OK, if they've been in a relationship for more than a decade, at a minimum, cousin-with-ex is at least 30. She brough ex into the family circle and shared him with them. Doubtless, she encouraged him to befriend her family, and they, him.

Now, it's off. So their friendship must cease?

Bull.

You bring people into the family circle of friendship and caring and then you decide who I should shun? Nope. Not a chance.

That being said, no amount of justification is going to appease the "disappointed" gods of family.

Be an adult. Don't talk about him with any of them, unless they ask, and then don't badmouth him, but make sure that the context of group gathering/mutual friendships with others comes into play.

I think LW has been really quite adult in this whole thing and should just let the anxious waves of family roll off her back.

Several posters have cited statistics about the supposed inversion of evangelical states and the measurable markers of decrepit morality and the like--high divorce rates in places like Alabama, high crime rates as well.

I would argue that the high level of self-described religiousness, or evangelicalism, is more a reaction to events and circumstances that fundamentalists feel are beyond their control, rather than the result of prevalent evangelicalism.

That is to say, people who are scared run for certainty. If the community surrounding me has lots of divorces, I'm going to seek out a place that doesn't advocate divorce. If my community is under siege by crime, a place with a seeming high moral standard is going to create an illusory island of security for me, and I'll join. It doesn't prevent either of these things, but provides a veneer of stability to make one feel better.

The fundamentalists may be reacting to the changes in culture around them, rather than creating or causing the so-called decay people are ascribing to them.

You will note I did not say the position is right, I'm saying it's the reality of fundamentalists. Nor did I argue that you, I, or anyone else can persuade them otherwise--quite the contrary, one accepts matters "on faith" and no amount of logic, reason or persuasion will change the perspective.

While something may be clear and insightful to an outsider, facts merely cloud the matter when it comes to faith, for many of the evangelical set.

I'm not defending, I'm trying to explain. When one presents a beautifully reasoned piece of logical and coherent argument, one must also presume that there will be those who don't get it, and won't agree with it.

Cogency does not equate to assent.

For the first time in a long time, I agree with JW.

Since the onset of the Great Depression, the Republicans have been wrong on Social Security and Medicare. They were wrong on those programs, which have helped countless people and families live with some dignity and allow them to live with pride in retirement.

They are wrong now on Health Care. This point cannot be ignored.

And Bill Moyers is spot-on in his analysis. FDR and LBJ didn't wait for his opponents to give them what was needed. They told them what was needed and then they worked like hell to make it happen.

One cannot be aloof from partisan, hardball politics as President of the United States. This is not a law school lecture in Hyde Park--it is about people's quality of living and about businesses ability to create jobs, and individuals' ability to change jobs. It's time for the White House and this President to come out and do what is needed for the American people, rather than to accomodate Democrats in the Senate who are prepared to appease the crazies in that body.

He may not be flashy, but he gets his job done. In a roomful of big egos, Herb Kohl is one of the few in that august body who doesn't need to have the spotlight and claim all the credit in a situation. He's also assembled an excellent staff, they handle constituent services very well, and he's an advocate for Wisconsin in negotiations on things like budget and programs.

If that's a knucklehead, I'm glad to have him.

While I would never say I "hate" the mommies described in this piece, I do think that one of the reasons for discomfort and distate around such women has to do with perspective. Perhaps one should recognize and realize that, while your first child may be YOUR first experience as a parent, that there are literally millions of us who have also had children, both women and men.

In other words, you are not the first person who has ever endured/enjoyed the challenges and tasks of parenting. Your child is NOT the first child to be so amazing/successful/outstanding at coloring/playing/singing/reading/fill-in-the-blanking.

The sooner we all get over ourselves, both breeders and childless-by-choicers, and just let people be without imposing ourselves and our perspectives on others, the happier we'll all be. Even the kidlets.