So much of it these days, particularly when it comes to politics. The human capacity for hatred and ugliness can be quite extraordinary.
At McCain/Palin rallies this weekend, there have been cries of "Liar" and "Terrorist" and even "Kill Him!" directed at Barack Obama. In one nauseating piece of video footage, you see an older man proudly showing off a stuffed monkey toy with an Obama sticker plastered to his forehead. "This is little Hussein," he taunts.
I'm sure if you ask these folks, they will tell you of their frustrations with the election process, as if this somehow justifies their myopic behavior. They will warn you of how anti-American Obama is, and how his links to Ayers and Wright demand further exploration.
Perhaps they do. But how can you listen to someone who spews hatred and divisiveness as easily as they breathe the air around them? Worse yet, in most cases, they don't even realize they're doing it.
A sad state of affairs, all around.