A perfectly charming email appeared in my Inbox this morning. Under the subject line “Tony Snow”, my correspondent wrote:

“Honestly, why should we feel sympathy for him? He’s yet one more liar and defender of this idiot regime. If it were a democrat with HIV, I’m sure the Christian conservatives would have a whole lot of nice things to say. Too bad republican cancer isn’t contagious.”

Because the author’s email traced him to academia (there’s a shocker), he was easy enough to identify even though he predictably left his message unsigned. I urged him in a follow-up email to at least man-up and own his vile sentiments. Alas, again predictably, I have not heard back from him.

I imagine him right now worrying that I will publicly identify him and cause him an unknown amount of public opprobrium and humiliation. Alas, he has nothing to fear. As I wrote earlier in the week, the internet is a known lair for anonymous cowards. I wouldn’t want to do anything that would deny this college instructor and others like him their preferred hideout.

IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE have been asking in recent days why our politics have grown so bitter. Generally, I find such inquiries tedious. Politics has always been a blood sport. Just ask Julius Caesar. Or the Senators who butchered him.

Things haven’t gone much differently in America. One of our founding fathers killed another of our founding fathers in a duel. George W. Bush isn’t the first president to be routinely compared to a primate. Abraham Lincoln’s critics often accorded him the same honor.

Still, there are some differences today. It used to be tough to get a letter to the editor published in a prominent newspaper. Furthermore, the papers edited their letter sections for quality and to make sure the letters’ authors were genuine. They also of course checked for ideological conformity.

Today, anyone can get the equivalent of a “letter to the editor” published on the blog of their choice. They can also do so anonymously. One would have anticipated that some keyboard cowards would appreciate the advent of such a forum. What has been a moderate surprise is how these boards have been a magnet for the keyboard cowards and how great their number has been compared to sensible people. One has to wonder how these people got their jollies before anonymously spewing venom became an option.

The other thing that’s different is the relentless intensity of each and every news cycle. Virtually every issue gets more attention than it deserves. Except of course for issues that really matter like terrorism. And every opinion that gets expressed must be expressed with unseemly vigor to cut through the incredible bounty of other opinions out there.

These conditions have caused some noticeable ticks to leak into our public discourse. When asked by Barbara Walters whether his wife could attend Cabinet meetings, Rudy Giuliani asserted that he was “very, very comfortable” with that idea. Note the extra “very”. As if embracing such a ludicrous concept with one “very” wasn’t enough, Rudy felt like he needed a second “very” to close the deal.

Similarly, Andrew Sullivan in commenting on American Idol asserted that “it's very, very important to subvert this compulsive (?) but far too self-important show.” And yes, Andrew Sullivan, the self-styled re-inventor of conservativism and the world’s last true conservative did just castigate something else for being self-important. Putting aside that pettiness, I’m still unsure as to why it’s “very important” to sink American Idol let alone “very, very important.” I’ve emailed Andrew for clarification on this point but have yet to hear back from him. Understandably enough – a man of Andrew’s import is presumably quite busy. In the absence of a response, I can only assume he would call the closing of Gitmo “very, very, very, very, very important.”

GIVING CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE, Andrew’s never shrunk from vigorously and openly embracing his positions. He may be at times vexing, but he’s certainly no coward.

Although there’s nothing we can do to drive away the cowards who currently pollute our public dialogue, I do have a modest suggestion for our own comment boards. If you’re saying something that’s insulting or controversial or “provocative,” sign the comment with your real name and your hometown. In short, shed the cloak of anonymity.

If you’re uncomfortable attaching your identity to the sentiment your expressing, then you might want to reconsider whether it’s appropriate for you to make such a comment in a public forum.

Comments? Compliments? Contact me at Soxblog@aol.com.