The gullibility of "conservatives" is killing the hopes and dreams of the planet.

Every facet of human life today seems to be adversely affected by the gullibility of American so-called conservatives -- gullibility that stymies the American promise of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness; gullibility that endangers our very planet.

Gullibility: Easily deceived.

Because they have allowed themselves to be easily deceived, American conservatives have been manipulated by despots, by profiteers, by warmongers, by liars, by charlatans, by the worst and most cynical propagandists and provocateurs.

And because they have allowed this manipulation to take over their minds and actions, all of us are less safe, less well, less able to care for ourselves, each other, and our earth-home.

Children go hungry. Fathers despair for lack of work. Mothers grieve the loss of a child whose blood spilled in sandy earth in a war for a lie. Polar bears drown. And American citizens are purged from voter rolls in this very land where many have died to establish the principle of one man, one vote.

Foolishness reigns. Ignorance grows. The shrieking and gnashing and baiting and snarling seems like something from a dark time past -- like the hysteria of the Salem witch times, or the ignorance in the Middle Ages.

Who could ever have guessed that in this, the Information Age, so many of the people of a country rooted in enlightenment and democratic ideals would fall for ignorance; would be in thrall to freaks?

It would be one thing if those on the right were only hurting themselves. (And they ARE hurting themselves.)

But they have stolen our very quality of American life because of their gullibility -- stolen, too, from all our children and grandchildren. They have stolen the faith of people who believed in the genius of our Constitution. They stole elections. They let hate fester until it spills over in ugly dark manifestations.

And yet they have the shocking nerve to try to claim the high road of American patriotism.

Here's what I think:

I don't think it is American to open oneself up to calls for hatred, or meanspiritedness, or bigotry, or foolish propaganda, or violence, or ignorance.

It surely is not American to quell voting by each citizen.

It surely is not American to call the President of the United States weak while our embassies are under attack.

It surely is not American to loot pension funds, close factories, taint the judiciary, twist the formerly immutable Rule of Law, monetize wilderness lands, elevate corporations to the same status as citizens, and let a city drown in floodwaters.

So how do we stop this ignorance? How do we counter the hate, the shrieking, the propaganda?

Sadly, I do not know the answer to those questions. We are 40 years behind conservatives in having a "Mighty Wurlitzer" of influence.

All I can suggest is that we double down, and stand up to this ruinous wretchedness. Educate ourselves. Take every opportunity to point out gullibility, ignorance and propaganda and counter with calm truth. Refuse to *go along to get along* as we have done in recent years.

And be the best American you can be. Honorable. Brave. Courageous. Generous. Spirited. A beacon for democratic values.

In solidarity.