Good Bye — (not so) sad to see you go!
Well, we knew the new issue of Clamor was going to stir up some controversy. The mosaic image of Bush on the cover made up of the photos of hundreds of US soldiers who have been killed in Iraq has garnered a LOT of attention these days, but a recent letter in our mailbox suggests that we’re stirring up the right sort of controversy. The letter was from the Homer Health Center in Alaska and read as such:
“I sent you a check for your magazine. I am really so very sorry. That magazine is the most disgusting thing I’ve seen in a long time. This is a public office that deals with children — a state government office. We’ll burn the ones we have here. Don’t send any more. You are a group of hate publishers. You should publish facts not rubbish.”
The letter included a short unattributed sidebar article about why Bush is not the “worst president ever,” which states that the “War on Terror” was actually started by terrorists on 9/11/01. The sidebar brilliantly asserts that JFK, Truman, Johnson, and FDR had actually gotten more American troops killed in wars than W has so far. Man, I love those sorts of arguments. Especially when they conclude by suggesting that attacking Iraq was in direct retribution for 9/11 — because Iraq OBVIOUSLY had something to do with the attack on the WTC and Pentagon. They make it SO easy.
So to our newly departed subscribers (and those yet to cancel), I say, “Don’t let the door hit you in your ill-informed ass on the way out.” And for those of you thinking about subscribing to a magazine unashamed to call the president out as a criminal, we’ve got some space in our subscriber list for you. See you soon.
-jason, co-editor/publisher
September 2nd, 2004 at 12:01 pm
There are still those in our midst who are ignorant enough to believe that Iraq or Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 plot. Clearly, they are the victims of propaganda and plain irrationality. I very much enjoyed reading the Bush article and the creative cover art. Keep up the protest!
September 2nd, 2004 at 12:13 pm
I don’t like the tone in this response. Sure, the person/office who bought the subscription probably should have done a little more research into the politics of Clamor before buying it, but the rudeness of your response is unnecessary and inappropriate. I luv ya Jason & Jen, but a little more honey and a little less vinegar please. ;)
Satya
September 2nd, 2004 at 12:34 pm
Sorry if the tone put you off, Satya. We’re all honey over here at Clamor HQ, but can be known to be a bit smarmy and sarcastic at times — especially when someone takes it upon themself to scrawl some hate mail and send it our way. A simple, “please cancel my subscription” would have done just as well. You wouldn’t believe the kinds of letters we get here sometimes — including people scrawling hate speech on our business reply cards so we have to pay to hear them yell at us. Seriously.
I think the Bush issue is incredibly positive and constructively critical in its tone, and I think our editors and writers should be defended for their work on such a crucially-timed issue. I thought a little acerbic wit was in order in this case. Thanks for reading and for posting!!!!
September 2nd, 2004 at 12:35 pm
The Homer Health Center in Alaska: vicious right-wingers or victims of a lack of information?
September 2nd, 2004 at 4:33 pm
Satya makes a good point - you and Jen should be the good cops…could I apply to be ‘invective editor?’
September 2nd, 2004 at 10:51 pm
It just shows how close minded some people can be. Closings oneself off to another viewpoint will only dampen opinion and credibility. Though as long as their are still plenty of readers who take note and stand up to do something about it, then I guess it matters little.
September 3rd, 2004 at 2:05 am
Thanks Meegz. We’re certainly banking on the support of folks who agree with what we’re doing — especially when it’s calling the president out on 4 years of empty promises and keeping some promises we wish he would have defaulted on. We just got another subscription cancellation, so hopefully we’ll get a couple new people to step up and fill their places….
September 16th, 2004 at 7:25 am
Maybe it’s just me, but I like the response. That’s pretty much what I would have said, too (of course, I’m known in some circles as the bitch of BGSU). People like that are not going to listen to anything you have to say anyhow, so no big deal. Once the mind is closed, the ears are the next to follow, and then the eyes. After that, one of these neo-cons comes in while you’re not looking/hearing/thinking, and plants a chip into your brain, turning you into on of their little robots, to be controlled from the oval office (by Karl Rove, of course). It’s true. Bill O’Reilly used to be an environmentalist!
Am I just too full of it?