Photo by sally henny penny.

Now, I didn’t attend Medill or anything, but I’d like to think that I have enough common sense to know that publishing an editorial which suggests killing a controversial public figure is a poor decision. But the Washington Times apparently doesn’t have any problem with it. In an editorial written by Jeffrey T. Kuhner and published last night by the Times with the title “Assassinate Assange,” Kuhner doesn’t dance around what he thinks is an appropriate punishment for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is in hiding after his site released several confidential diplomatic cables over the last week. In the last paragraph of the editorial, Kuhner argues:

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. vows that he is looking into possible criminal charges against Mr. Assange. It is too late for tough talk. At this point, we are beyond indictments and courts. The damage has been done; people have died – and will die because of the actions of this puerile, self-absorbed narcissist. News reports say the WikiLeaks founder is hiding out in England. If that’s true, we should treat Mr. Assange the same way as other high-value terrorist targets: Kill him.

For good measure, the graphic included along with the editorial is a “Wanted: Dead or Alive” poster which features an image of Assange with a sniper target on his face, blood splatters and the word “alive” crossed out in red.