GF, I did not protest in the 60s and 70s -- I felt that would have been disrespectful to those who were serving, like my brother, my boy friend who got killed in Nam, over half of the boys in my graduating class and the many, many others I didn't know personally. I did feel the war was wrong and I'll stand by that feeling until the day I die. I also feel this Iraqi war is wrong and I'll probably feel that way until the day I die as well. Again, I won't protest for the same reasons although this time around I know no one personally who is serviing there.

Being a patriot does not mean being deaf, dumb, blind or stupid. It means loving a country and defending it. I may not have physically defended America but I have defended it and its citizens verbally and by word and deed.

As to being known by the company we keep, what a sad concept. I want to be known for what I have done and said, not what my friends have done or said. I remember my mother having a fit because I was friends with a boy who was of mixed race (that was one of her politer terms) and "what would people think?" My reply was that she and dad had taught me to accept people for their behavior and it was a little too late to change that. I liked him -- he was funny, kind, a truly gentle soul and poor. However, if I had followed the credo of being known by the company we keep, I would never have talked to him. He lived in the wrong part of town. He was the wrong race. He wasn't like us! Who knows, he may have even gotten in trouble a time or two (I honestly had no clue and it didn't matter by my standards). Yes, neighbors talked and that hurt my mother.

So, if associating with people because others would deem them "bad company" makes me "bad company," I'm so sorry. I'd much rather call people my friends because of the way they treat me, not because someone else decides they don't like what they say or do.

Way back when, I was very pro-McGovern. He lost me when he turned his back on his VP running mate because he'd taken anti-depressants. If you can't be loyal to your beliefs (remember, at first he said this was his running mate no matter what -- until the political heat got too much), how can you possibly be loyal to your nation?

I respect the fact that Obama he hasn't turned away from his friends just because they're not politically correct. And if you're going to mention the ones who don't meet into your agenda, how mentioning those who do -- he has friends from all walks of life. His world is not so narrow.

And, please, let's not forget Bush's cronies and their alleged and not-so-alleged crimes.

Okay, off my soapbox.