My ideals have got me on the run

* The Art of Denial. excerpt:

"Since the launch of 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' fourteen months ago, over 800 American troops have been killed and thousands more injured. Not that you'd know it from the conservative pundits and politicians.

"In their world, no one is dying, and America is building infrastructure, schools and hospitals. Conservatives look at Iraq through rose-colored glasses, all the while refusing to acknowledge the reality on the ground, and blaming liberals and Democrats for 'politicizing' the war.

"Conservatives have also politicized the war, but in a different way. When the footage of Nick Berg being murdered by terrorists was released to the world on May 11, the conservative pundits quickly latched onto that horrible footage to justify war.

"The footage was also used to minimize photographs released from Abu Ghraib prison, photographs showing Iraqi prisoners being sexually abused by American guards. While the photographs from Abu Ghraib were bad, many a conservative pundit said, they were not as bad as the footage of Nick Berg's murder.

"To conservatives, the death of one American at the hands of terrorists is bad, but the deaths of almost 800 Americans because of war is something not to be discussed. The pro-war conservatives know that showing any images of flag-covered caskets returning to the United States could change public opinion of the war. And they don't want the war to end.
...
"It's time for conservatives to remove the rose-tinted spectacles and recognize the reality of war. They wanted war more than anyone, these conservative pundits and politicians. And it's about time we stopped sweeping its ugly reality under the rug."

* New edition of the Land-Grant College Review features stories by Arthur Bradford, Alan Chuese, and Nelly Reifer. Pick yours up today.

* On this day in 1976, John Sebastian's themesong for Welcome Back, Kotter, hit number one.