I don't understand. This is America. We're not going to agree on everything.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck,

Seattle Seahawks

"Disagreement [is] not intolerance" proclaimed the headline atop Eric Mathison's column on Aug. 8, in which he argued (despite rhetoric to the contrary) that liberals are indeed more tolerant than conservatives.

But the recent experience of two of our Seattle Seahawks, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and fullback Mack Strong, diminishes exponentially his claim.

What happened to them, while shocking, did not surprise local conservatives who have experienced liberal "tolerance" up close and personally.

Mr. Hasselbeck and Mr. Strong went to an Aug. 27 fundraiser in Bellevue for Congressman Dave Reichert, where they gave President Bush a No. 43 Seahawk jersey with his name on it.

The all-pro quarterback called it a thrill.

Not all Seahawk fans and other Seattle liberals agreed. Soon Mr. Hasselbeck and Mr. Strong were the recipients of nasty voice mails, e-mails and text messages.

"I hate you, I'll never wear your jersey, I'll never like the Seahawks again," said one posting on a Seattle Post-Intelligencer blog.

"To learn that two of the most popular Seahawks are strong (Bush) supporters ruins the season for me and my family," said another.

A third added, "Just goes to show you that being a great athlete doesn't make you smart."

But, Mr. Strong observed, "Any time you have a world leader come to your city, you should welcome him whether you like the person or not. That was the right thing to do."

When Mr. Hasselbeck added that Americans are "not going to agree on everything," he defined a parameter of tolerance that is lost on many (although far from all) liberals in Western Washington.

This is another chapter in the chronicle of inconsistencies by those on the left who, despite constant villification of conservative ideas and those who back them, amazingly claim they are the guardinans of toleration.

YESTERDAY MARKED the sixth anniversary of 9/11/2001. Did you remember "where you were when those towers fell?" Or "have you forgotten how it felt that day?"

And forgotten, too, that we remain at war against the fanatic, barbaric disciples of Islamo-fascism, who continue to make Iraq the central front in this 21st century struggle for western civilization?

Washington's own U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, whose 7th District extends (regrettably) into the Highline area, forgot a long time ago-if he ever recognized this stark reality at all.

One of the leading voices for surrender in Congress-some dare call it treason (Webster's definition is illuminating)-Rep. McDermott and his comrades in both the House and Senate last week carried their irresponsible rhetoric to new heights.

It was the Democratic majority in Congress that, earlier this year, insisted on a September report on the war in Iraq from U.S. Army Commanding Gen. David Petraeus.

But faced with the inconvenient truth that the "surge" is working, Democratic congressional leaders, joined by fellow-travelers on the left and a handful of Republicans who sound more like Vichy French, started debunking the Petraeus report before its release.

"The Bush report" they called it in a shameful attempt to discredit this update from an honorable soldier, even as they verbally stabbed in the back our armed forces in harms way in Iraq and other far-flung theaters of combat.

This, even more than "Hanoi Jane" Fonda did, sitting on an anti-aircraft gun in North Vietnam almost 40 years ago, is nothing less than giving "aid and comfort" to the enemy.

Make no mistake: there are good Americans-everyday people who help make this country great-who question the war and whether American should remain in Iraq.

We who support our involvement respectfully disagree with them, but recognize their right to dissent and their patriotism.

Their voices are respectful as well as reasoned, unlike those in Congress who, with every word, give the enemy more reason to keep fighting-and killing American troops on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Brian Baird from Southwest Washington, long an opponent of American involvement in Iraq, recently declared that the surge is working and we must finish the job there.

For this he is being vilified by the left. Such is the tolerance of modern liberalism.

The views of Ralph Nichols are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Robinson Newspapers. He can be reached at ralphn@robinsonnews.com or 206-388-1857.