Privacy parts

The Union Leader has been zealous in its defense of the right to privacy — J.D. Salinger’s right to privacy, at least.

The paper published an editorial commending the good folks of Cornish for respecting and protecting the privacy of the town’s most well-known recluse, famous since the publication in 1951 of his classic novel of adolescence and alienation, “Catcher in the Rye,” which some members of the UL editorial staff may actually have read. (Like we say, you can’t miss ‘em all.)

But that is not to say that the UL isn’t fair and balanced on the issue of privacy rights. The paper also defends the USA Patriot Act, which greatly strengthens the ability of the government to determine if you or we or any member of the UL editorial board may have been reading “Catcher in the Rye” lately.

Can’t be too careful in a post-9-11 world.