Letters to the Editor
Xrandadu Hutman
Published Letters: 3099 Editor's Choice: 53
-
Kansas Chick
[Read the article: Black rappers made him do it!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"I think "supposedly independent radio stations that were owned and controlled by Clear Channel" is an oxymoron. If they're owned by Clear Channel, they're not independent."
That's the exact point John McCain brings up during the hearing about the matter in "Shut Up and Sing" (a terrific documentary). Clear Channel was trying to deny that they had blacklisted the Dixie Chicks.
"Clear Channel blacklisted the Dixie Chicks because of their political stance. Don Imus was fired by his bosses, but he was fired after a political firestorm spearheaded by Jackson and Sharpton."
I just want to point out that while I see some parallel, I think it ends when you consider that the Dixie Chicks' offense was merely to express an anti-Bush sentiment for specific and defensible political reasons, while Don Imus's offense was an insensitive comment that most black women would find insulting.
"Regardless, I don't think anyone honestly believes he was fired for the specific comments he made a few days ago."
I think he was fired for those comments as well as for all of his other bigoted and careless comments. I also think he was fired because he just isn't that good anymore, and this was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. I am sure the people who fired him had other considerations, some of them cynical business ones, but that's par for the course. I applaud them for setting an example, one I hope is followed by CNN that results in canning Glenn Beck, who frankly sucks.
"That said, I think the situations are parallel, In both cases, people were kept off radio (though in different ways) because what they said offended people, and the offended parties started a fuss big enough to get the attention of the people in charge."
The Dixie Chicks stuff went on far longer than this. People were staging CD-burning rallies. They got death threats and such. Just listing a few dis-parallels for the sake of perspective...
"By the way, I wish I had a nickel for every time I got the "you're not in Kansas anymore" line."
Sorry for the lack of originality. I tried to tie it in with the "la-la land" line but it didn't help much. I surrender, Dorothy.
-
Captain Groove...
[Read the article: Real inconvenient truths]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"My, oh my, what a feeding frenzy. What a savaging. Reminds me frenzied pirana tearing chucks of flesh off the quivering cadaver. Oh the smell and the taste of blood."
Actually, most of the people in here have been relatively direct with their criticisms. The primary criticism is that Camille has not supported her statements with evidence or argument. There is a minimum of nastiness (though a little). Not what I would call a piranha-like feeding frenzy.
"Let it be known to any of the brethren, stray from the party line, utter even the mildest blasphemy against the Holy of Holies, and this be your fate."
Actually, if Camille had mentioned any evidence or reasoning that was rooted in substance, I don't think there would have been nearly the response. The "party line" on global warming is not a party line because it shouldn't be a partisan issue to begin with. Scientists don't write articles in peer-reviewed journals to score brownie points with their political party.
"And all this from the tribe of tolerance, reason, accommodation, inclusion, free thinking."
What's intolerant about calling somebody out on their lack of argument? People have been inclusive and accommodating of Paglia's against-the-grain views for a long time.
"Editors of Salon. Take a good, close, hard look at your readership. Take a look at these snarling, snapping, foaming little Lefty monsters. And be afraid. Because you swim with this bunch."
I am sure they're shaking in their boots. I think if you compare the average Salon message-writer with the average writer on a right-wing publication, you'll find far more frothing-at-the-mouth, irrationally angry types than you'd find here.
"God help you. And God help America"
Be sure to wrap yourself in religion and the flag on your way out.
-
Sham Sam Scam
[Read the article: Real inconvenient truths]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"The scientific concept of human-caused global warming is NOT true. The proposed solutions, in Europe and elsewhere, are unnecessary, overkill, and harmful to Capitalist society. Clear?"
Only if stating something over and over (in all caps) without being bothered to rise to the challenge of real debate is clear.
-
Noam Chomsky gets angry
[Read the article: And now, for news that really matters]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Rob: Thanks for the recommendation. I'll add that documentary to my video-rental-by-mail subscription...
Anyway, being passionate is one thing -- telling a writer "Fuck you straight to hell" because of her position on something is questinable. But I guess this issue really rankled you.
Personally I don't care that much. Don Imus is a multi-millionaire and I have a hard time feeling sorry for him. People who make far less money often get fired for saying far less offensive things. Human resources departments fire minimum-wage earners on a daily basis for violating company hate-speech or "uncomfortable work environment" policy.
The real problem I see with the Don Imus issue is how long it lasts in the news cycle, particularly broadcast news. When watching TV, I used to go to CNN to find out what's happening in the world; I've since had to give up on television for anything resembling news (except the Daily Show and Colbert). Now I scan around blogs and aggregate sites, like Google News, or go to the Guardian UK.
Did you know that insurgents in Baghdad blew up a major bridge separating the city's two halves today? No? That's because media was too busy covering Imus. They barely even covered the bombing of the Iraq parliament building, and Bush's amazingly resigned and auto-pilot-ish response to it. Real news ends up getting buried by all the Anna Nicole-type crap. I wish at some point Anderson Cooper would just say to his producers, "Sorry guys -- I can't keep following this Anna Nicole stuff as if it were important. Assign that coverage to the entertainment program or I walk."