This is going to come as a shock to you, but sometimes I receive hate mail. I know, right? As sweet, thoughtful, and frankly irrelevant as I am?

A New York Times story ran last week about how anyone in public office or with any kind of a public profile, whether on the street or digitally, receives vociferous mail, email, voicemail, or even in-person diatribes. Some of it is threatening and dangerous, especially against members of Congress, judges, and prosecutors.

Fortunately, I have never received anything threatening.

I tried to imagine what it would take for me to threaten someone, anonymously or in person. I struggled to come up with a scenario in which that might happen, with the possible exception of thinking it would protect someone I love. Then came a recent conversation about something similar, yet quite........

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