While you are thinking, I have been thinking as well. One of my mian complaints here (and really part of the core of a lot of my objections to the sentiments I read here) is that you are so completely down on (in this case) America. Let me explain.

I get it, and I agree with part of it to a certain degree, that you are dissatisfied with parts of the American “Experiment”. So, where the congressmen calls America a “great” experiment, ignoring the shortcomings, you call it a “failing” experiment, ignoring the upside. Yes, America is not and has not been all perfect, but does that mean that it is failing? Can it not be both great and imperfect?

So, I guess it is what I perceive as hyperbole, or the overemphasis of the bad and the refusal to recognize the good, and just the general pessimism that is getting me. Is that a reasonable and useful stance? Is that a biblical stance?

I really think that in this case, and with regard to some other things you muse about here, you very firmly set up the perfect as the enemy of the good. Brother, as much as we may long for it, and should long for it, perfect is not coming in this age, but only in the age to come.

With that in mind, consider my challenge I wrote above - isn’t it true, in spite of America’s shortcomings and the negatives and wrongs in its history, that people of every color and creed are far and away better clothed, educated, fed, sheltered, and protected than in any of the places I mentioned? Yes, there are exceptions among us, but isn’t it the case in those other places that to be clothed, educated, fed, sheltered, and protected at all is largely the exception?

Congrats Craig!

You are making my point for me. Being emotional does not require yelling. Even being angry does not require yelling. No one is making you go there, but rather you are choosing to do so. Besides, I thought it was supposed to be the Left that blamed everyone else for bad behavior rather than taking personal responsibility. Now suddenly you can’t be blamed when you fly off the handle just because someone breaks out the tired boilerplate stuff about how bad America really is because you are not properly medicated?

So, are you here to try to persuade, or just to yell at people?

Let me say again, I was put off by the sentiment of the original post, too. I have had some back and forth regarding other topics here as well. I sometimes have gotten a little upset myself in my posts. Nevertheless, I have attempted to persuade logically and reasonably, and have not descended to name-calling and sweeping generalizations and assumptions about the posters I have had back-and-forth with. They never agree or see my side, and I am pretty sure they still assume I spit on poor people, live in a gated community, and fuel my huge SUV with baby seal juice even though I try to be nice and reasonable when I disagree. Nevertheless, I try to be heard and understood, and try to be respectful.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions about you, but I think you written quite enough here so that I can avoid drawing unwarrented conclusions about your temperment and approach to conflict and disagreement, so here goes:

You are yelling. Lots. You apparently think along with the yelling that name calling is an effective way to make an argument, to which you apply your little spin that you think is cutting or funny. For example, for the old standard “bleeding heart liberal”, you cook up “aortic hemmoraging” or “any blood left in that bleeding heart”. Oh, and you were sure to toss in the “why don’t you just leave” line of argument. That’ll win them over!

Also, you are obviously regurgitating what you hear on “conservative” talk radio rather than trying to think about what underlies the poster’s position and then thinking of an original response yourself. As for where you get your material, I am guessing you probably think Rush has lost his edge, and that you are more of a Neal Boortz or Michael Savage guy. You sound like the conservative-ish version of a typical dailykos poster. Who needs more of that kind of attitude?

Now, I am not a “let’s all just get along” guy, but I do think that it is possible to have intelligent, constructive, useful dialogue among people who disagree.

The question is whether you can say anything intelligent, constructive, or useful. So far, the evidence suggests that you can’t.

And for your information, I read it all. Twice. I will admit though, I only skimmed your comments the second time.

Hmm. What about the $587 billion we own Japan (as of Jan ‘08) or the $492 billion we own China (as of April ‘08)?

I love this country a lot. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect, nor does that mean it couldn’t be better.

Yet, the hard, honest truth is that America does have a debt to pay, at least to our own citizens who reap the unintended consequences of slavery and attempted genocide. Time does not heal all wounds. Jesus can, and our repentance helps a LOT. We built capitalism on free, forced labor. That is the highest level of human rights abuse - dehumanizing whole societies and groups of “dark” people to make a buck. In the case of this Nation, we made much more than a buck. We made hundreds of trillions.

I do love my Country. That is exactly why I want to see Her do the right thing, and prove that She is GREAT. Denial and lack of repentance is not GREATNESS. It is unfortunate.

Craig, think about it bro.

And for my own benefit, could you point out specifically what the ‘liberal agenda’ was in my blog post? I’d really like to know.

Aaron, I’d love to find other thoughtful and constructively critical commenters like you. I don’t like deleting comments, so feel free to use words other then cold if that’s what you’d do. I trust your judgment. Still considering what you said…

Indie and Chris and Brian,

Thanks for your thoughts and support. You hit on a lot of provoking thoughts. Thanks for sharing.