I have no problem with men AND women enjoying their sexuality, but have a big problem with anyone knowingly abetting adultery. Yes, more of the blame should fall on the person who broke their commitment, but LOTS should still fall on the person they cheated with. There are so many single people in the world - there is no acceptable reason to have sex with someone legally and morally bound to another.

Also, I *do not* condone vandalism but wonder if part of the reason the word "slut" was used is because "homewrecker" is too big a word and would take too long to paint? Honestly, if I were ever hateful enough to do this to a house, I'd go for the shortest word that even came close to what I wanted to say so I could tag the place and get the hell away. If there were a 4- or 5-letter word that means "someone who deliberately has sex with a married person", vandals might be able to express themselves more clearly.

I have not read all the posts so I apologize if this has been said already. I agree we should not attack Bristol Palin. She made a mistake and I pray that she leads a happy life from now on.

My anger is with Sarah Palin for knowingly dragging her daughter into the public spotlight. It would have to have been dealt with in AK, of course, as Sarah is already governor. But to run for a higher office, knowing this will come out and all eyes and opinions will be on your child? What kind of mother does that?

I just wanted to tell the LW that I'm right there with her, but I wasn't even able to watch a minute of the Republican convention. I knew it would make me crazy, too, and I owe it to my family not to do that to myself on purpose. I have been hanging tough on blogs and comment sections, trying to point out what seem to me as the obvious flaws in the McCain/Palin ticket, but upon reading that Gallup now has them up by 4% I have to take a break from all that. I am going to ignore the pundits, the posters and the polls for as long as I can. I'm not even sure I'll be able to stomach Salon.com for awhile, because everything I read here depresses me more.

I'm going to get out in my community and talk to people and maybe change a few hearts and minds. Even if I don't, at least I'll feel proactive instead of reactive for a change. Maybe the LW should try it, too.

Sarah Palin's family values. (Warning, it's graphic)

http://thebruceblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/sarah-palin-huntress.jpg

No, your family is not the only one to wise up. My immediate family all voted Bush in 2000 and 2004. All three are now voting for Obama. My dad because he says the Palin choice was the "ultimate affirmative action pick". My mother because she will not vote for an adulterer (wow, a Christian who lives her beliefs, imagine that!) and my brother because he joined the National Guard since the last election and is now sick of this wasteful war.

I doubt theirs are permanent defections from the Republican party, but it goes to show that there are some people who actually think for themselves instead of falling for the party soundbites.

Oh, and best of all? They all live in Virginia :)

I respectfully disagree - it *does* matter who gets elected, because the next president will likely get to make multiple Supreme Court appointments. Those decisions will affect our nation for much longer than 4 to 8 years.

The polls I have seen (no, I do not remember the sources) that give Barr as a choice also give Nader. Barr pulls 1 or 2 percent from McCain, but Nader pulls 4 or 5 from Obama. I cannot believe Dems are still willing to vote Nader after the last two presidential losses, but it seems a significant number of them are.

Rebecca - I have not read a single one of the 420+ comments from other readers. I just want you to know that I was deeply moved by your words, as I have had many of the same feelings but could not articulate them very well. This is my favorite piece of yours, ever.

...and got very frustrated with the folks like gala and hoot who are still so hung up on Hillary not being the nominee. PLEASE, I beg of you, read this excellent piece by another Hillary loyalist who is still smarting over the way H. was treated, but also understands that Palin cannot replace her.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/10/condon.palin/index.html

"He may not be a Muslim, but he sure ain't no Christian."

"It's called the WHITE House for a reason." (followed by a huge guffaw)

"His name could be John Smith, I will never vote for a n*gger"

I'm sure more "pearls of wisdom" followed, but at that point I left the room.

If I had be a journalist, they would have cleaned it up a bit, but this is how they really feel.

And yes, these hateful people vote.

I agree in part with (poster) maotsetung - a really nasty virus will likely take care of overpopulation, it's just a matter of when. I do not see it happening as a deliberate release from a stockpile somewhere, however, but rather a simple mutation to a virus already out there that humans cannot adapt to fast enough. As a biology major in college, my combined education in ecology, population biology and virology have convinced me that the true weapons of mass destruction are in nature's arsenal, not man's. Humans who have long felt like they have dominion over the world will be brought down by something they cannot even see.

I've made my donation and forwarded your idea to 20 friends!