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I've posted the Twain quote around quite a lot in online communities, and gotten some good responses. The majority of Americans are never called in polls. The majority of polls cited support the cause of the day. I believe men and women and goodwill and sanity are largely keeping their heads down. The rhetoric of the administration has shown a shocking lack of concern for even minimal standards of reason. Proof is never produced. Empty rhetoric and jingoistic bullying has more or less stood in where debate should be. The distinctive whipcracky sound of dusty flags being waved vigorously has drowned out most of the voices of dissent, and the major media outlets (in particular cable news) have blindly bought into and perpetuated every over-statement and cheap trick and act of terror-mongering. I live in Texas, and work at one of the most politically conservative universities in the nation. I'm teaching "Civil Disobedience" and Rousseau on the will of the people. I feel a chilly reticence in my students. Dissent frightens them. Reason has been shown to have little weight in high places. These are the kids who will go and fight shortly. Some are in officer training, some in the national guard. I keep hoping there's some backbone and some brains left in America. That people will stand up and demand some answers. That they will realize that grief and shock don't necessarily demand the surrender of our rights and our reason. I keep hoping. Steve Marsden --