No, it does not mean they have to love us and blindly support us.

But for 500,000 American lives and over a billion dollars of post-war aid to rebuild their "civilized" European cities, one would think a little less scorn of us as arrogant, mouth-breathing Yankee cowboys might be not that much to ask, no?

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For what it's worth to all the readers/writers on this thread:

I sure as hell did not/ do not support the Iraq War. It was unnecessary, unjust, and a waste of thousands of lives just so Dubya could impress his daddy by doing what Pa Bush couldn't - get Saddam.

That being said, there are times when military action is both just and necessary.

The 700,000 Rwandan men, women and children who were slaughtered in 1994 while those who could help - the US, the UN, etc. - did nothing but talk a lot about the problem....they would probably agree with me.

If the USA essentially disbanded its military and just kept enough troops to protect our borders, that would be great!

No more American lives would be lost on foreign soil, on behalf of ingrates who would just as soon spit on us decades later.

Yup - I would love it if we just took care of ourselves. No more millions and millions of dollars of aid to people around the world; instead, we spend the money on our own poor and struggling.

It would be a beautiful thing - for the USA.

But the rest of the world - including hallowed, peaceful Canada?

You sure about that, Mary?

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See, I think if we just "stopped it", and the bullets 'n' bombs somewhere out there started flying (as it always does) - Iran-Israel? China-Taiwan? North Korea-South Korea & Japan? Russia-Canada? =).... I wonder where everyone would turn to.

The UN? Why, they'd have some good talks about it, for sure.

Canada? LMAO...yeah, right. If it weren't for your scary neighbors down south, Russia has enough military might & nukes to annex & "regime change" your beloved, noble land without breakin' a sweat.

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See, I think if we just "stopped it", we'd still be a villain in all your eyes...for being so dang selfish. How dare they not send their sons and daughters to die for us!

And as for other countries being able to give military help?

Please.

No matter what the Anti-American revisionists say: no US entry into World War 2 = Europe might still be 'Germania' today.

I found this strip amusing enough, because Keef adds his signature flavor of humor to it...

But Gman has a good general point: enough with the "Passion of the Christ"-esque beatification of people who have chosen to have kids!!

Yes, yes, yes - you all suffer for your newborns. You bear the cross of sleep deprivation, etc. for the children.

Won't anyone think of the children? That's the damn problem with our child-centric society...ALL WE THINK ABOUT is the children!!

And how they magically change everyone's lives...and how being a father or mother is the most admirable duty in the world...and how those who object or choose not to for whatever reason are selfish or heartless or malformed in some way.

I've lost count of how many once funny, insightful sitcoms, comedians etc. just turned bland. awful or both when babies/kids/parenthood entered the picture.

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Sincerely,

An Adult who enjoys Adulthood, Adult Themes and the Adult Experience

Actually, lots of countries would prefer the USA to lighten up a bit and lay off the military action.

Rwanda would not. Not in the early 1990's, anyway.

Neither would Bosnian Muslims.

Or France, Britain, Poland, Czechoslovakia, China and Russia 68 years ago.

Or those in Darfur.

Or every Eastern Bloc Soviet "country" during the 1980's (if it were not for just the threat of America's military might, would the Berlin Wall ever have come down?).

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America's role as global policeman - a role that, frankly, we NEVER asked for - reminds me of a quote from the Joker in the latest Batman flick:

"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Identity Politics.

We all claim to be above it...as we do for other base human instincts, like rubbernecking a car accident, watching a naughty film scene or eating junk food.

But identity politics is alive and well...

Forget what that crabby Canadian (cf. today's Cary Tenis column) thinks....do we live in the greatest dang country out there or what?!?! =)

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We are Americans. We (men and women) like looking at attractive females (and, dare I say it, males). Especially in their unmentionables.

And we also like looking at baby animals...puppies, wombats, even neocons (who are cute for the first couple months, then...)

And the ONLY way feminists, fascists and/or fundamentalists can ever change any of this is to gouge the eyes out of everyone - from newborn babies to great-grammas 'n' grandpas.

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(But then, ya know what? We'll all probably still like the pheromonal scents of attractive females...and again, dare I say it, males! And their voices....and their, um, taste...)

I do not doubt that the forces behind Political Correctness had good intentions - and I certainly am no fan of those who use hate to create fear and antipathy...

But to me, there can be no constructive criticism or exchange of ideas if we merely turn a blind eye to the distasteful.

And, as your lesbian/feminist bookstore example illustrates, laws which are meant to be "protective" can often do more harm than good.

People are much stronger than the collective society and/or government thinks; as an ethnic minority, I can absorb the blow of hate speech - once I am allowed to respond to it in a free way myself, you know?

Thanks again.