My dear bountyhunter,

I too am a very strong believer in the first amendment. It's the most important, and it's why it's first. Remember that our founding fathers had just overthrown a corrupt government and were quite concerned about making sure it doesn't happen again. The most important part of keeping government under control is the ability to talk about it. And I too am aghast and appalled at the way our current administration is trampling this and many other of our rights. It's speech that the government doesn't want to hear that is the most in need of protection, and it's not getting that now.

However, that has nothing to do with why we choose to stay away from certain topics on this forum. This forum has a specific focus, and anything outside that scope belongs elsewhere. Plus, certain topics have a tendency to become uncivil rather quickly. I'm trying hard to be polite here so this discussion doesn't go that route. In the interests of keeping civility around here, I'm quite in favor of the moderators locking a wayward thread, and repeat offenders warned. If you don't like that, you have the freedom to find another forum, or even start one of your own.

Do you really think Doug and Chris lock threads because the Bush administration told them to? Does the Attorney Generalissimo have Doug and Chris on speed-dial? I don't think so.