"let you win the American Dream sweepstakes and you'll be a Republican with the rest of them -- you don't care anything for the poor"

This was a direct comment on my article "The answer lies not in our Czars, but in ourselves". The respondent is one that would obviously be expected to make such a comment, but I will withhold his name as it can easily be referenced.

Here's the kicker: I resent that statement. I resent the obvious and glaring ignorance of which it was borne. I resent the "holier than thou" attitude that prevails through that mindset, and the rampant condescension that fill this individual's posts and response.

Let me clarify before going any further, however, that I DON'T resent the individual who said it. He was being blunt and expressing his views as he saw fit, just as I am expressing mine here. But they are as erroneous as they are blunt.

If this were an individual who was reading a single article of mine with no prior basis of understanding of my position, I could accept it. I would take the time to explain that that description not only doesn't fits me, but it is the antithesis of everything I am and believe. But this is not such a person, but rather a person who has read many of my articles over the time I have been here and who understands what I believe and am about.

The reason that we, as a world, are so far from knowing and understanding peace, is because we make such rash and superficial judgements. We fail to see the person as an individual and attempt to slap labels on them so that we can justify our hatred and bigotry. While we could be single issue dissidents, we are inclined to throw the baby out with the bathwater and dismiss their arguments altogether.

Let us not let this national catastrophe divide us as it seems to be doing, but rather unite us in a single cause and purpose: the betterment of humanity. We should remember we were meant to be the UNITED States of America, not a disjointed group of uncooperative special interests groups.

Intelligent discussion requires that we not be so hasty as to apply such labels, even if/when they are justified. We have the capacity to come together, and it's time we show it.