Bob Ryan Story Strikes a Chord

I agree that Bob Ryan should not have stated that he wanted to “smack” Jason Kidd’s wife Joumana, no matter what she said or did. No self-respecting journalist should condone violence against any woman, ever.

But I am troubled by one alarming fact. Ryan has been suspended by the Boston Globe for one month without pay. Jason Kidd was accused of striking Joumana in 2001, but eventually agreed to a plea and received six months of court-ordered counseling. So let me get this straight: Saying you want to smack someone’s wife costs you one month’s pay, yet actually smacking your own wife gets you virtually no punishment. I guess in this case, words speak louder than actions.

Fred King

Sherman Oaks