I guess I just have one question: Would Ashley's parents (or any parents) do this to a severely disabled male child? Keep him purposefully in an infantile state by stunting his growth so he'd be easier to cuddle? Perform a vasectomy to desexualize him? Call him ridiculous names like "pillow angel? Uh, I think the answer is probably not. I find this story totally horrifying, frankly.

Here we go again. Those of us who have some problems with the actions of the Israeli government and who feel that it is in the best interests of the United States to formulate a more balanced and nuanced foreign policy in the Middle East are raging anti-Semites who are in bed with David Duke. Ugh.

Let's think about this for a minute. What does it mean to be "anti-Semitic?" I try hard to ignore the rantings of bigots, so I have to admit I am not up to speed on all of the ways that Mr. Duke thinks the Jewish people have corrupted America. However, I will assume that he thinks that they are all dirty, greedy, money grubbers who have too much power and are responsible for the death of Jesus. He probably has no problem whatsoever with discrimination against Jews and may even be one of those idiotic Holocaust deniers. Okay. He is entitled to his moronic attitudes and opinions.

But how does it follow that people who, say, think AIPAC has too much influence over our foreign policy, and that this influence hurts us in the war on terror, or who don't like the obnoxious settlements that the Israeli people have set up, also have a problem with the Jewish religion? Or with Jewish people? I mean, huh? I am trying hard to understand how so many seemingly intelligent people keep clinging to such non-sensical arguments.

Come on, folks. If you disagree with the assertion that we are in Iraq because of the influence of the pro-Israel lobby, then state clearly why you think this is nonsense. If you disagree with the argument that media coverage is too pro-Israel, cite examples where coverage has been more balanced. Stick to grown-up arguments, not juvenile accusations, and I will stick to telling anyone who will listen that I think David Duke and Pat Buchanan are total losers.

The problem with John McCain pandering to religious right wingers is that it rebuts his image as a "maverick." It makes him just another politician, when his major selling point for the last six or seven years has been that he is a "straight talker" who tells you what he thinks even if it upsets his fellow Republicans. So, now that he has chosen to go over to the dark side by groveling for votes from people whom he has heretofore claimed are hurting America, what exactly is his selling point? What makes him special? People may argue that Senator McCain must appeal to the Republican Party's religious base if he wants to become President, but by doing this he becomes just another pol, and a pretty conservative one at that. Sorry Farhad, but the appeal of John McCain to you and many other Democrats is totally lost on me.

I wish these extreme right wing groups received more attention. If the American public at large could see what has apparently become an important part of the conservative movement, it would benefit the Democrats for a generation.

So, the question is, why don't the Democrats do more to point out the appalling excesses of groups like this? It would be so easy to make any Republican who attends conferences like this look like a complete idiot. The Republicans are convinced that the country is a whole lot more conservative than it really is. This delusion could help the Dems immensely if they chose to take advantage of it (I'm not holding my breath). I've lost track of all of the men, young white men, in particular, who have said that the extreme religious views that characterize the modern GOP are the one thing they really don't like about the party. Lets out these fools!