I want to thank JJ for the provocative comments, but must respond briefly. What angers me most about this film is that a man like Spielberg has such potential to shape the emotions of the viewing public as well as their perception of reality. Instead of asking questions (as he is quoted as saying he hopes they will), I think many will come away with conclusions based on what he put in his film or more pointedly, left out. Granted, it's not a documentary...it's art...... but it seems to paint an unbalanced view of extremely complicated issues. Spielberg told film critic Roger Ebert, "I don't have an answer.", yet by stating that he seems to deny the very message of his own film. His agenda of the futility of violence promotes the idea that revenge is by definition wrong. I think it is human nature to want to see people suffer commensurate with the evil they have inflicted. Those who have no desire to do so have become desensitized not only to violence, but to justice. Dennis Praeger (radio talk show host, author) asks us if justice would have been served if Israel did not seek the death of the murderers. He says that argument is never advanced in the movie. I, like many, still believe that we must (when we can) recognize evil and not be afraid to fight it. So many of the left have seemingly lost this ability.

As far as my comment about Spielberg making movies about gay cowboys........perhaps you read more into it than intended. ("What does a statement like that say to someone else about what you believe?") I was merely making a comparison to another current movie with a political agenda....perhaps a little less politically charged than terrorism at this point in time. What does your assumption that you know what I meant say about you? Thank you for pointing out that I am here to seek my own truth and find my own path. Thank you for telling me about my 1st amendment rights. Thank you for reminding me.... "we cannot pretend they don't exist, can we?"

"Found a culture, have you, Rita? Found a better song to sing, have you? No--you have found a different song, that's all. And on your lips it's shrill and hollow and tuneless. Oh, Rita, Rita...." Dr Frank Bryant in "Educating Rita"