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This in part from Andrew Sullivan/Daily Dish/Fronpage Magazine May 3 :

PROTEST RALL: The hate-monger is syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate. It's not censorship or "McCarthyism" for people to complain about any syndicate that peddles the poison that Rall lives off. Today's disgusting diatribe against Pat Tillman is so vile, so utterly devoid of any motive or argument but personal malice and hatred, some form of protest is surely merited.

Email the vice-president for print syndication, Lee Salem, and tell him what you think of Rall's cartoon. Please, please, be civil. His email is lsalem@amuniversal.com. He needs to hear from you. - 7:14:41 PM

Yes, a polite but pointed e-mail to Mr. Salem would be in order.

Here's mine, touching on an aspect that I haven't seen commented on yet:

SUBJECT: Ted Rall Owes Pat Tillman's Family an Apology and a Retraction

Mr. Salem,

I am sure you've had your share of strident e-mails today about Mr. Rall's cartoon, and I won't add to the decibel level.

I will note, however, that Pat Tillman chose NOT to be a public figure after he entered the Army. He granted no interviews, and even refused every opportunity presented to him by the Army to help promote military service in general as a result of his decision.

It is my belief that Tillman and his family (which similarly avoided interviews and PR) have, by their conduct, earned the RIGHT to be spared the personal criticism and vitriol that seems to be the inevitable by-product of standing up for and believing in ANYTHING in America today (right or left, conservative or liberal, etc.).

So, I believe that what has been lost in all of the "de-syndicate Rall" furor is the simple lack of even the most basic decency on display. "Going after" those who are lionizing him in the news and sports media is, I suppose, fair game--incredibly ignorant, in my opinion, but fair game nevertheless. But going after Mr. Tillman personally, as Mr. Rall did ("idiot" "sad"), and certain other columnists have, is, for the reason I noted above, simply and obviously out of bounds.

If Mr. Rall doesn't see the difference, you as a presumably decent human being should be the one to pull the plug on him without having to hear from hundreds or thousands of denigrators to do so.

Regards,

There, I feel (a little) better.

If Ted Rall were around in the 50s, the best gig he could hope for would have been the Workers World Daily.