In actuality, I assume that anyone posting on the internet could be a complete misrepresentation of who they actually are, even if they provide pictures of themselves picnicking with their smiling family at the seashore or biographies of their complex and charitable life.

All one can respond to are their rants and posts on here and, when their lack of humanity during national crisis shows a cold and bitter heart and the policies they promote lead to suffering and a deepening of the divide between the haves and have-nots, then that is the person I'm responding to. I'm fully aware that their role on the internet could be a complete 180 from who they are in real life but I don't care because their words can influence others into believing that their own little dark side excursions are acceptable since others reinforce them.

In many ways, if these folks in their daily lives are not the evil and greedy bastards they portray on here, then it's even more insidious in my mind especially if they have talents of persuasion. The damage they do to our society has huge consequences as we're seeing first hand these days.

You've professed conservative views and outrage on here from time to time and yet I have not ever felt you were anything other than completely honest and in search of answers. You've also shown huge compassion to the downtrodden and weak. But Jody, the difference between one of your posts critical of liberalism or desirous of strong and aggressive military action to root out terrorists and let's say Tom's posts about the same topics is that you don't need to win the argument. You won't distort the data to only show your side of the issue. You question while you're stating your beliefs. You allow gray area thinking and validate the intelligence and diligence of the opposition.

Our world has lots of room for people of all political persuasions that want to shout their contrasting views from the rooftops as long as the audience isn't being beat about the head to make sure they absorb the message. The concept of free speech has never included that tactic. Well Jody, that beating about the head, win at all costs attitude is exactly what we're seeing from the far right today and many of us have had it and will no longer allow them to bastardize true debate without slapping their hands every time they try it. We've seen in history what occurs when the message they are promoting is allowed to gain legitimacy and ethical folks sit on the sidelines silent thinking it's all just hot air.

Jody, I know it's a huge stretch from the dynamics of today but what do you feel about the large segment of the population of Germany that allowed the rise of the Nazis either out of fear, economic distress, or just simple ignorance? The vast majority in my mind were not horrible ogres or terrible humans but simply folks like I'm hearing on here that get uneasy when someone's getting worked up early when those tiny signs of greed, inhumanity, and bigotry start into the national conversation. Yeah, your society allows the freedom of expression even when the message is despicable but so does it allow intense derision of the messenger and, had a loud enough voice come from the citizens of Germany that saw the dangers of the path they were on, perhaps the bad guys wouldn't have gotten the legitimacy they required to succeed. My guess is that instead, peer pressure from the majority that are uncomfortable by the outrage, quieted the dissenters.

We were on a similar path during the last decade although it is a valid point that we were no where near the horrific economic conditions and the intense nationalism that occurred in Germany after their humiliation in WWI and that the rise to fascism would have not been as rapid or as drastic. However, the signs were all there that it was a path we could go down if things were not reversed. Timing and a free fall of the world economy changed the political landscape but the future is still very uncertain Jody. Further economic collapse can still occur even if Obama acquires super powers. The damage is that great.

With that huge task in mind there is no room for the Rush Limbaugh's and Ann Coulter's blatantly trying to ensure the collapse happens for political gain. These are our nation's equivalent to the Nazi party Jody and when I sat and watched as the supposed conservative intellectuals on here not only did not condemn their tactics but actually parroted them, it took me over the edge. I will not be the part of the silent majority as these goons tear my country apart. I'm sorry but no matter what good traits people that support this form of political bullying might have in their personal lives, their tactics must be dealt with harshly. Logic and debate doesn't seem to work.

Art