I do not blame the Republican rank and file

[othermeans]

I do not blame the Republican rank and file for the predicament(s) our country finds itself. They after all, like their slave holding predecessors of the antebellum South, are blissfully unaware of the pernicious effect that their beliefs have had on our country. An emotional lot not given to reason as were the slaveholders who could see no other interests but their own. These interests of course led to the American Civil War and over a century of social and economic ills not just for the South but for the entire United States. Just as this war will lead to economic hardship and continuing social unrest.

Within their ranks they have developed a cult of personality which brooks no dissent, ignores the truth and allows only a lock step response to any criticism. They have been duped by the Republican leadership who have used them shamelessly. The true onus for our current problems, of course, lies with the Republican/neocon hierarchy. The rank and file Republicans respond emotionally to well reasoned arguments because intellectually they know that what their leaders have done is tragically wrong. We cannot blame them for this. This is the curse of the cult of personality. When Mr. Limbaugh receives phone calls the callers respond with: "Mega-dittos, Rush!" Ditto-the same over and over. Unfortunately the same thing over and over accomplishes nothing. I can only hope at some point in time this redundant pattern of thought will disappear. Perhaps: "Information overload is pattern recognition"

So who can we blame for our current predicament? Obviously, as stated before, the neocon leadership. I personally believe that their demise is close at hand. Their evil deeds will begin to collapse around them like a column of ill-stacked books.

The people who must be blamed for allowing this to happen is our party: the Democrats. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? you might ask. Yes there have been many Democrats who have tried to muster support for the just causes which affect our people. We all know what has happened to many of them-smeared, maligned and scoffed at. But they were like cave explorers deep within the earth with but one light to help them focus, each working to find the others so together they can lead us out of this seemingly interminable darkness. The timidity of the other Democrats in reaching out to support these few have left, not just we Democrats, but our great country groping for a way through the darkness.

There are so many things we must fight against you say. No there is only one thing we must fight against: The tyranny of ignorance. We have truth my fellow citizens, the ultimate weapon against deceit. When the councils of the Republican war mongers quote polls supporting their position our leaders must question these for the journalists never will. When the Secretary of Defense says that militarily we are winning the leadership must ask him to define "winning".

Finally when the President says if he had to invade Iraq again even knowing that the intelligence was all wrong we must rise up and in unison and ask but one simple question: "Why?"