America is divided big time. Americans are a big part of the problem.

[grumpyduck]

21. See, that's basically what I was saying

and somebody above mentioned "righteous anger," which I agreed with.

Obviously I wasn't clear enough (and several posts have made me realize it), but, when I said I didn't want to get into who is responsible, it was precisely because we could go on forever saying pretty much what you did: we know who and what we are pissed off at. But that doesn't negate the fact that we so often take it out on each other, which is totally unnecessary.

I get royally frustrated and pissed off when I write an elected official and only get a form letter in reply a few weeks later. Several of their web sites ask for the subject matter of your email, which you pick from a drop-down menu. As far as I can guess, that list is what picks the form letter you get, although they do add your name at the top to make it look as if they were writing you directly. I've heard they only reply personally to big donors, which is part of the reason I don't send them money. So I'm basically talking to a brick wall, except that the brick wall doesn't give me any lip service.

Yeah, I get pissed too, but I try to not take it out on people who are not responsible for the f'ing mess we are in. Even if I don't agree with what someone says, I don't label them as morons.

Am I being nicey-nicey? Is Mr. Rogers my role model? No. I'm just trying to remain civilized in a country that has been going to hell for the past year and some. I don't need to lower myself to the level of what I was describing in the OP.

Maybe we need to vent, which is fine. Vent away. I do all the time, and DU only sees a fraction of it. But there's a difference between venting and getting into an argument at the drop of a hat. Personally, I'm sick of running into that.