College campuses are always a great venue for extremist views and spiteful slogans, and I've seen my share of them in the last four years.  I believe in respecting others' views, even if I don't share them, but once and a while I find myself disturbed by an activists' sign or the flier on the cafeteria table.

If your argument is honest, there should be a way to persuade your audience by complimenting them instead of insulting or scaring them, and as the election nears I have seen more of the latter than I care to remember.  Through these observations, I'm reminded that the extremists who aim to perpetuate fear and rage and reason-less ideology exist not only at McCain-Palin rallies, but on the far left flank as well.  And I can't stand it.

We admonish right-wingers who use tactics that misinform, intimidate and shame voters, but I think we must be cautious in those admonitions.  We must also be prepared to disavow those who share some of our beliefs, but whose goals are ultimately to undermine genuine and serious concerns.

More below the fold.