Sure, John-John, let's give them nuclear fuel and "see what they do with it."

Ah, the sweet sound of Rand's imploding credibility after he links Islamic stoning article to Kerry.

The linkage is quite clear. We have an evil, misogynistic regime in Tehran, as demonstrated by the story. Kerry/Edwards want to appease it.

But if my comment was as dumb as yours, I'd be embarrassed to attach my name to it, too ("imploding credibility"?. Of course, I'd not have made it.

OK, mystery person (too ashamed of your statement to actually put a name?), given that John Kerry has already betrayed his country once -- by meeting with the North Vietnamese *WHILE STILL IN THE MILITARY* -- what make you think he won't betray us to the likes of Iran?

- Eric.

Strangely enough, this is not a million miles away from how quite a few people in Britain view American death penalties.

Really, Ian? Quite a few people in Britain are unable to see a moral distinction between killing a mass murderer by lethal injection, and burying a thirteen year old girl up to her neck and throwing stones at her head because she was raped? Is the needle missing from their moral compass?

And if so, is there some reason that I should care what those "quite a few people" think?

Right on, Rand. While I'd be the first one to welcome a citizen of Britain to our fair land, and fight for their right to speak their mind, the cold, hard reality is that we don't give a dman what they think, if they're going to do it from afar.

For our English friend, walk a mile in our shoes, and then see what you think.

Oh, and for the Anonymous Coward in the first post: ESAD. The only thing Kerry's gonna win is a footnote.

Is the needle missing from their moral compass?

Ah, but yours is, if you think killing people who did the crime justifies killing even convicted people that didn't.

Still, if they are young and pretty, that makes it very different. Obviously your morals are beyond reproach.

And if so, is there some reason that I should care what those "quite a few people" think?

People in barbaric countries rarely do. That's part of the problem isn't it?

The issue is not whether or not she's "young and pretty." If she axe murdered someone, being "young and pretty" shouldn't help her. The issue is that she is an adolescent, being stoned to death, one of the cruelist possible executions, for being raped, while her rapist gets off with lashes.

As I said, apparently no needle on the compass at all.

Rand right back to the first post. Why did you bother to answer someone who did not have the courage or sense to add their name to the comment?

I do however agree with you, we CANNOT appease extremists of any stripe. The current extremists just happen to be religious extremists. But as we have seen, so long as we appease SOMEONE the Liberals are happy.

Maybe if we stop being so mean around the world, so forceful, so American, the extremists will back down and change their ways. Yeah and maybe if I vote for Kedwards, I'll wake up married to Morgan Fairchild, yeah, thats the ticket.

"Moral equivalence is the hobgoblin of large egos."

Puckett you have to be kidding me! Moral equivalence!! We pride our selves in this country on giving the best and fairest trials and sentencing we can. And for the most part we get there, some problems due occur, I'd be the first to admit. The very issue of capitol punishment keeps getting looked at in the courts, BECAUSE we don't rely on moral equivalence. If we did put our reliance there we would never have visited the question after the first capitol sentencing way back when.

But to put the issue of capitol punishment on the same footing as a teen age rape victims stoning, is repugnant. It shows, to me, a lack of human feeling, and caring. You're worried about people convicted of crimes, and connect, somehow, that to the victims plight in a rape case to further your opinion on the death sentence.

Kerry = stoning? Sound familiar?

Rove was reputedly the brains behind a sleazy e-mail forward that alleged McCain had fathered an illegitimate black daughter, a lie which was "proven" by actual pictures of McCain with his black daughter, whom he had actually adopted.

"Steve" wrote:
"Rand right back to the first post. Why did you bother to answer someone who did not have the courage or sense to add their name to the comment?"

This is something I've wondered about--why is someone who only uses a first name, possibly not even his _real_ first name, more "courageous" than someone who did not use any name at all when making a post to the Internet? Wouldn't you be more courageous, "Steve," if you posted your last name and city, and, hey, maybe even your home address and telephone number here? Why are you concealing these things from the Internet community?

But to go back to the thrust of your question, there are indeed reasons why people don't use their real names when posting to the Internet. Some of these can be, as you allege, different degrees of cowardice. But there are legitimate reasons too. For instance, perhaps they don't want to receive harassing messages or spam e-mail. Or perhaps they are concerned that they will suffer retaliation at work for expressing opinions that are at odds with those of their employer. Or perhaps they are posting during work hours, and worry that if discovered, they could be fired.

So it's not simply a matter of "courage."

Ok "BOB SMITH", if thats your real name, you got me!! I've been using JUST my fake first name on this site for 2 years waiting for just such an occasion.

I do not put the other info out there for the general populace for the same reason you don't, I have no want to be inundated by jackasses for my views and opinions. I DID put all that information on another comment several years ago, and it was ugly, so I don't do that now.

I thougt that the writer with no name was gutless because the writer with no name has written here before I believe. At least some other writer, or writers have blasted Rand's views and then left off ANY name or handle. So my ASSUMPTION was, its the same no name writer.

By the way Bob you left off YOUR address, phone number and e-mail address TOO!! So put up or shut up.

Steve, you are having a reading comprehension problem. The quote below condemns moral equivalence.

"Moral equivalence is the hobgoblin of large egos."

Mike you are correct I did misread the section that came from, Thanks for setting me straight. I INFERRED when I should have READ.

"Steve" wrote:
"By the way Bob you left off YOUR address, phone number and e-mail address TOO!! So put up or shut up."

Are you Steve Iskoctchi, the guy I went to high school with? If that's you, Steve, then how have you been? Man, it's been years! Are you still dating that goth chick? What was her name? Stacy? Or was it Shaleen? I can't remember. Man, we had some fun, didn't we? I can still remember that time when we got pulled over by the cops and you swallowed the pot you had just bought from that guy who always hung out behind the football bleachers. What a laugh we had when it turned out that the cop just warned you about a broken tail light!

Or are you Steve Doberton, the guy I met in college who stole my New York Jets jersey? If it's you, Steve, then I don't care how much you deny it, I know that you gave my jersey to that girl you were dating. And in case you still haven't figured it out, that was no girl...

Well, no matter who you are Steve, I admire the immense courage you have demonstrated here, posting your real first name and all and fighting for truth, justice, and the right to be a loudmouth twit. Attaboy!

Your (possible) friend,

Bob Smith
(aka John Doe)