<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> First off, I would like to = apologize for any off topic discussions I have participated in, which have caused = anyone’s inbox discomfort.  Those of us who receive all the emails, = sometimes an off-topic post or two is a welcome addition to the normal load.  =  Sometimes these discussions beg to be discussed.  But point taken, and I = apologize for any part I’ve had in it.  While everyone’s = technical information here is helpful, it is clear that at least one of us is in = the business of getting goats.  I apologize that I have allowed my goat = to be gotten! J</fon= t>   Talking about dogs is one thing, = but bringing politics and religion into it is quite another…. No = matter who’s politics and religion it is.   To bring up anything in relation to impending war, which people obviously have mixed emotions about, is = simply insensitive.  Regardless of what we think about what’s going = on anywhere else in the world, we don’t know all the facts.  No = matter what each of us believes in our hearts is right or wrong, people are = about to lose their lives on both sides of the conflict, and that’s not a = light matter.  Whether you think violence brings violence, or whether you = think we need to strike before stricken, bringing such opinions to a list = where we aren’t discussing face to face with understanding, will only bring descent.  I’m sorry that I’m kind of long winded about = a subject we’re all calling for an end to.  But I think = it’s important for each of us to think about what we’re saying here = before we all start insulting each other’s morals, ideals, and = beliefs.  To tell someone to put his Bible away may be offensive to someone else who = reads his Bible, and wants peace for the world.  Conversely, making light = of what is going on in the Middle = East might be blatantly offensive to someone who has served in = our great nation’s Military.  I think we need to as a group steer = clear of this subject matter.  I think it will take us to a place where = nothing will be resolved, and feelings will be hurt.  I myself am going to = try to not stoop to a lower level and get into a scrap over politics, and I ask = others to do the same.  If we really want to discuss what we think about = what’s going on, then let’s setup a situation where thoughts will be = heard, and discussed, in a mediated environment.  Let’s not do it on a = list where every post is a strategic response to whatever was said = last.     I hope this is taken in the spirit = in which it was meant.  This is not meant to yell at anyone, or to = express any view points of my own, but simply to call a time-out for a minute so = that we can all think before responding to such sensitive = matter.   Again, I apologize if this in = itself has offended anyone, it certainly is not meant to.   Jonathan Finger = RPT     <div>   </div> <div>   </div> <div> Thanks for the clarification, Alan! Without = you, but what would I do?????????? Of course I realize that there are moral and immoral people in every culture and religion. I also realize that, thanks to our media, many foreigners see us as loud, sex crazed, intoxicated, greedy buffoons. Which puts us at danger from fanatics who think they will be doing God a favor by hurting us.      By the way: I just read a lovely article = about the 7 strains of anthrax "our" government provided "So-Damn Insane" back in the 80's (Reagan-Bush) when he was our "friend", and we were helping him target his enemies (Kurds and others) and kill them with the nerve gas, etc. that we provided. ( About which we complained not for 2 years because he was still our "friend". )And how Dubya snatched up that 12,000 page weapons report from Baghdad and edited it before the U.N. could read it for, ostensibly,"National Security" reasons: these being that Bush didn't think it would be good "P.R." if the world knew that American and Japanese companies originally BUILT Saddam's weapons of mass destructiuon, and gave or sold them to him, which is precisely why Bush knows what Iraq still has!!! ( But won't tell us how he knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ) </div> </div> </body> </html>