Asner at Taft High School

Doug Smith’s “Around the Valley” article (June 12) was an extremely rational comment about Ed Asner’s cheap shot at “lying President Reagan” during Asner’s “arranged forum” of 200 history/government students at Taft High School.

The press and TV news have already provided Asner with plenty of opportunity to express his dislike of the president and vent his own frustrations as president of the Screen Actors Guild.

Asner’s one-sided diatribe against a “lying and dishonorable President Reagan” and his categorical assertion that anyone in the Administration whose views on Nicaragua differ from Asner’s is “a liar” are the railings of a truly frustrated man.

Next time “Lou Grant” wants to vent his wrath to a group of public-school students, please notify the public in advance. Many of us would like to witness the performance.

One-sided political forums are usually reserved for partisan politicians that are desperately running for office.

A history teacher like Asner’s friend, Sid Pastor of Taft, doesn’t contribute much to education by presenting one vituperative side of the Nicaraguan issue. Asner has every right to say anything but “fire” to a crowd. His performance at Taft was really abusing that right.

JAMES L. PYLE

Woodland Hills