I also wanted to add that the '2 sides' aren't as far apart as we are pushed\led into thinking. Sure, there are specific topics\issues that we are night and day on, but in reality we all want pretty much the same things (we just don't always agree on the 'right' way to get them...).

I think the multimillion dollar political machine has a self serving agenda and it pushes us and divides us so that all we see in front of us are the dividing issues and not our common ground. Not that i'm claiming 'victom hood' from the 'machine', but you can't doubt it's effectiveness either. And I'm not suggesting the issues we are divided over aren't critical. But I think most of us tend to lean closer to the middle on most issues, but during hot election years we suddenly find our selves being driven farther and farther appart.

Look at how wild and crazed Gore went off the other day. Not to pick on him, but that is a classic example of the machine at work - like an old school southern preacher working his sheep into a frenzy. I'm sure the democrat side can find some repulican examples as well.

Anyway, maybe we can all put politics aside this Memorial Day weekend and remember those who have died for our freedom. The freedom that includes being able to feel passionately about an issue that is different from someone elses - even the current administration. The freedom to live and fish in such a beautiful state with often nothing else on our minds except what river to fish and what to use for bait...