Two views

I've received more than one thousand emails responding to Leaving the Left. The comments reflect a wide spectrum of opinion, as these two make clear:

Thank you for writing this article. I cannot explain how wonderful it is to hear a voice crying strong and true to the very convictions of my soul. It speaks for all of us who have an educated intellectual background, who were brought up to believe that freedom is often a potentially painful choice, sacrifice, and/or responsibility. It speaks for all of those who practice their Faith in a very hushed and subdued fashion, who are used to slanderous accusations of intolerance, hatefulness, and greed all while feeding the hungry and helping the broken and homeless.

I hope that your article opens up the floor for true and vigorous debate over issues that usually result (through slander) in the violent silencing of people who hold to wisdom and tradition -- those who believe that a true progressive is one who works their fingers to the bone, teaching their children the treasure of an honest day's work, constant study and determination, compassion and patience, and the value of critical thinking skills.

A different take:

You wish you had a point. In reality people like you are PROFITEERS from killing brown people and sucking them dry with monetary tricks. You obviously endorse genocide for all peoples who refuse to fit in your tidy box - especially from the Third World but you wouldn't know about them. I wish you could be more idealist. Maybe not exactly like the LEFT you despise, but more like the good intentions of THE LEFT. I really think that good intentions of THE RIGHT are cold-calculating lies. Ever wondered why the YOUTH is so left? Given the chance... Obviously 911 was done by US military, face it, there is enough evidence of late, but I bet you cannot face it. You shouldn't have said that about Chomsky. It gave it away. Rot in hell, you murderous turncoat fascist son of a monkey.

Note: The second writer misrepresents my position on genocide. Only in special circumstances.