Well, you know, by this point I have no excuse for being surprised by the depths the bullying thugs behind the Republican Party will sink to, but I suppose I should count it as a victory of my humanity that I've retained the capacity for outrage.

It all started with an email from a well-intentioned, unfortunately too easily fooled former co-worker this morning.

The shame of the shameless, it is as follows (though I've removed some of the "dramatic" spacing between lines. It starts with a lie -- well, maybe not. Perhaps whoever sent it considers G.W. Bush as his friend -- and goes downhill from there. I have recreated the formatting and color choices from the email.

As you read through it -- I'll do you the honor of presuming upon your intelligence and not having to provide a running commentary -- note how they go from a tragic circumstance to folding in "God, country and home" and then attempt to get people to embrace without naming it the Republican Party which has apparently thoroughly embraced the color red as their own. Note that even here in PA, where former football player and token candidate Lynn Swann is running as the GOP's candidate for governor, above and partially slipped between the a and first n of his name on the campaign banners is our very own Keystone State -- in red. (A hideous concept to conjure with.)

(An aside, it occurs to me that the GOP embracing red means that the rest of us can resurrect all those old feelings we had through most of the Cold War when red = Communism. They've handily swapped out one Evil Empire for another. We probably should thank them.)

The blatant use of the color red, and the over the top usage of it in the little dedication speech at the bottom, is reinforced by the only spot in the piece where they use the color blue -- a color that from the past two national elections has become synonymous with the Democratic Party as we looked at the national maps to see where fools, fraud and Dieboldt stole some key elections -- when they advise those "...who couldn't care less to hit the delete button."

It's amazingly juvenile and obvious, but experience continues to show that millions of americans are taken in by such ploys. So, I'm spotlighting this abomination -- this attempt to build their party on lies and the corpses of our fallen men and women in the armed forces -- in the hopes that you'll pass it on and watch for this and similarly scurrilous items in the the In folders of your family, friends and co-workers. Point it out to them and be sure they have an opportunity to get angry at this offensive, galling tactic.

The wretched rest of this post is their work, not mine:

I'm passing this on from a friend.

Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.

No, he responded.

Heading out I asked?

No. I'm escorting a soldier home.

Going to pick him up?

No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq I'm taking him home to his family.

The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.

Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."

Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.

Red Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that ... every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can
we do to make things better for you?" is ..."We needyour support and your prayers." Let's get the word outand lead with class and dignity, by example, and wearsomething red every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.

IF YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON. IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!!