See update above.

The New York Times has offended and disgusted me in the past. Nevertheless, I’ve always considered their left-wing editorials and the obvious liberal slant they put on supposed straight news items to be mildly amusing. It’s somewhat funny to watch the “old gray lady,” as the paper is known, as it spirals out of control. What was once the pride of the nation’s print media has turned into a well written (but entirely transparent) commercial version of a socialist hippie ‘zine.

There are, however, lines that I never thought that the New York Times would cross. I can forgive their left wing slant. I can forgive the liberal spin they put on every “straight news” story they publish. I can not, however, forgive this:

According to a recent report, The New York Times is investigating the adoption records of Bush Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Roberts and his wife adopted their two children - Jack and Josie, age four and five respectively - from Latin America. While there could be nothing more kind, compassionate or loving than adopting a child and raising it as your own, The Times apparently sees such a move as an opportunity to uncover possible skullduggery.

As an adoptive father, I’m offended to the very core. When I adopted my son, during my first marriage, I knew that I’d spend the rest of my life worried that somehow, someone might intentionally (or unintentionally) say or do something that might cause schism in our father-son relationship. It is something adoptive parents worry about. Other adoptive parents might understand what I mean... you love your kids, you'd die for them. You give them everything you can give them, do everything you can do for them, and in the back of your mind, you live with the fear that somehow, someday, somebody will wreck your life by uttering the words "not really your dad."

It's a vulnerability you learn to get used to, but it never, ever leaves the back of your mind. You try to control it by planning for it, you imagine every scenareo, every possible problem that might arise, and you try to be ready. You run through conversations in your mind in advance, try to come up with what will be the right words to say or the right thing to do in the event of some catastrophe... and you wait... and you wait... and you wait...

I can't imagine what Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are going through right now. What kind of horrible accusation is the Times preparing? What kind of trouble are they trying to stir up? What will be the issues raised, and how will Mr. and Mrs. Roberts explain all of this to their kids, someday down the road?

Adoption is an issue that should be kept private. Adoptive parents and children should be allowed to work out any and all issues about adoption in privacy and with loving delacacy. For the New York Times to make this kind of intrusion into the most intimate details of the lives of the John Roberts family is absolutely beyond the pale.

I first read about this at DDot’s Rants, an I am happy to join him in expressing my disgust to the New York Times personally. I’ve sent them an e-mail letting them know just how I feel, and I’ve left a voice-mail message as well. I’ve never done anything like that before. I just didn’t see how I could let this go, though. I had to comment.

I’d like to join DDot’s Rants in encouraging you to do the same thing.

If you’d like to express your feelings about this to the Times, here’s the information you need:

Telephone: (212) 556-7652

E-Mail Addresses:
publisher@nytimes.com
president@nytimes.com
executive-editor@nytimes.com
managing-editor@nytimes.com