[Southflanknorthpawsis]

This is a fair question and not meant to spark a fight in either direction. Can you understand or have you personally experienced being very displeased with the way someone has spoken to you or to others? Have you ever met a person that is overbearing or appears to speak condescendingly to or about others; perhaps been unkind about someone you care for? If the answer is yes, do you simultaneously put all feeling aside and search for a quality to praise? I think the honest answer is "no".

It is easy to overlook the unpleasant qualities if you are close allies. But blinders hinder all of us at one time or another. We don't want to believe that the person we admire is not seen that way by everyone. We try hard to emphasize the good we see and downplay or deny the faults. By the same token, another may see only that which bothers him or her.

Personalities, manners and the way we are treated causes each of us to make a judgment. It's really that simple.

The fact that one man's pleasure is another's pain is not so remarkable. Bushies can't understand why Keyesters are not bothered by arrogance and ego and Keyesters can't understand why Bushies won't overlook the personality. Interesting that such a common situation causes such furor.

[EternalVigilance]

This is a fair question and not meant to spark a fight in either direction. Can you understand or have you personally experienced being very displeased with the way someone has spoken to you or to others? Have you ever met a person that is overbearing or appears to speak condescendingly to or about others; perhaps been unkind about someone you care for? If the answer is yes, do you simultaneously put all feeling aside and search for a quality to praise? I think the honest answer is "no".

It is easy to overlook the unpleasant qualities if you are close allies. But blinders hinder all of us at one time or another. We don't want to believe that the person we admire is not seen that way by everyone. We try hard to emphasize the good we see and downplay or deny the faults. By the same token, another may see only that which bothers him or her.

Personalities, manners and the way we are treated causes each of us to make a judgment. It's really that simple.

The fact that one man's pleasure is another's pain is not so remarkable. Bushies can't understand why Keyesters are not bothered by arrogance and ego and Keyesters can't understand why Bushies won't overlook the personality. Interesting that such a common situation causes such furor.

That is a wonderful and a thoughtful post. My compliments.

Are you taking nice pills or something? (Just teasing...smile ;-)

The only fault I find with your analysis is that you are leaving out one important facet of what 'Keyesters' find so maddening about 'Bushies'...the seeming (from our perspective) unwillingness of y'all to focus on the issues that are the basis of the fight in the first place.

Comments? (before I go to bed...I really gotta go)