I really don't know how O'Reilly was able to come to that conclusion. He didn't give Rocky Anderson enough time to reveal his so-called "kookiness."

If, however, O'Reilly called Rocky a kook because he is a staunch opponent of the Iraq War, because the mayor believes what led us into this war is a series of acts that spill over into criminal activities and because the liberal mayor of the largest city in the reddest state in America has the guts to put it all on the line, well, I guess I'm a "kook," too.

In other words, it's not easy being blue -- or green, for that matter -- in Utah.

Liberalism is the equivalent of heresy and being green, or having only a shred of environmental awareness, is considered insanity.

And, that's rather odd, because for the most part, the people of Utah seem to, in general, have great disdain or at least a large distrust of the federal government. They are suspicious of anything east of the Colorado state line and the farther east you go, the longer the shadow of suspicion.

Sort of like being Dick Cheney, without the beer.

Rocky's no saint. He has a reputation for being tough on his staff and tougher on those elected officials that surround him. He's divorced himself from two wives and the LDS church, which puts him in the minority of his fellow Utahns and even though he doesn't swing completely to the left, he is far more liberal than the mainstream Utah electorate.

And, now, this lame duck mayor has said he wishes to work for human rights and the environment in his twilight years.

All I can say is "Good on you, Rocky!"

We "kooks" gotta stick together!