the Alec Baldwin recording

As a divorced father who has been through an unpleasant conflict during the process (thanks, Lauri), fueled by a legal system that encourages rancor and hostility to its own financial benefit, I have to say I feel sorry for Alec Baldwin today.

Everyone loses their temper and a person should be able to get angry without self-serving, scorched-earth tactics by individuals that broadcast an angry phone message he left for a daughter who was dodging his calls.

Was he right to lose his temper? No.

Was he right to engage in name-calling? No.

Was whoever responsible in the right for making the recording available to the media? No.

Was media responsible in broadcasting it? No. In fact, I have methodically today started turning off any network I hear the recording on. In a world with so much real news and already festering from hate, the media has to get control of itself. Yes, Rupert Murdoch's Fox News has polluted the trough so horrifically I do not know if any concept of decency in journalism will survive the tabloidization of news, but for heaven's sake, CNN, et alia, at least make an effort.

I am disgusted. Not at Alec, despite his tirade. But with those individuals who provided the recording of his angry rant to media and to the media so crass as to broadcast it.