Recent shootings in US with political motivations...

How does saying something supported by empirical data make me an extremist? I’m not saying anything people, even Republicans, don’t already know. It’s not like it’s a secret that racists tend to gravitate to the Republican party in significantly larger numbers than to the Democratic party.

I appreciate that you’ve engaged me in this topic, but I don’t think you’re quite making your point, or if you are, I’m missing it. It seems like you’re saying by my simply considering another person (or group) extremist I’m taking a position that makes me extremist, which makes no sense to me. I’m truly not trying to be argumentative. I just want to understand where you’re coming from.

Let’s cut to the chase here: No, there is no good reason for social-cultural-religious conservatives to believe the things that distinguish them.

Of course, there are bad reasons and bad reasons, and not all are rooted in hatred of the Other.

Not enough details to say for sure, but police in Colorado are making a claim about an assassination plot against Obama.