[Maceman]

In any case, the Republican electorate is virulently anti-Islam and that is a shame. Most practitioners of Islam that I have had the pleasure to know are wonderful, law abiding and hard working people.

Since 9-11 I have been hoping in vain for someone to show me one single aspect of Islam that doesn't totally disgust me.

From what I have seen, there are only three types of Muslims -- murderous Islamist fascists, enablers of murderous Islamist fascists, and lapsed Muslims.

Perhaps the author of this screed hangs around with the latter group. In any event, we need a lot more of those types.

It is certainly possible to hope for democracy in Iraq and still believe that Islam at its core is an evil doctrine. That doesn't mean there aren't good people also who were born into Islam and nominally practice it because of peer and family pressure.

[Yardstick]

It is certainly possible to hope for democracy in Iraq and still believe that Islam at its core is an evil doctrine.

Exactly. And isn't the ability to navigate the tension between conflicting ideas that are concurrently held one of libs' most highly rated virtues?

Rather than getting all bitchy, the writer should be praising us for our circumspection.