I never thought of conservatives as less intelligent than liberals. (I know too many smart ones.) In general, as a group they do strike me as decidedly more fearful of change and less socially open-minded.

Indeed, reflexive social conservativism (in both Republicans and Democrats) formed the bulwark against racial and gender equality for generations. As of late, it has fueled the rationale for proactively 'gutting' our system of checks and balances, civil liberties & reasonable rights to privacy to spend $9 billion a month (and a seemingly acceptable, ever-increasing body count) to support policing an intractable civil war for a completely dysfunctional government in a country only united by one shared belief: that Americans should get the hell out.

Again, there is no shortage of intelligible conservative arguments to keep digging this geopolitical grave, but it all seems to stem from the same underlying fear that was and is 9-11. This kind of thinking is not unintelligent per se; rather, it is better understood as an irrational paranoia brought about by the post-9-11 awareness that a lot of people around the globe really don't like us very much. Fear trumps IQ any 'ole day; W's 89% approval rating after the twin towers fell was at least 80% of all liberals.

Dear Okakura,

I have to disagree with you. Your assessment of the Iraq situation is based on surface media information that you have gotten from very superficial "newswriters". It is obvious you do not travel. I have been in many different countries very recently and I have been treated with respect, dignity and much admiration--not due to my personal achievements but due to the fact that I am an American and I love my country.

I suggest you read a book about history. It really makes me sick to listen to the nonsense on this forum.

Don't bother to reply...I just joined an hour ago and I am leaving as on NOW

Yes, Conservatives have been more fearful of change, and as Communism showed, sometimes those fears are justified.

You offer a false choice. Furthermore the point of your post was not to offer this false choice, it was to get in a few taunts and insults. You dress it up for nothing, considering the venue.

Thanks for proving my point. Now run back to a forum that always validates and never challenges your view. Also, thanks for enlightening me about all the misinformation I have about the Iraqi war - I guess all those congressional Republicans have it wrong, too. Apparantly that's what they get for channel-surfing away from Fox during commercials ;)

P.S. I've travelled extensively around the world, not that that necessarily makes one any smarter. I'm glad you were received so nicely. Nevertheless, probably best to avoid the reflexive Yankee jingoism, or at least before you ask the nice foreigners about their views.

Pogue: I didn't realize that citing the historical fact that conservatives opposed civil rights and gender equality en masse (& supported the Iraqi fiasco) constitutes a "taunt" or "insult." I guess that these things are just small misjudgements from your perspective(?)

Please accept my apology for this and also feel free to correct any historical/factual errors that you find.