... the debate is never over (and being a lawyer has little or nothing to do with that).

>> Pete and you, in my opinion, missed the concept and context of which
>> I repeated that infamous toast. The complete toast was as follows
>> "To my country may she always be right, but my country right or wrong".

No, I didn't "miss" the concept, Jim. I'm quite familiar with the quote, its context and the concept it presents. The first phrase expresses a hope, the second a commitment of support even if that hope proves futile. Within limits, I accept it -- and my limits are almost certainly broader than the average American's. I come from a military family which has paid a high price participating in the Vietnam exercise of "my country right or wrong" (and believe me, it was "wrong" by any definition of the word in Vietnam). But there IS, as I said in my earlier post, a limit beyond which rational people cannot and should not go.

>> The toast is/was a final act that demonstrates debate, discussion, etc. IS OVER. We
>> are at WAR and should/must be a united country and support those who fight for us.

The last I do -- without reservation, regardless of the political basis for the war and whether or not I agree with it. But, as I said above, the debate in a democratic society is never over. Nor should it be.

----- jim o\-S