Michael Ryan Demonstrates his Lack of a Sense of Humor

Re: "The Left's pro-pollution stance," from the March 11th edition of the Augusta Chronicle editorial page.

It's hard for me to believe the sanctimonious crap from this editorial. It's yet another unfounded whine about how leftist pundit rhetoric is somehow uglier than that spewed from the right. Within this editorial Mr. Ryan defends two of the dirtiest right wing pundits around--Glenn Beck and Matt Drudge, two sources that he regularly plagiarizes.

First, let's examine his criticism of something Sean Penn said. Mr. Penn has donated enormous amounts of his time and money helping out earthquake victims in Haiti. Some critics have suggested that he's doing this merely to make himself look good. His reply--he hopes they die of rectal cancer. Mr. Ryan took this quote out of context to unfairly knock Mr. Penn. In his editorial Mr. Ryan does not say why Mr. Penn said this. To just take this quote in mid-air and repeat it does make Mr. Penn look bad, but if one is aware of why he said it, it's more understandable. Moreover, it's obviously an over-the-top joke. I'm sure Mr. Penn doesn't wish rectal cancer on anyone, just because of their political beliefs.

Mr. Ryan may be stupid, but I doubt he's so stupid he can't understand the humor of exaggeration.

I would also like to point out that Mr. Penn is correct, and the U.S. mainstream media is wrong about Hugo Chavez. Chavez is not a dictator--he's been democratically elected several times.

Next, Mr. Ryan criticizes Bill Maher because Mr. Maher cracked this joke in his monologue referring to the Pentagon shooter--"When we see crazy, senseless deaths like this, we can only ask why, why, why couldn't it have been Glenn Beck?"

The joke was in his MONOLOGUE. It wasn't an editorial piece meant to be taken seriously. Nevertheless, Mr. Ryan writes sarcastically, "He's right comrades! Death to all who espouse traditional American values."

Oh yeah, and what are some of Mr. Beck's American values. Here's one: Within the last two months Mr. Beck suggested that he would like to slip poison into Nancy Pelosi's drink.

I'd like to ask Mr. Ryan one question about this editorial. Does he honestly think poisoning the speaker of the house is a traditional American value?

What Mr. Maher said was a joke--a well deserved shot at Glenn Beck.