Sometimes there is a nut that comes along trying to prove that they can be a bigger nut than all others. Such is the case with Joel Stein. He is a columnist for the LA Times. Where he is paid many times the starting salary of a US soldier and all he has to do is write one column a week. (Being one of the many bloggers that cranks out several columns daily, I must say that it’s pretty funny that someone can be paid so much for so little work in return. But I don’t blame anyone that can land such a gig. In Mr. Stein’s case we do need to cover his expression of stupidity.) Well he really wrote what will probably be the column of his lifetime and what was probably a CLM (Career Limiting Move) for him. His column basically talks about how he does not support the troops and that anyone against the war in Iraq should join him in not supporting the troops. Because as he puts it, the troops are the ones doing the actions that he does not like. He says nothing about the fact that the taxes from his salary fund the activity that he despises. Mr. Stein would like the people who support the troops and not the war to do away with their “support the troops” bumper stickers and have no parades for people who are putting their lives on the line for America, if it is a war he does not like. It is important to note that Mr. Stein also takes issue with the effort in Afghanistan. Basically if enemy troops are not knocking down his door he’s against the effort. Because he is a mental midget and is unable to comprehend how stopping an enemy like Hitler BEFORE he attacks America directly is better than allowing a Hitler to build up his forces to attack later. He does not understand that preemptive action actually saves the lives of troops, that would be lost in later battles against a stronger enemy.

Well Hugh Hewitt interviewed this fool and let me tell you, it was like Michael Jordan playing 1-on-1 against Paris Hilton! Hugh totally exposes Joel for the total idiot that he is. Which is why I really enjoy Hugh’s interviews. He never has to argue or get combative with people he interviews. But by simply asking intelligent and thoughtful questions he allows the interviewee to hang themselves. You can get an audio copy of the interview and the full transcript of Hugh’s interview with Joel Stein here.

And as Hugh says:

That’s really the bottom line. Nobody at the LA Times took issue with Joel’s piece and they allowed it to be published with their name in the header. The best way to show them that we support the troops is to not subscribe.

I would continue to smash Mr. Stein here, but he’s not really worth more of my time. Plus Hugh does a great job of exposing this guy and I highly recommend listening to the audio replay if you can or read the transcript.

update (1/25/2006 12:34PM ET): I should mention, that although Mr. Stein’s op-ed speaks favorably of the effort in Kosovo, he speaks against that effort in his interview with Hugh Hewitt. I think he realized that he might be exposed as a stupid Bush hater and now he’s playing as if he is against all US military efforts, that do not involve enemy troops landing on the shores of California.

update (1/25/2006 2:53PM ET): The Political Teen has located Mr. Stein’s web site.

update (1/25/2006 5:31PM ET): Mr. Stein has some pictures of himself on his web site, that I can only classify as rather odd. Check out this one and this one.