As a new person posting on this site, I figured I'd better give some background.
I was born and raised as an only child in rural western America, in a household that was strongly, rabidly conservative (John Birch Society). As a child I was subjected to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse by both parents. After serving in the Nam war, I declined to return to the states, and instead bummed around in what is commonly called the 3rd world. I met a lovely lady, married her and started a family, but lost both wife and child to political violence.
After digging myself (mostly) out of that hole of despair, I attended University, got a degree, and managed to work off-and-on for a few years. I now consider myself semi-retired, and a non-American American. My views are based on my background, my experiance in the world, and the reasoned arguements I have been blessed to find.
Here's hoping for opportunities for reasoned debate.