New hate mail's in! (You will be amazed, twice)

[Sapphocrat]

Amazing Right-Wing Email #1

I've got one very pleasant surprise for everyone who's been following my hate-mail story (link below), followed by a whole, new, and much weirder message.

First, the background:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4097287

Condensed version of the above: I received an email last week from a webmaster upset by the "anti-Bush" slant of the Twisted History widget ( http://www.amuseyourself.com/twistedhistory/index.html ) I offer free to anyone who wants to put it on his/her Web site. The writer also informed me that he and his users "live in a Republican County, one of the 80+% of USA Counties that voted for Bush," and attached a couple of big, bloated graphics of county-level election results to prove some sort of point about how people like me are outnumbered by people like him. At least, I guess that was the point.

Take a look at the link to the original thread above for my initial reaction (which I didn't send), as well as a ton of great ideas from DUers.

In the end, I went with RoyGBiv's suggestion of a relatively detached but pointed form letter -- and I'm glad I did: The guy wrote back -- and his reponse surprised the heck out of me:

From: "Administrator" <[email protected]>
Subject: Red vs. Blue
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 13:44:10 -0700

JR,

"First - I changed the e-mail subject language and I apologize" I had no right to demand anything or use words (crap) that don't belong in a normal business environment.

Thanks for the photos and website info. Liked what I saw!! (Dedication and Belief) I also like a person for which stands behind what he believes in or does not believe in. If more people would do that, we as a country would be better off. You and I could go round and round politically, I'm sure. That said, I believe your very smart and knowledgably. Left or Right, Blue or Red, Liberal or Conservative, we could also always find facts and figures to back us up somewhere. (Politics are very demanding that way aka. {spin}, Don't bring up C. Rove)

Maybe we could get the other 40% of USA people to vote. Sure, I know who I would want to win, :-) but we all win if everyone would Vote, no matter the outcome. A lot of Americans died for that right, and somehow, people have lost that sight. Maybe something new on our websites to encourage people? Hmmm......

Last, I am enclosing something that you will find interesting I'm sure. Anyone with the information you sent me will indeed like this. The other side of the story. I believe this country has been "polarized" for quite some time. It is just the Media finally caught on!!

Many thanks to you, JR and Twisted History, I'll do something about my users. Keep in touch and feel free to send me your "blue" :-) information anytime. "Knowledge is Power". I enjoy learning.

R----
Webmaster

I felt very, very good about that. And about not shooting back with my initial reaction to his first message. I can't say I feel bad about venting here re his original message, but I do know any future correspondence with him will be just as respectful as he's given. (I'm sure I'll never be able to bring him over to The Good Side, but at least he's taking a less dim view of one unapologetic liberal.)

So, that was the good news.

HOWEVER...

Amazing Right-Wing Email #2

Yes, folks! There's new mail in my inbox today! This time, I feel downright proud, as I have managed to offend -- without even trying -- a pro-Bush* homophobe who not only believes that dinosaurs and man frolicked together just 5,000 years ago, but takes great offense at my shocking bigotry toward -- wait for it! -- amusement parks. (Yes, you read that right.)

From: [email protected]
Subject: Feedback
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 10:27:59 -0700 (PDT)

Hello,

My co-webmaster put your Twisted History thing on my site and after watching it for awhile I really feel ashamed for having such crap on my site.

Every day is the anniversary of some gay pride achievement to you guys. Why do you think that if someone if against gay marrige they hate gay people?

Why is every day the anniversary of a "hillarious" Bushism? So the guy can't talk, so what? There is more funny and important things that could go there.

Amusment park rides are so terrible aren't they? If the person wants to ride it then they knowingly take the risk that it could break down.

And finally, why the jab today at creationism? You act like there is no science in it. www.answersingenesis.org has all of the science information there for you about creationism under "get answers"

God Bless

Never mind that the writer should be complaining to his "co-webmaster" instead of me; let's take his points, one at a time, and try to figure out what his problem is:

Great "Achievements" in Gay History

I only wish every day were "the anniversary of some gay pride achievement"! For every "achievement" (e.g., San Francisco's first pride march, etc.), there's Pat Robertson warning that homosexuality 'will bring about terrorist bombs ... earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor' (June 8, 1998), the State Dept. firing 119 'alleged homosexuals' during the McCarthy witch hunts (June 26, 1952), or the NY Daily News' bitchy headline about the Stonewall Rebeliion: "Homo Nest Raided, Queen Bees Are Stinging Mad" (June 27, 1969).

What puzzles me is where Twisted History ever proclaimed same-sex marriage opponents were gay-haters. (Well, they are, but that's not the point.) Let's see, I do know I've taken swipes at the "sanctity of marriage" twice in the context of mass Moonie weddings... Funny, but the only reference I can find to same-sex marriage in 365 days' worth of content is Jimmy Swaggart's threat of 9/12/04: "I've never seen a man in my life I wanted to marry. And I'm going to be blunt and plain: If one ever looks at me like that, I'm going to kill him and tell God he died."

Conclusion: Methinks the lady is far too interested in all things gay -- which take up such a tiny fraction of the Twisted History content, you know he's got to be actively searching for this stuff.

Hilarious Bushisms

"Why is every day the anniversary of a 'hillarious' Bushism?" asks the writer.

Because he provides so much material. If this were still the Bush-Quayle era, we'd be making "potatoe" jokes. (And "hilarious" has only one L.)

