If you read weblogs, it's likely you've heard of a Damascus-based English teacher's discovery of average Syrians respecting and supporting President Bush. A leftist, the teacher was startled and protested in disbelief, "Because of Bush's ideas many people in my country think that all of you are terrorists."

His students insisted otherwise. But take a long look at that statement: it's bigotry of the self-congratulatory. In fact, "Bush's ideas" are a mainstream appeal to a revival of worldwide American philanthropy. Because of them, "many people" have come to believe that all Syrians are not only capable and willing to live in peaceful, democratic sovereignty but are worth American sacrifice to achieve it. If there's anyone "many people" believe are terrorists, they're a part of the terrorist-supporting Assad regime that oppresses Syrians every day of their lives.

Unfortunately, a foreigner's humanity always seems to be lost on the stubborn leftist, who will gladly accept an absence of justice if it brings an absence of conflict, too.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: There just isn't a group of people to which a good, collective-parochial leftist won't condescend.