Read Joel Connelly's column in Friday's Seattle P-I.

Read Ellen Goodman's column in the Seattle Times Friday.

Or, just give my friend Mikey a call.

Mikey stopped me yesterday to comment on how viciously strident conservative broadcasters have become.

How Limbaugh, Hanity and O'Reilly, for example, figure that if we don't support President Bush in EVERY instance, on EVERY issue, at ALL times, then we are un-American.

That's it's not enough to merely mistrust liberals or moderates, we must disdain them, or we are un-American.

That if we don't let right-wing anally-conservative broadcasters do our thinking; if we don't strictly adhere to their every proclamation, we're un-American.

If we don't march to the beat of KVI's drum -- KVI -- owed by the same folks that own KOMO -- or in cadence with Rupert Murdoch's "Fair and Balanced" FOX band, then by gosh, by gum, by golly, we are un-American.

At one point, Goodman referred to it all as a "political food fight."

Connelly lamented the loss of civil political debate.

But while they keep themselves above the fray, I choose to immerse myself in it and come out swinging.

So, for Mikey, myself and all others who fell so labeled, I have an ALL-AMERICAN answer to the likes of Rush and Sean and Bill: Up yours!

Want to share your thoughts with Ken Schram? You can e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com