Earlier today, in the comments area I received a missive from one Holly the Hippie (no, I’m not being flippant — that’s what her e-mail address says) snarking about how I hadn’t posted her comment from even earlier about yesterday’s post:

I like how you only publish positive comments. You didn’t post the one that I left this morning. Don’t you love America and freedom of speech?

The obvious answer is it’s my blog and I’ll do as I please, so attempting to invoke freedom of the press given how I am a private citizen speaking solely on his own behalf and in no way represent a news organization is a bit of a stretch. However, I can be fair and balanced when need be. Thus, below please find Ms. Hippie’s original comment.

I never said I wouldn’t include annotation…

I would like to know why you support McCain and Palin.

Let’s see… strong defense of our country and our freedoms, resistance to raising taxes and wasteful government spending, comprehensive energy policy to reduce and eventually eliminate dependence on imported oil, health care reform without the bureaucratic nightmare of socialized medicine, economic plan to rein in corporate greed while encouraging small business and empowering individual employees along with management to work together on better working conditions for employees so they can spend more time with their families, allowing parents more choice in their children’s education… got more if you want ‘em.

It makes absolutely no sense.

I’ll get going on the Dick and Jane version of the above ASAP.

It can’t simply be because you like NASCAR and you like to quote the Bible.

The former, no. Auto racing is auto racing. The latter, to a degree yes. It’s not quoting the Bible that comes into play, but rather how Biblical principles influence the thought process when it comes to political views. I wrote a couple of posts (available here and here) a few days ago about the subject. Feel free to dig in.

I am a small town, southern Baptist

I might complain now and then, but I don’t tell you my troubles, do I?

and I see that a lot of people like you who are blindly following the GOP ticket.

“I see that a lot of people?” Might want to proofread a bit more before hitting the Save button next time. (As if I’m one to talk!) And no Holly, I’m not blindly following anyone. Believing that someone with a tissue-thin résumé and a socialist agenda is God’s gift to America and will lead us to the promised land? Now that’s blindness. Or at least allowing yourselves to be lead with your eyes closed.

Even now, after 8 years of a failed Republican White House that has almost destroyed our great country,

Which came after eight years of a Democratic White House whose failure to eliminate Bin Laden when it had the chance more than once and whose dictum to lenders they hand out home loans like candy regardless of the recipient’s ability to pay were major contributing factors to September 11th and the current economic crisis. Not that I’m 100% or even 99 44/100% in agreement with Bush on things, but considering the losing hand he was dealt by his predecessor I’m willing to cut the man some slack.

there are people like you who think you are “wearing the right hat”.

Better my choice in head wear than the tinfoil chapeau donned by those who define everything so much as breathed against Obama as racism.

Why do you dismiss Obama in such a way?

Actually, I’ve gone more out of my way to be nice to the man than most any other conservative blogger you could name. Who said it was perfectly acceptable for him to speak at Rick Warren’s church in 2006 at an AIDS conference? Me. Twice. Who said about him (quote) And then there’s Obama, whose platform expounds what can be considered basic liberal views yet laces it all — all — with a sense of treating others as having value and considering them equally worthy of dignity regardless of ideological affiliation (endquote)? Me. Who wrote about understanding why it was a struggle for him to separate himself from Jeremiah Wright? Me. Who quoted him at length when he denounced attacking Sarah Palin about her faith? Me. Who wrote at length about the idiocy of accusing him of being less than genuine about his own belief in Jesus Christ? Me. Do I rip on his political views? Yes. But that is as far as it goes. So don’t tell me I dismiss the man.

And what makes you think your hat is “the right one”?

I do believe I’ve already explained that.

Ugh. I can’t believe I wasted my time reading this article.

And you spent how long commenting on it twice?

Can I have my 2 minutes back?

Right after I get reimbursed for all this.