"So the guy can't talk, so what?"

I guess the writer is one of those people who doesn't want a president smarter than he is.

"There is more funny and important things that could go there."

Like what? I could include more Ann Coulter quotes, but we're pretty oversaturated with her vile spew already. (And get your verb agreement right, will you?)

Conclusion: The writer has drunk way too much Kool-Aid.

The De-Evolution of Rational Thought

The "jab at creationism" refers to two entries in today's edition of Twisted History:

1925: Clarence Darrow - & rational thought - lose a battle: Tennessee schoolteacher John Scopes convicted of teaching evolution in public school. Scopes is fined; conviction will be overturned. But wait 'til 1981...

1981: State of Louisiana shoots science the bird, requires creationism be taught in public schools.

Is that a "jab at creationism"? Maybe so. Considering the full-frontal assault on science by the creationism fanatics right now, what's a little "jab" going to accomplish?

I've always said if your "faith" can't stand any scrutiny, then it must be awfully shaky to begin with.

Conclusion: That's not wine they're handing out in the little cups at the writer's church; again, it's Kool-Aid.

I Am (Apparently) A Rollercoasterphobe

This is what amuses and amazes me the most:

"Amusment park rides are so terrible aren't they? If the person wants to ride it then they knowingly take the risk that it could break down."

Can anyone -- anyone -- explain to me why the writer is upset by the inclusion of amusement-park fatalities? In a widget that is called Twisted History? Which states up-front that "gruesome deaths" are part of the package?

Notice the guy is not complaining about grue or death, per se (e.g., July 8, 1974, when 18-year-old Disneyland hostess Deborah Gail Stone is literally squished to death between walls in rotating-carousel attraction America Sings); he's upset because he thinks I'm picking on the rides themselves.

Conclusion: There is definitely a screw loose -- and I don't mean on The Pirates of the Caribbean.

Summary

I believe that I will again take the high road and reply with the same RoyGBiv-inspired response I sent the first complainer; i.e.:

Dear Website Operator:

Thank you for your interest in Twisted History. While we appreciate your concerns, the operators of this free service currently have no plans to alter its content.

This content is offered on an "as-is" basis with no warranties expressed or implied, for entertainment purposes only. It is directed to a general audience and will not be modified to appeal to specific demographic groups. With this in mind, we will continue to exhibit content that some may find less humorous due to their own biases and prejudices. ...

But I haven't made up my mind yet. Obviously, the first guy who complained has a bit more of a brain -- and he was complaining because his users were complaining to him. This second guy sounds totally off the deep end, so I'm not sure the 'form letter" (as much as I like it) will have the desired effect... that is, if I can figure out what effect it is I want.

What do you think, folks?

[foreigncorrespondent]

1. TH...

...is probably the best thing about that jerks site. LOL

As for your firstemail dude, son't be so sure he can't be brought round to the good side. He caved very easily with your first response. That alone says he doesn't believe in all so called republican principles 100%.

[Sapphocrat]

3. Just the fact...

...that he offered to agree to disagree shows me he's not a real Republican. LOL

[LTR]

2. Well, they get what they pay for

Not knocking your service, of course. I think it's great! And if I had any more room on my blog, I'd probably use your stuff. And I bookmarked it just in case.

I use a few widgets on my site (Media Matters, Buzzflash, OpEd News, and Smirking Chimp). Of course, I have rarely seen anything in these that I would disagree with. But if they did a 180 degree turn and started putting up conservative bullshit, I wouldn't piss and moan about it. It's your content, that you are providing for free. You are not their hired lackey. If they don't like your stuff, they can drop it.

I don't even understand why they're complaining about it. I guess conservatives are just a bunch of crybabies.

[Sapphocrat]

4. Thanks, FI...

...for the kind words. :)

Crybabies. That says it all.

I once wrote (for my old blog) a long list of reasons the Wrong Wing could possibly be so hostile -- and this was when everything was going their way, right after we attacked Iraq.

I can see why the Radical Right is going crazy now -- trapped animals lash out -- but I couldn't understand why they were so cheesed off then.

Guess it's just the nature of the beast.

Great op/ed on the phenomenon from April, 2003:

Conservative Crybabies
Nothing worse than a sore winner.

by Knute Berger

I've never heard or read the work of right-wing radio-talk-show host Michael Savage, but the subtitle of his best-selling book, Savage Nation, tells me he must be some kind of simpering sissy wimp. It reads: "Saving America from the liberal assault on our borders, language, and culture."

Excuse me? Liberalism isn't assaulting anyone these days. It's barely alive. It’s a bubble boy on life support in the coma ward. Liberalism a threat? To whom, Bambi?

It's beyond me why conservatives just don't declare victory. Why are they so aggrieved? Because they were driving their SUV and some hippie called them names? Boo-hoo. ...

No matter that they've gutted and flensed the New Deal, the New Frontier, and the Great Society. Somehow, it's American conservatives who feel marginalized, under attack, and oppressed. ...

What will make the right wing happy? A statue of Jefferson Davis in downtown Seattle? Charlton Heston on the $3 bill? Doubtful.

Like an elephant scared of a mouse, the right is a pitiful giant. It is still deeply insecure despite a half-century of successful political conquest. But in that insecurity they find strength and resolve: There are enemies to fight and liberals to demonize. ...

More:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0314/news-berger.php