Incendiary Advice

Ah, hate mail.

Back in the days at IMDB.com's Fahrenheit 9/11 message boards, I used to receive tons of hate mail. The good old days.

Nothing screams 'literacy' like an all-caps anonymous rant from someone I'd never meet nor care about.

Peppered with epithets, mired in spelling errors, they were a sight to behold. Sad I didn't keep them to share - except one, but that was from a craigslist post I wrote about Katrina, sourced with links to information.

It was against the argument that the entire tragedy was Nagin and Blanco's responsibility. I used the DHL FEMA plan specifics, with links, to explain why the premise was faulty. Apparently, though to some people the plural of anecdote is evidence.

Here's their response, in email:

From: "___ COYNE" <-----@ameritech.net> [Add to Address Book] [View Source]
To:
Subject: What a load of crap
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 16:56:53 +0000


NEW ORLEANS MAYOR SHIT THE BED. NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HE MADE NO EFFORT TO SET UP A PLAN PRIOR TO THE HURRICANE. HE REFUSED ANY TRAINING FOR A CRITICAL INCIDENT OR OTHER EMERGENCY. HIS CITY IS BELOW SEA LEVEL AND HE FAILED TO HELP THEM AND DENIED SERVICES TO HIS CITIZENS. ASK HIM HOW MANY PO BLACK FOLKS HE DROVE TO SAFETY IN HIS 2005 BMW. ZERO, HE JUST TOOK OFF. HE SHOULD SEE JAIL TIME...

**************************

Lovely note, huh? From the caps, to the grammar, through the vitriol and lies straight to the racist undertones -- what's not to love?

Here are a few more Sunday funnies - these from disgruntled Republican visitors to
Democratic Underground. They have an entire section dedicated to hate mail!

I mean, maybe it's just me -- but why does it seem that only the truly illiterate enjoy sending hate mail (and are apparently staunch Bush supporters)? Or is that too rhetorical a question at this point?

From DU:


Ignoring History And Facts
From: "Bob ---------" <------@peoplepc.com>
To:
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 11:00 PM
Subject: How is it going?

In case you have never noticed, the USA is a republic, built on heroism, dedication to the ideal of democracy, a nation of leadership that doesn't take well to the socialism of Europe, true American leaders refuse to follow. The French, since Napolation, haven't been able to protect themselves, the Germany's started wars they couldn't finish and Russia would have dominated the entire region if not for the USA.
I truely try to understand the minds of your affilliation, however the biggest obsticleto my turn, is ignoring history and facts.
Democratics live in a make believe world, that didn't use to be so, for power Dems have no boundaries.

DU RESPONDS: Stop. You had me at "Napolation."

Cursive You, Howard Dean
From: --------@datasync.com
To: mail@democraticunderground.com
Date: 3/10/2005 3:08 PM
Subject: conservative idiot

Howard Dean is the ultimate idiot. He uses cursive languange like it meaned anything positive and even Kerry critisized him, not wanting him to be part of his campaign. Dean spouts hate because he is egotistical and power hungry. He brings embarrassment to the Democrats because of his insane antics. He is also a hypocrit, having put down other fellow democrats because they thought he wasn't the best man. Yet he has never come up with any alternate solution to anything. But I guess if he toes the party line, you can't touch him.

So, How'd That Pan Out?
From: ----------@aol.com
To: skinner@democraticunderground.com
Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 1:17 AM
Subject: Rove

Hey nutballs.... Wilson will be indicted for outing his way and undermining the USA. Cooper and Miller will be nailed on conspiracy to frame Rove.........

Liberals = Traitors................

Keep talking.... Conservatives are pulsing, growing, and taking
over........

DU RESPONDS: You make conservatives sound like a bunch of rogue erections.


Makes you yearn for hate mail, doesn't it?

From now on, when I get some expletive-filled private message or anonymous craigslist greeting, it'll be preserved and protected. Not like the "traitor" and "Hanoi Jane" missives received after posting at IMDB the picture of that little Iraq toddler, screaming and crying, covered in her parents blood. For some reason, the only righteous anger stemming from that picture was about showing it. Not the facts behind what created it.

I miss those letters.

// posted by Anne @ 10:09 AM