August 14, 2008
Tim Knight
Publisher - Newsday
Dear Mr. Knight,
Yesterday’s edition contained an absolutely despicable column, and you and your publication should be ashamed and embarrassed for having printed it.
Jenna Kern-Rugile’s “Does shock jock hate speech lead to violence?” was nothing more than a 783-word character assassination of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, a foray into absurd Leftist delusions of links between them and the vile murderer in a Tennessee church this past July 27.
How dare this woman suggest these men are responsible for these two heinous murders? It is absurd and noxious to attempt to make these obviously false connections. Ms. Rugile has a right to be as repulsive as she wishes, but she should find no home for her rants in any credible periodical.
This is not a freedom of speech issue. This is Newsday giving this woman a license to assault these fine men in print, accusing them of complicity in murder. This was reprehensible. You should immediately publish a full retraction, and an abject and absolute apology to those defamed by this woman’s wretched words.
And Ms. Rugile should never again appear in your pages.
It is unacceptable and sad that a member of the supposedly legitimate media stooped to this level. You simply must apologize to these men, and remove permanently this woman from your writer rolls.
L. Brent Bozell, III
Founder and President