Letters
June 2004

Ryan’s Hope Fades to a Child’s Nightmare

By Frank Salvato

     It would seem that yet again the seamier side of someone’s personal life has become the catalyst for a media decapitation. Jack Ryan, a candidate for the US Senate seat being vacated by Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald from Illinois, has withdrawn his name amid a barrage of media coverage that in itself is quite hypocritical. While his sexual peccadilloes may not be of the mainstream – and this has never actually been proven to be true – it is the conduct of the mainstream media and the judge involved with this matter that should be most in question and that is escaping under the radar.
      To quickly recap, Jack Ryan was the Republican candidate for the US Senate seat being vacated by Senator Peter Fitzgerald from Illinois. His opponent was Barack Obama, a young but experienced Clintonite who by all accounts is championed by the mainstream media including Bob Herbert from the New York Times. Mr. Ryan was also married to Jeri Ryan, an actress of Boston Public and Star Trek Voyager fame. The Ryans went through a tumultuous divorce battle that saw allegations of Mr. Ryan possessing the sexual urges that can only be described as Clintonesque and bordering on the fetish side of the “sexual avant-garde.” Because they had a child during their marriage both Jack and Jeri Ryan decided that sealing the records would be not only a good idea for both their careers but in the very best interest of their child. To be sure, this was a decision born of concern for their child, a good decision.
       All would seem right with the world, or as right as it can be with a divorce under one’s belt. Jeri had a new hit television show, Jack’s political future seemed to have Washington DC in the cards and their child, although from a marriage that had dissolved was fortunate enough to have two parents that could afford to provide the very best. But this would all change at the whim of the mainstream media.
      The Chicago Tribune, with the support of other mainstream media publications and news outlets, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles to have the sealed files unsealed. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert A. Schnider ruled that he would shield as much information as he could to protect the Ryans' son but that Jack Ryan's political candidacy made the public's right to know, "which may be embarrassing to him, which may be damaging to him and which may be damaging to the child,” more important than the well-being of the child.
     Forget for a moment that perhaps Jack Ryan possessed an accelerated and abstract sexual appetite. Forget for a moment that possessing an accelerated and abstract sexual appetite isn’t against the law. Forget for a moment that possessing an accelerated and abstract sexual appetite was defended by everyone who championed Bill Clinton’s escapades with Monica Lewinski, a cigar and an Oval Office antechamber. The question that we should be asking is where does the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert A. Schnider come off unsealing records that were sealed to protect a child and how contemptible is the Chicago Tribune, and the other mainstream media whores, for demanding that irrelevant information be released, simply for sensationalistic endeavors?
       Not too long ago Teresa Heinz Kerry came out and flatly stated that she would not release her financial statement because her children were involved. While many in the conservative camp raised an eyebrow as to how someone in the public spotlight should be allowed to withhold such sensitive information from public scrutiny the mainstream media allowed the issue to fade to black. Where were the Chicago Tribune and their legal team when the public’s right to know was being usurped by the Kerry’s personal financial interests? Teresa’s husband – the Vietnam veteran if you haven’t heard – is running for President of the United States. I’d have to classify that political candidacy as a bit more high profile than Jack Ryan’s.
      And of course who can forget our 42 nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton. During the “Lewinski-Macanudo Scandal” legions of his defenders insisted that a person’s sexual “peculiarities” had absolutely nothing to do with their ability to do their job, and brilliantly, they added. Even the non-biased liberal mainstream media called the impeachment hearings – which were conducted because Clinton lied under oath not because he inserted his butt into Monica’s ashtray – a witch hunt contending that a person’s private life should remain private. I believe Hillary called it a “vast right-wing conspiracy.”
      The bottom line here is that a Los Angeles Superior Court judge not only ruled in a manner that achieved sway over the electoral process of another state but ruled in a manner that will no doubt harm the Ryan’s child. Children can be cruel. In this instance the cruelty will most likely be monumental. Judge Schnider’s ruling is either in the category of political activism or judicial stupidity. Either way his ruling should prompt a review of whether or not he is worthy of the bench. A charge of child abuse or child endangerment should be considered, although any attempt to hold the California Court system accountable is pure fantasy.
      As for the mainstream media, they got what they wanted. Another conservative, another Republican bites the dust at the hypocrisy of the media’s hand, and to the benefit those politicos that champion their liberal agenda of multiculturalism and political correctness, even though no laws have been broken.
      As we try to see through the smear let’s remember what Jack Ryan’s attorney Larry Ginsberg said about it all: “This is not information that might harm the child, this is information that will harm the child."

Frank Salvato is a political media consultant and the managing editor for TheRant.us. His pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com. He has appeared as a guest on The O’Reilly Factor and numerous radio shows. His pieces have been recognized by the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention and are periodically featured in The Washington Times as well as other national and international publications. He can be contacted at oped@therant.us
Copyright © 2004 Frank Salvato


Dear Editor

     Americans are getting upset over the beheading of an American and citizens of other countries by the terrorists in Iraq. But thousands of preborn babies are beheaded every day at the abortion mills in this country yet very few people are getting upset about that.
      In fact a good majority of Americans don't want to be told about it and quite a number of them work as hard as they can to make sure the beheading of these babies continues.
      Our tax dollars and the dollars of many of our big corporations also funds the beheading of these babies. The terrorist cover their heads to keep their identities a secret just like America's abortionists who also work very hard to keep their identities a secret by stifling prolifers with unconstitutional laws and injunctions and lawsuits.
      Americans are outraged at the beheading of a few adults while celebrating and supporting the beheading of millions of pre-born babies. How hypocritical.

Sheryl Fitzpatrick
Andover, MA  01810