Mr. Shapiro is an elegant writer who gave a good overview of his impression as an audience member. It must have been interesting to actually be there.

And now, I will risk the wrath of many of the readers and writers here by saying -- why are we wasting our time listening to such -- ok -- I'll call them dreamers -- as Gravel and Kucinich? I want to hear from candidates who may actually BE the next leader of the free world. I DON’T want to hear from “candidates” who think that the world is a "daisy-chain of peace and if only we would all clap our hands, the peace fairies would come back to life!"

Please, Dennis and Gravel, light candles, lead vigils, be TRUE peace activists. I know people who have worked for Kucinich who say he is a sweetie -- but after a while one has to wonder...has this turned into an ego trip? Has his hot young redheaded wife gone completely to his head? Does Kucinich REALLY believe that the American people are FINALLY going to start supporting him in hoards after all these years? Does he really? I find that hard to believe. Sorry, folks.

To Gravel: let the political process alone. Don't give the GOP any more "nutty peacenik" fodder. You are an articulate crackpot but a crackpot nonetheless.

And to the Dems who might see one of the two above as the "conscience" of the Democratic Party. Oh Puh-Leese! Do you WANT another George W Bush? Do you want another 8 years of GOP theocratic disasters?

Get it together.

Jeez.

My thoughts are these: If your definition of marriage is mostly "property and children," then I suppose sexual fidelity is not necessarily a requirement. The American idea of "Romantic Marriage" where a couple "completes each other" is not the only template for marriage in the world.

But, if you made a promise of fidelity in your marriage, you should keep it. If you find you don't want to keep it or haven't kept it, you have a few choices. You can, with grace and honor, leave the marriage, giving your spouse a good share of the assets and making sure he or she will not suffer too much. Or you can try to figure out what the problems are in your marriage and solve them.

If it was a "moment's weakness" that you never repeat -- shut up about it. Why should an innocent spouse pay for your failing? If you turn into a “repeat offender,” see paragraph 2 above.

I think one of the most interesting aspects of this article was that no one wants to be "cheated on." Perhaps it comes down to something as basic as the Golden Rule: “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”

(PS: This book didn't even touch on "emotional fidelity" which is, I believe, an even trickier problem in the modern, technological world.)

I don't know why anyone -- you included -- has not mentioned something very important about rap. It is ART. It may not be art everyone likes but as I explained to a conservative cousin of mine -- many in French society considered Impressionist Art depraved and vulgar. The Nazis and the Soviet Communists routinely categorized certain modern art as depraved and anti-social. When my young children started listening to Eminem I figured I should listen to him and try to decide whether to let them continue. I listened to his music and was mesmerized. It was violent and hit me like a hammer -- but it was a kind of poetry. Yes, this was one screwed up puppy -- but he was a talented screwed up puppy.

So, Ms. Walsh, defend the art of rapping the way you would have defended Van Gogh or Picasso. Or Manet's The Picnic -- which was accused of being depraved and anti-female in its day!

Do I like "gangsta rap?" Not much. But I also do not like the communities some of the young rappers come out of. I do not like the lack of attention our society gives to minority children and to our major urban centers. And yes, my affluent children also listen to "gangsta rap.” But they are wonderful progressive liberals who are not sexist or violent and want to make the world a better place.

Does that mean that all of us shouldn't try to encourage young rappers to find less violent ways to express themselves and to help young poor people to express themselves differently? Of course not. But suppressing art and artistic expression is not the way to do it.

And comparing artistic expression (even if some rappers get rich) to a powerful rich white guy insulting powerless strangers is just a way for white guys like Joe Scarborough to deal with their knee-jerk reaction that everything is a zero sum gain. That is: If a rich white guy like himself gets hurt -- some minority must also get hurt. They aren't used to having anything bad happen to them so they have a hard time dealing with it.