I'm in the middle of this really long, drawn out criticism of Christopher Hitchens' "I wasn't right, but I wasn't wrong" piece on Slate from last week, but it's taking way too long to pen and you, dear readers, are probably wondering what the hell is going on.

So, I substitute a letter I wrote to USA Today in response to a{http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/03/opposing_view_k.html”>Congressman (and Presidential hopeful) Duncan Hunter's op-ed about gays in the military}a a few weeks ago, which they have not published. I think it's safe for me to post it here, right?

I usually don't read USA Today (I don't consider a cursory glance at the latest infographic to be reading), but hey, I was stuck at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and I had already read the Charlotte Observer. But seriously, if you want to know what establishment types read to 'gauge the pulse of America' or the like, they turn to USA today, and you should, too, at least every once in a while.

Hunter had written a screed as a 'counter-balance' to an eminently reasonable USA Today staff editorial decrying the ban on open homosexuals serving in the military. It was accompanied by a picture of the first wounded soldier in Iraq, who just recently came out of the closet. (Hey conservatives