Fern, I read your reply this morning and it bothered me all day.

I read the comment Mike S. And took it to mean that Brooks may seem urbane on the surface but really hides dark undercurrents because of the positions he takes and the friends he keeps. Mike was not saying Brooks did anything like that, just that Brooks is, as they used to say in my birth country when I was young, like poop covered by sour cream - looks yummy until you dig in.

So why did your comment bother me? Because it seemed like you were quick to condemn Mike regardless of what he meant.

Yes, language is important and lies should be avoided. But using simile isn't lying. You should understand from where he got that style of ideation - E. Texas, a KKK stronghold.