There's a thread which comments on "badguys". The problem seems to lie, once again, in black-and-white thinking.

The Righists seem to believe that there are either badguys or good guys. If you don't have my best interests at heart, you are a badguy. If you don't want what's best for me, disregarding yourself, you are a badguy.

There is no middle. And "our" people are, by definition, good guys, which makes "them" badguys. You're either for us or against us. And a more reasonable way of viewing the world is that it's not either-or, it can be both-and. The Irainian is not a good guy. It is a repressive regime, not pretty. And, he hasn't invaded an innocent country halfway 'round the world, for instance.

Bush is not a good guy. He is as repressive as he can be, regarding laws and the Constitution as inconveniences to be respected in the breach. He illegally spies on his own people, secretly imprisons them without charge or representation. He has invaded a country halfway around the world, causing untold misery with absolutely no good in return. Not only no-win, but both lose. Imagine what they'd be saying if any other country acted this way.

Now, Bush acted in good faith in what he regarded as the best interest of his constituency. That they are only wealthy people, corporations and oil interests is at this level irrelevant. And the Iranian is acting in what he regards as the best interest of his constituency. Both folks make sense according to their own values. In their minds, both are good guys.

Arf (If you keep doing what you've been doing you're going to keep getting what you've been getting.)