[Joeaksa]

Supe,

A person is a complicated thing (in most cases) and most of us are neither conservative all the time nor liberal all the time.

I have conservative leanings (especially after a nice toddy at night) but also grew up as the kid of a liberal Art Professor Mother and some of it rubbed off and took root.

Breasts you say? We all have them and just why is it that a ladies treated as something to hide when guys can walk around all day with no shirt on? After living in Europe where men and women sunbathe either halfway or totally nude in the public parks, I have a hard time dealing with the phobia that America has for a body that is not totally covered up!

Was parachuting years ago in Germany and got weathered in by rain one day. We all went down to the local "swimbad" to relax. Pool was nice followed by the jacuzzi. We then all hopped in the sauna and everyone was still without clothes, both girls and boys. No one paid any attention and dammit it just felt natural. No one snickering like would be done here in America by some of the guys or looking at the girls in anything other than a "normal" way.

Was pulled aside by two of the ladies at dinner that night. "Du bis nicht normal fuer an Ami" (you are not a normal American) was the comment that they made. I told them that I was not nor ever wanted to be considered normal and we all laughed. They then told me that they had many American skydivers at the DZ and that all wore their bathing suits in the sauna and were shy about their bodies when around girls.

As the bier and schnaps flowed I tried to explain the influence of religion and conservative outlooks in America but they still did not totally understand it. In Europe the majority of the people are taught that your body is a nice, clean, natural thing and sex is also natural between two consulting adults. Wish I could say the same thing about America.

I voted for Bush but it was not easy after watching Ashcroft drape the statue behind him to cover its breast. Had I known that he wrote his resignation letter on 2 Nov it would have been easier from where I stand but thats old history now.

BTW if you think that we are going to let you get by with : to get beyond the oversimple and fallacious assertions offered by conservatives, and arrived at rational, compassionate (liberal) conclusions. then you are more than a bit silly! Anyone who has a "level head" will stand back and look at both sides of the situation, then come to a conclusion. Rational and liberal come together only in your postings!

JoeA