[pieceofthepuzzle]

So if someone went off the deep end, and blew up the home of Bill Maher because he did movie ‘Religulous’, it would be described by Kerry as having ‘rationale’?

[ClearCase_guy]

Classic story from the Medieval period of the Middle East -- Mullah Nasrullah (famous for being both very wise and very foolish) was sitting in his shop when one of his neighbors burst in. "Mullah! I have awful news! One of your bulls broke through your fence! The bull entered my property and got into a fight with my ox! I'm afraid my ox got the worst of it and was badly gored. In fact, it died."

"That is bad news," said the Mullah.

"Tell me," said the neighbor. "What sort of recompense do you think I am owed for this tragic event?"

"Not so fast!" said Mullah Nasruddin. "Animals cannot always be controlled. True, tragedies occur, but should humans have to pay for the actions of animals which are still basically wild? I am afraid there can be no recompense for your loss."

"Oh," smiled the neighbor, "I must say that I am glad to hear you take such an enlightened view. Because I may have told the story incorrectly. You see, the bull which escaped belonged to me. And, sadly, the ox which died belonged to you. But, as you say, I cannot be held accountable, and surely owe you no recompense."

"Not so fast!" declared the Mullah. "We must read deeply in the law books. There may be certain elements of this case which I at first overlooked."

Moral: Right and Wrong depends on whose ox is being gored.