Irked LA Times Opinion Editor Quits Over Non-Endorse

When people are asked what they would do if they could go back in time 100 years, many respond that they would kill Hitler.

What if you believed that today there was a new Hitler on the rise – wouldn’t you  think you would do exactly that, or at least what you could possibly do to prevent his rise?

But what happens when your boss, who has allowed you to portray someone as the new Hitler, says you cannot stop him?

And what happens when you realize that everything you have said about  the new human Hitler is not exactly – or even remotely – true?

What happens when the reality is rug is pulled out from under you?

Either you admit you were wrong or you resign in a huff, lying to yourself that you are doing the right and ethical thing – that’s what the Los Angeles Times opinion editor Mariel Garza did today.

In her letter of resignation, Garza said the following about the Times owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, decrying that  the paper would make no presidential endorsement:

It makes us look craven and hypocritical, maybe even a bit sexist and racist. How could we spend eight years railing against Trump and the danger his leadership poses to the country and then fail to endorse the perfectly decent Democrat challenger—who we previously endorsed for the US Senate? 

In these dangerous times, staying silent isn’t just indifference, it is complicity. I’m standing up by stepping down from the editorial board.

Considering what the Times has written about Trump, her astonishment is not without merit.

But Garza – who is clearly setting herself up for a cushy “journalism” teaching gig – seems to downplay a few things, one of those being that the owner of the paper (and the owner of every paper ever) has the prerogative when it comes to endorsements.

The decision by the doctor/owner – who is reportedly very tired of dropping an extra million bucks a week on the flailing and failing Times – to not endorse Kamala Harris (the editorial board had reportedly already written the piece) has caused fury in the left and appropriate snickering by supporters of Donald Trump.

One reminds people that both Soon-Shiong and Elon Musk are from South Africa… COINCIDENCE?!?

Various and sundry Hollywood types are online saying they will cancel their subscriptions. This is  a typical response to the news:

Message to owner Patrick Soon-Shiong of the struggling, soon to be boycotted LA Times: On behalf of the people of California & your hard working staff: Go f-ck yourself!

Since the story broke, the Globe has been informed that Soon-Shiong may have certain financial motivations in his decision; in other words, irking the notably irkable Donald Trump may not be good for business just right about now.

So in the end, a “journalist” whom no one ever had ever heard of before and has had no impact on anyone’s life resigns to create a sliver of momentary personal glory, Soon-Shiong keeps his options open, the Harris campaign is deeply embarrassed (really, your biggest home state newspaper takes a pass? Ooof) and the truth is revealed about the Times.

There is no there there anymore.