National Enquirer: Attack On Condoleeza Rice and Jeff Gordon

My 15 year old son came home from the store the other day, outraged. He said, as they were waiting in line, he glanced over and saw the Enquirer had Condoleeza Rice and Jeff Gordon on the front cover with the heading, which reads: Who's Gay, Who's Not? With both photos to the left of the headlines. Here's the link:

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/

This scandalous and sordid piece of smut journalism, is symptomatic of an overall decline in simple good manners and respect.

This is an appalling breach of taste and has nothing whatsoever to do with anything relevant to these people. Ms. Rice's sexual orientation is no one's business but hers, nor is Jeff Gordon's. She was head of the National Security Agency, before becoming Secretary of State. She speaks at least seven languages and has dedicated her life to serving her country. High offices for a woman to hold. And I believe that's the point of the sordid attack. She's a woman, competent, classy and very intelligent.

It also is symptomatic of a decline in manners and respect towards those who hold office in America. There was a time when to address the President Of the United States as other than Sir, Mr. President, or President Bush was the norm. To camp outside a President's private residence to protest was unthinkable, or to shout from among a crowd-"Hey Bush!"

The National Enquirer crossed the boundaries of taste (which is the norm for that rag), and is legally liable for slandering and defaming our Secretary of State. If they are allowed to get away with this, what's to stop them from using Vice Presidents or Presidents next to such a homophobic headline?

Sure, one could say just ignore them. But.. the Enquirer has an enormous audience of well over a million readers, whose prurient curiosity about alien babies, and who's zoomin' who in Bollywood gets the better of their good sense. Assuming they have sense to begin with. Many don't, and therein lies the problem.

Here in front of literally millions of shoppers, is this lurid yellow and red headline screaming about who's gay and who's not, with Condoleeza Rice and Jeff Gordon's photo's prominently displayed. And, as with my young son, the word will spread, the innuendo's will run, often without a copy being bought.

Freedom of any kind carries a weighty responsibility. Smutty, lurid and slanderous journalism, abuses that freedom, and damages lives. I believe this publication should be pulled, and a public apology issued to our Secretary of State, and to Jeff Gordon. Neither of these individuals deserved such treatment, both being productive and well thought of individuals who comport themselves in a highly professional manner. Which is more than I can say for The Enquirer.