Right now, one of the big topics on other "blogs" has to do with the assasination of a Dutch politician, Pim Fortuyn. Since he was a minor politician in a small European country, his death has obviously not resonated with normal Americans, but among the American right, he had become something of a folk hero, because a) he hated Muslim immigrants, and was in the process of building a political career around that issue; and b) he was gay, and had libertarian leanings on most social issues. In most of the civilized world, a) is enough to get you labeled as a racist, (ie., Le Pen, David Duke) since any indiscriminate hatred of the entire membership of a racial or ethnic group usually qualifies. However, the wingnuts in this country have seized on b) as a means of legitimizing a). See, if he's gay, and he smokes a joint now and then, how can he be a fascist, etc. Since September 11, Muslims have become the ethnic group that its ok to hate (replacing the French, I guess), so bigots who are smart to focus their bile on that group get a pass. Which just goes to show, if fascism ever comes to power again, don't be surprised if its led by a non-white, non-Christian, or non-straight politician.