A reader writes:
Andrew, that truly was a low blow to go after Bill Kristol in that way. I normally admire your writing as thoughtful and nuanced, even though--like many of your readers, I would wager--I have my fair share of policy disagreements with you. I also have my issues with Kristol. But to imply (not so subtly) that Kristol's and the theocons' admittedly backwards approach to gay rights in the liberal West translates to them "celebrating" the torture and murder of gay Iraqis by Islamists is absurd on its face, and frankly vile. Cheap shots against your political opponents should never play a role in what I believe is your genuine quest for truth and fairness in things political. I'm disappointed in you, and I hope you'll retract that piece of self-serving invective.
My sympathies are with the murdered gay Iraqis, not poor Bill Kristol. If he wanted to speak out about this, or any other varieties of violence and cruelty against the homosexual minority here or abroad, he could. He hasn't. To the best of my knowledge he has never spoken a single word in public in defense of gay people, unless forced to. If I have missed something, let me know and I will post it. And when a war he helped foment ends in this kind of massacre and he says nothing, it's eloquent enough for me.