On Dishonesty

I said: It’s an opportunity for them to sorta talk about the Iraq War without really talking about the Iraq War.

Steve replies: Translation: They're talking about it, but they aren't saying what liberals want to hear.

Nope, they're mostly just talking about Sheehan these days, which is pretty sad.

Steve replies: Look, I'm as opposed to the fact and basis of the Iraq war as you are. However, our reasons are completely different.

Wrong, Steve. How do you know that our reasons are completely different for not supporting the Iraq War? Sorry, but I've got to stop you when you claim omnipotence on the subject of my thoughts. You may wish we thought differently to avoid having someone you feel to be liberal to — gasp! — agree with you, a self-proclaimed 'true conservative.' Oh, the humility!

You would deny the problem and, therefore, the solution.

I would? Tell me what 'the problem' is and I'll tell you if I deny it. To me honest, I've kinda lost track on the 'real story' of the problem according to our president. From what I can remember, 9/11 got us all thinking about the problem of terrorism (since we never think about world problems until they directly affect us, but that's another subject). We were told that Bin Laden was the problem, and I'm totally for going the distance to find and take him out. But that would be defensive military action, which I'm 100% for, and it wouldn’t have us in Iraq. From there, it turned into going to war against Saddam in Iraq. And after that, the reasons for doing so continuously changed.

So presently and from my perspective, dishonesty is a real problem, but it's not your accusation of dishonesty toward folks like Ms. Sheehan that's a problem. It's the dishonesty of the Bush administration in consistently changing their story of why we are in Iraq that's a problem.

I don't deny the problem, I just think is the wrong solution to the wrong problem.

Problems, problems... As long as we agree on what the first problem you refer to is, then I agree. Sorry if that bothers you, though.

And your opposition, as well as Cindy Sheehan's is simply thinly disguised Bush-hatred. She's not protesting the war, she's protesting Bush, and the hate-Bush crowd and the hate-America crowd find her a willing tool in their agenda.

I don't hate Bush. I'm sure that he'd be a pretty cool dude to hang out with. Back in the day, I'd love to have gone to some of his college keg parties and shot the bull with him. He seems to be an outwardly affable guy. But I do hate being misled about important things such as going to war and reasons for doing so.

And this 'liberals hate America' crap has to stop. Why is it that non-conservatives are regularly accused of hating their country just because they care enough to speak out? The vast majority of Americans — liberal, conservative, moderate, whatever — all speak out because they love their country and they care. Conservatives don't have a monopoly on patriotism, sorry.

And what's wrong with Sheehan protesting Bush? The Iraq War was his baby. Who else should she protest regarding the war? No one? 'Just sit down, shut up, and let us take care of this war stuff as well as how we choose to use your son's life?' I don't think so. Even the president of the United States should be held accountable, and hopefully, everyone's thinking a little bit more about the validity of his word these days.