I am writing this somewhat tongue in cheek because I believe those of us in
the liberal vs conservative  side see different realities. Years ago, I used
to work at a school district (on an HP 3000 of course) and would car pool
with a woman from Belgium. We used to have grand political discussions -
she, being one of the younger Europeans, I would describe as the "Green
Party" type, eg, NATO was the only hindrance to peace with the Soviet Union,
there should be no Pershing rockets in Germany, etc..

. I guess that is what is dominating Germany and France today. Or at least
those who voted.

While we could occasionally "get through" to the other with reasons for our
thoughts, it seemed like an impenetrable invisible wall of 2 different
realities (of course perceptions) divided us.

We were always civil and cordial; in fact I kept in touch with her for a few
years after I left employment there. We approached our differences with
humor (humour for you in the UK) and truly enjoyed the dialogue during the
rush hour traffic.

It seems that a similar dynamic is occurring on this list - that despite
well reasoned and civil dialogue, there are gulfs that won't be breached.

Maybe we are wired differently.

For example, it is perplexing to me why some US military actions seem to
draw those on the left out in massive protests, while others aren't even a
blip on the radar screen. When Clinton advocated doing exactly what Bush is
doing now, (1994? or was it 1998?) there wasn't a peep of protest in the
streets. Was it because Clinton was more to the left? Or people felt that
"he really didn't mean it"?

Beats me.

 But even our friends the French have to admit , at the very least, that the
situation in Iraq today certainly isn't less precarious  today than it was 4
years ago. Is it a stretch of the imagination to think there might be more
horrible weapons there today?

Today I read that the North Korean ship that dropped off the Scuds in Yemen
went on to Germany to pick up Sodium Cyanide - yet another one of those nice
"dual use" chemicals that cam make serin gas or ???  Sure doesn't seem like
the Germany I knew 30 years ago.

And that so many South Koreans think we, the guarantors of their freedom
since 1953, consider us to be "more dangerous than North Korea". The same
country that has allowed untold numbers to starve while they develop nuclear
bombs. While supporting a well fed million man army.

Beats me.

No wonder American in years past has swung from isolation to
internationalism.

As one being more to the right I have to wonder why we went to Haiti to
replace a military junta with a dictator. One special forces soldier at a
road block there lost his life.

 For what?

 Or, as many Americans have to wonder, just what we are doing in Bosnia -
while they seem to want to kill each other, they certainly don't threaten
us. Bosnia certainly isn't in our national interest. One wag suggested
building a wall 100 meters high, leaving them all alone inside and coming
back in 20 years.

Sounds fine to me.

Or how about lobbing a few cruise missiles at aspirin factories in Sudan or
Afghanistan when al Queda manages to kill a few hundred in our embassies or
blow a hole in one of our ships. No protests in the street then...


Wasn't it Alice in Wonderland where "Up is Down and Down is up"?

Bill

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