I've been watching the third season of The West Wing on DVD. Last night's episodes included CJ's agonizing over the questions of treatment of women in "Kumar" and the issue of gun control.

How can we ally ourselves and send millions of dollars in trade and aid to a country where women are stoned to death on an unsupported accusation of infidelity? How can we stand by and condone by our silence when women are beaten for being raped? How can we be so hypocritical as to support gun control at home and simultaneously sell high tech arms to thugs and terrorists abroad?

The only answer she got was "this is the real world" which is no answer at all. Because there is no answer. If we stand up for what we believe, we're the world's policemen, losing allies by the dozen; if we play the game, we lose our soul. Faust can tell you who wins every time.