Column More Diatribe Than Insight

Editor,

I was disappointed, but not surprised, to read the article by Michael Ray about his recent visit to Buenos Aires.  Although expecting an objective and pleasant description of his trip, instead we readers received a political diatribe likening President Elect Trump to the “casual brutality so many junta leaders exhibit.”

Since this was not a travel article, but a political attack, let me respond in kind since his entire piece was a worthless diatribe more likely to appear in the National Enquirer than the Laguna Beach Independent.

As Mr. Ray was enjoying the hospitality of his pal, the Ambassador to Argentina, at his mansion, he certainly appeared to enjoy the evenings of, in his words, on site functions, dinner parties, speaking salons and playing pool.  How fortunate for him that the American taxpayer footed the bill for his entertainment.

The only thing I learned from Mr. Ray was that using words like “sinister, fear, loathing, conflict of interest, etc.” were that they applied to the wrong individuals.  I would have used the Clintons as a metaphor for all of the above descriptions or, perhaps, spoken of them as the Juan and Evita Peron of America.  After all, that is the real truth.

I hope Mr. Ray enjoys his vacation in Mexico and that he is not disturbed by the upcoming inauguration. My partner and I are planning on attending, quite proudly, along with our gay and lesbian allies, who Mr. Trump has been nothing but kind to during and since the Republican national convention. And by the way, Mar-A-Lago is a fantastic piece of architecture inside and out. You can view it from the highway.

Leonard R. Olds, Laguna Beach