's inexcusable to let our judgment be clouded by irrational fear.