Why must I stay married to this man?

[OilemFirchen]

Nat Hentoff, known by many for his astonishing career chronicling, criticizing and rejoicing in all things jazz, is also widely respected as a leader in the free speech movement... probably the preeminent First Amendment author of the Sixties and beyond.

According to Wikipedia:

In 1972 Hentoff was named a Guggenheim Fellow. He was awarded the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award in 1980 for his columns on law and criminal justice. In 1985 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws by Northeastern University. In 1995 Hentoff was given the National Press Foundation's Award for lifetime distinguished contributions to journalism. In 2004 Hentoff was named one of six NEA Jazz Masters by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, the first non-musician to win this award. That same year, the Boston Latin School honored him as alumnus of the year.

He is the author of 20 non-fiction books, 9 novels and countless articles and short stories. He predates virtually all living progressive writers.

Despite a lifetime aversion to hero-worship, I consider him one of the most influential writers of my time, sharing the spotlight with precious few others: Paul Krassner, Lewis Lapham and Barbara Ehrenreich come to mind.

So with this heady history and my devotion to him, why should I trust him now when he says:

National Right to Life President Carol Tobias says that by protecting unborn children from being torn limb from limb in the second trimester of abortion, "this law has the power to change how the public views the gruesome reality of abortion in the United States."

But that depends, of course, on how many of We The People are deeply disturbed by this abortion procedure's ISIS-like gruesomeness. They must make their indignation known to state and federal legislators as well as the thus-far inattentive Supreme Court, religious leaders and passionate civil libertarians.

Much credit for changing the American public's views on abortion is due to National Right to Life and its 50 state affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters. It is the nation's oldest and biggest grassroots pro-life organization.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/hentoff042215.php3#0zYkMA8B5AsqzBkC.99

Why should I follow him when he opines:

For years, I haven't missed a press release from this nation's Catholic League. Late last month, Bill Donohue, the director of the civil rights organization, showed all Americans why they must confront the ever-widening horrors of ISIS.

...

We need to hear from many others as well. Where are the other civil rights leaders? What about civil liberties organizations? Do the leaders of any religious denominations have ideas on what must be done to end the ghastliness of ISIS?

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/hentoff030415.php3#3g0byXEcR9JQTLpm.99

Perhaps because he says:

That was also my position after the House passed the 342-page PATRIOT Act in October 2001 by 356 votes to 66, the Senate 98 to 1. Few had a chance to read it. As I reported at the time, many House members “did not want to be attacked as ‘unpatriotic’ by their opponents” in the next election (my column, “War on the Bill of Rights,” In These Times, Sept. 5, 2003).

How many public school students are taught that, after the dreadful shock of 9/11, “only one senator, Wisconsin’s Russ Feingold, voted against the PATRIOT Act” before George W. Bush signed it into law?

but then follows with a nod to the Paean of his piece?

If Rand Paul had been in the Senate then, I am confident that he would have joined Russ Feingold.

http://www.wnd.com/2014/12/rand-pauls-constitutional-consistency/#QSpxR443YDE5gupr.99

Maybe because he pens quotes like this?

“Obama has elected himself as the new king of America, and he feels free to take any type of actions, even if he has to (bypass) the justice system of the Unite (sic) States.”

What if that quote was attributed thusly?

Speaking of those who defend our “universal and inalienable rights,” Brothers to the Rescue is an organization of pilots based in Miami that provides humanitarian aid to Cubans trying to escape their dictatorial homeland.

Jose Basulto, the group’s founder, expressed his frustration with the president’s new Cuba policy to WSVN, a Miami-Fort Lauderdale news affiliate:

http://www.wnd.com/2014/12/obama-warmly-legitimizes-cuban-dictatorship/#MmOfztv1smbxFpDg.99

I think this is the fifth or sixth time I've asked this question, and I've yet to receive a single response. My teen and college-aged mentor has me confused. He's become unhinged and abusive. Occasionally he regains his senses and lays down a thoughtful bit of prose. But, even then, he peppers it with uncalled-for, hyperbolic lies.

I know I have to stay devoted. But I don't know how much more I can take.

When am I permitted to let him go?