[LibWhacker]

No doubt you would have cheered wildly if Noriega -- or any other mass murdering drug dealer -- had appeared on the screen. Don't like America? GTF OUT!

[Citizen of the United States]

No, sir, I should not do so at all. I despise General Noriega, and others of his kind. Had he appeared on the screen in Citizen Bush's place, I should have boo-ed just as loudly, if not more so.

You -- and many others -- appear to ascribe to the fallcy of alternate syllogism: If not A, then B. If not B, then A.

I condemn Citizen Bush's actions; you conclude that I must approve of General Noriega's. Not so; non sequitur. Your logic is invalid. I can -- and do -- have equal measures of contempt for General Noriega and for Citizen Bush in the matter.

I fail to see why you conclude that I dislike the United States. I criticised the first Bush Administration; how does that translate to general hatred for the Union as a whole? Must I implicitly approve of every action taken by them? Must I support every operation?

If I condemned the United States' involvement in the Balkans under Citizen Clinton, would you demand that I leave? If I remarked that I would boo the former President for the actions taken in Serbia, would you conclude that I would cheer wildly had former President Milosevic appeared in Citizen Clinton's place?