In Impromptus today, I lead off with a long item about a controversy at the Metropolitan Opera: the cancellation of a broadcast of The Death of Klinghoffer, an opera by John Adams. The opera is about the Achille Lauro affair, in which Palestinian terrorists singled out an American tourist because he was Jewish, and murdered him. He was a 69-year-old man named Leon Klinghoffer, bound to a wheelchair. They shot him and dumped him overboard.
I would like to add something here in the Corner — because, Googling around, I found the New York Times editorial on the matter. The editors say, “The opera gives voice to all sides in this terrible murder.” “All sides” — really? Maybe I am misreading the editors, but this “all sides” business seems an almost comical example of moral relativism run amok.
Palestinian terrorists murdered an innocent, helpless man in cold blood because he was Jewish. Period. The terrorists have a “side,” true: They are monsters. Or am I being judgmental, in my simple, Reagan-like way?
In any case, have a nice day!