[Sam Cree]

Yeah, I noticed that too, calling them fighters all the time. The Left has come way out in the open now. I'm kind of appalled, they are even much uglier than I thought, or maybe the reality is just hitting me harder.

[TopQuark]

or maybe the reality is just hitting me harder. I questioned myself in the same way. As the events unfolded since Sep 11, I came to conclude that it is not you or I that overlooked them in the past: they are indeed uglier and more direct than before.

I have not solidified this opinion, but it appears that their extra degree of openness ---- recklessness even --- stems from desperation. Ever since Vietnam, America was on the defensive abroad and, most importantly, at home. You could throw any dirt on "the system," "corporations," etc. --- and nobody would blink. The elites have taken all key posts from which you can receive information: media, universities, and governmental agencies (unfortunately, it is not widely known that, when the 1917 communist revolt in Russia was executed, the radio station was on the list of the first fwe targets to be taken over; they always knew the value of propaganda). After some time, they grew accustomed to hearing only their own voice. Well, as in a regular conversation, when you are the only one speaking, you don't have to yell.

Enter Sep 11 atrocity. All of a sudden, the whole country got awakened to the values of real America, which is not represented fully on the pages of newpapers. Of a sudden the country has shown that it consists of and values people who build it. As the war approached, the left discovered that the country actually supports traditional values and, in particular, truly respects our troops.

The Left, which was lulled by the invicibility of Clinton, who servived no matter what assaults on this country he perpetrated, has not expected any of that. I think that what we see is panic. They thought that only "right-wing nuts" listen to Rush Limbaugh, but it turns out is middle America. They thought that they will go into the streets with their anti-War demonstrations and bring about our defeat as they did in the case of the VIetnam war. That also did not resonate --- to the extent that even CNN now is turning away from them.

So in panic, being on the defensive, they drop pretenses of civility. All of their ugliness comes out, from anti-Americanism to anti-Semitism.

I just hope that it will be made explicit for the general public and remembered by it. In contrast to Vietnam, we have nowhere to retreat. They cane here, and it is now our own homes and families that are in danger.