TigerPaw, I think your essay was well presented. It is sad that mass manipulation has become a staple of our government. The constant din of claptrap seems to have destroyed our ability to think for ourselves. There are many things we can't have first-hand knowledge of, but there are a few that we can, and those few are enough to justify putting aside our prejudices long enough to see what's happening around us.
I had the privilege of being born in a free country. I've been a steadfast conservative since my school days. I remember life when Americans were free and fought for their freedom. The travesty that has been perpetrated on us in the past few years appalls me.