I read an interesting book review on Saturday that got me thinking about what idiots we all are.

I ask you: how can both atheists/gays and Christian fundamentalist theocrats be secretly or overtly running our country? Because depending on who you ask, one of the other (or Muslim terrorists, or immigrants... hey, name a group of people and I'm sure somebody somewhere hates them for something) has taken control and/or is leading us to destruction.

Here's a little exercise: pick your favorite person or institution you think is evil, corrupt or trying to rule the world. Instead of saying "they are" or "he is" or including them in your thought process at all, concentrate on the action or wrong that you dislike. Attack that all you like in your head. Hate violence, or degradation, or suppression, or oppression, or whatever social ill you choose, but leave the people or groups of people completely out of it. Completely. Not, "I hate prejudice, and that's why those Southern White Rednecks..." No. Stop. Don't tell me, "But what about that time THEY did that..." Zip it. Not allowed.

It's not as easy as you thought it would be, is it? Even for those of us who like to think we're so fair-minded, and reasonable, and rational? When we think of the bad things, we link those bad things to someone in our heads.

I think we need to evolve past that. That doesn't mean countenancing the evil. That means finding a way to fight the evil without scapegoating. We also need to quit caving to fear, which is what leads to this whole notion that some scary unknown powerful group of people is coming to get us and we must weed them out and kill them before they get the chance. It's THEM, I tell you! THEM! THEY must be stopped!

Not ME, of course. I'm perfectly okay. Or I would be, if it wasn't for THEM!

So here's what I suggest: instead of concentrating on the Legion of Doom, whoever or whatever we picture that Legion of Doom to be, we confront and defeat the smaller, less glamorous evils we each face every day. And if that evil is in our own hearts and/or minds, we start there.