And now for something else ...

... completely contarian: John Irving defends author Guenter Grass. "Grass remains a hero to me, both as a writer and as a moral compass; his courage, both as a writer and as a citizen of Germany, is exemplary, a courage heightened, not lessened, by his most recent revelation," Irving said Wednesday in an e-mail message sent to The Associated Press.
Not much of a defense, in my view, just an assertion backed up by no argument whatsoever. If Irving wants to take Grass as a moral compass - well, for those who like that sort of thing, that's the sort of thing they like.