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They view life as an ongoing struggle to the finish between good and evil. Their mind-set is that you do not do business with evil -- you destroy it. Talking with the enemy is not part of their plan.
That's it. There it is, right there - the basis of the entire problem. There are people in every group, whatever the religion or lack of it, with that attitude, and it's the attitude, not the belief, that causes ugliness, strife, and cruelty. The problem isn't religion, it's utopianism. The idea that there's an absolute good and the world must be judged by it, and there can be no worth of any kind to be found on the other side. It's monism as well, worship of The One, whatever that one is. A vastly dangerous mindset in the wrong circumstance, perhaps in all circumstances.
A terrible day has arrived when this country is within reach of being ruled (yes, ruled) by someone with no grasp or acceptance of diversity of thought. Bush lives in a box in his head, of course, but he tries to pretend he believes in the Constitution. Anybody think this one is going to bother with pretending? Hands?
Didn't think so. I would say god help us, but since we haven't made any effort to help ourselves...
