As I've written before, freedom of speech is a great thing. I would never be for silencing someone I disagree with as sooner or later if you give them enough rope, well you can figure out the rest.

So it goes with General Petraeus's report to Capitol Hill, and the House and Senate committees questioning of it, him, and Iraq Ambassador Crocker. But let's get to the reaction, some of it before General Petraeus even made his appearance at the hearings.

If there was any doubt of the anti-military leanings of the hard left, going all the way back to Vietnam days, it was erased with Moveon.Orgs " General Betray Us" ad. That moniker was so predictable, what teenager dreamed that one up for them? There's so much that can be said about this group and their tinfoil-hat wearing followers, but I'll just leave it up to the reader to Google them, Petraeus, "Betray Us", or pick a left or right leaning blog, a news site, or the several commentaries and decide for yourself. There's plenty to find out there.

Once you decide which side you agree with, it's important to find out how your elected leaders feel about it. Will they embrace this slander or will they distance themselves from it? Will they take contributions (some already have) from them, or will they deny them? Does this group, others like them, and their followers define your party? After all, they've said " Now it's our party: we bought it, we own it, and we're going to take it back." ( that party would be the Democratic Party). Do they own you? I hope it was a good deal, and that it wasn't money from any Chinese fugitives.

If the Democrats lose any seats or the presidential election in '08, they can thank this group. Far be it for me to give them any advice, but they'd be best served as treating these people like the nutty relative you keep hidden away somewhere. Why should I care? Well, unlike some of our more generalizing simpletons, I know most Democrats are not on the fringe like these people. Most people, regardless of party, want to go to work, take care of their families, and be left alone. They'll take the abuse their president receives to a point, but to a lesser point when it comes to the military. You attack one of their main leaders, you are attacking the troops.

Most Americans aren't fruitloops on the extreme left or right. Most of these people ignore or dismiss extremist groups like Neonazis, Aryan Nation, the Klan, and the new kid on the block, MoveOn. Too much of a stretch? When you Google them, you'll see commentators bring up the Stalinist and McCarthy'ite similarities of how they operate. Still think we can't question the hard left's support of the troops? Well, as one blogger wrote " A general who "betrays us" is a traitor, like Benedict Arnold. Now that it's OK to question people's patriotism, can we start with MoveOn?"

So please, keep talking. Don't censor or shut them up. If you want to alienate large sections of your party and drive a wedge, be my guest. Just don't come crying after Election Day wondering " how did we lose"? (Quickly followed by " it must've been rigged"). I'll end with one of my favorite Phil Hendrie quotes: " Every time you open your mouth you sink into a bigger swamp of dumb".

©2007 Chris Rodriguez/Wrongmont.Com
(Chris Rodriguez is a Longmont resident, and the editor and publisher of Wrongmont.Com, a community website that raises local issues to increase public awareness and interest)