Mr. Bill Keller, Managing Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036

Dear Mr. Keller:

As a graduate of The Ohio State University School of Journalism, I am writing to tell you how very disappointed and disgusted I have become with the editorial policies of the New York Times, once a great newspaper and now only fit to line a birdcage – if you don’t like your bird!

For you to say that you found arguments by the President and administration officials against publishing top-secret information as “puzzling” and “half-hearted” is about as disingenuous as anything I have heard in recent years. The people of this country are quite intelligent, despite your paper’s belief to the contrary.

I hope that the government prosecutes you (as it should have done years ago) for your arrogant disregard of national security in your headlong rush to destroy the presidency of President George W. Bush.

A few salient comments:
· The people of this country did not elect ANYONE at the New York Times to “preserve, protect and defend” this country. They DID elect George W. Bush – twice! And don’t start that “selected not elected” crap. It doesn’t fly because there exists enormous empirical evidence to prove that both times the election was valid.

· The function of a journalist – and of a newspaper – is to report FACTS in its news pages and opinions on the opinion pages, rather than the reverse. What your reporter “feels” about a certain set of facts is WHOLLY irrelevant; it is his or her job to report the facts without nuance or spin. I learned this at Ohio State – why didn’t any of YOUR staff?

· I absolutely believe in freedom of the press. I do NOT believe in license. Moreover, your RESPONSIBILITIES as journalists are equal in seriousness to your rights. You cannot have one without the other and call yourselves an admirable newspaper. Clearly, nobody at the Times understands that, which is why the Times has become worse than anything ever printed by William Randolph Hearst at his most lurid!

My fondest wish – and my active campaign henceforth – will be to see you – and Pinch Sulzberger (And why is a supposedly adult male going by such a puerile nickname?) – and the entire editorial staff of the New York Times taken out of the Times building in handcuffs, arraigned, held without bail, tried AND convicted of treason and sedition, as well as aid and comfort to enemies of this country in time of war. Further, it is my dearest wish that you all be incarcerated for a sufficient amount of time (preferably not in some white collar country club prison) to persuade others in your profession to start exercising their rights in a responsible manner – something you have utterly failed to do.

Do I believe that you and all your brethren at the New York Times are utterly irredeemable disgraces to your profession and the nation? You bet I do! And I am far from being the only one.

Enjoy your undeserved liberty while you can. My hope and intent is that it will soon come to an end for 5-10 years or longer!