Just for the record Charles, your challenge for a Progressive to denounces this (as if we wouldn't) only displays your own prejudices... or at least ones that you have borrowed from the likes of Ann Coulter. Abuse of our military personnel is NOT something that progressives would support. We are about patriotism, government service, support of our country and most of all about the rule of law to protect the rights everyone. Physically assaulting ANY person for any reason is illegal and immoral. Assaulting someone for who they are, what they believe, or what they do for a living is a HATE CRIME and should be punished as such. Of course you guys aren't in favor of hate crime legislation so I guess until the GOP becomes more enlightened we will have to deal with them under exisiting laws.

Yes, we progressives truly disagree with this kind of sick, despicable, crimininal behavior. These thugs act a lot like Republicans by choosing to settle problems with force.

KeithS sweetie, there's so much history of just that! You started out seeming to have good intentions but then you had to go and ruin it by claiming Republicans do this sort of thing routinely.

Let me 'splain this to you Lucy: Republicans believe our government should use force against other GOVERNMENTS who have chosen to attack our entire COUNTRY. That is the JOB of a government - to protect our nation against those who wish our entire nation harm. And you know what - after 9/11 a LOT OF DEMOCRATS agreed with us and, given some of the recent votes in the Senate, they still do.

So maybe you're a little out of touch and out of step? I'm just saying . . .!

Thank you Keith.

Anyone else?

(Addendum to Keith: Republicans are split over hate crime legislation, in particular the hows and wherefores. I do not know why you think the party as a whole disfavors it. I certainly favor hate crime legislation and always have, seeing it as an extension of the common law concept of degrees of a felony.)

The democrats hate of George Bush , Conservatives and Republicans is a Hate Crime. They should focus their hate where it belongs. Their own stupid lying asses. Elite ? Your nothing but back patting and butt slapping frauds. You elite losers don't have a clue how to run this Country and wouldn't survive a day on the streets where the people you pretend to care so much about live.

Gayle, you missed the sarcasm. It was a jag at Charles' political bias. Let me be more blunt so it doesn't go over everyone's head this time. I don't like the whole tone of Charles' little challenge. It ASSUMES first that this story is accurate (Remember the last Iraq veteran harrassment story that came out of Washington State? After it was investigated it turned out the Vet made the whole story up, which didn't stop the OpEd pundits from treating it like it was fact). No witnesses presented this time and the soldier isn't talking to the media. How very convenient.

Second, the assumption that these five hooligans are people that Liberals would be unwilling to denounce is all so very GOP Xian of Charles. Most Liberals don't even own a handhand, let alone run around town waving them at men in uniform and kicking butt on defenseless people. If you want to suggest a political affiliation that needs to denounce those folks, call on your bedmates in the NRA before you start throwing this crap in the face of Liberals.

And RobLaCa, you don't have a clue about who you are talking to. I work in the streets. I've been providing medical care to the indigent and the poor for my entire career and that career started before many of you were even born. You show your own Elitist attitude by even suggesting that you know how I interact with the people I care about.

I denounce it. Just as I denounce the attack on Iraqi civilians by American soldiers whom Aaron and Gayle support depsite the evidence mounting against them in a military investigation. I denounce all violence. It is sick, whoever does it.

See, I'm man of principle, not sides. Which is why I get called an America hater. Because I have no compunction denouncing fellow citizens. I'm on the side of humanity, not a country. Or a political party.

Keith, I wanted to know if people on the left would actually say something. You don't like the tone because the facts make you uncomfortable. PROMINENT DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO CONDEMN ANY OF THIS. I done the search in Google, Lexis-Nexis, and when I had access to it, Westlaw. It wasn't just this one attack, although this is certainly symtpmatic. Cast aspersions on the beating victim if pretending it doesn't happen makes you feel better, but it did, and the rising tide of hate against people for thier political views is only getting uglier. I have been to the marches here in Chicago that hard-left organizations were involved in. I've seen the emotions there. It's hate, pure and simple.

You don't like the tone of my challenge? I don't like the fact that exercising my First Amendment rights and putting a pro-Bush bumper sticker on my car makes it a target for vandalism. (Think I'm exaggerating? Park your car in Evanston and find out.)

Yeah, I assume the story is accurate. And yes, I assume that many liberals are unwilling to denounce it, BECAUSE THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING. But I'm pleased to find that some do.

Oh, and Keith? The NRA stands for training people to use guns safely and legally. Nice try though. This soldier was attacked for being a soldier. That's not the NRA. That's the hard left.