Dispatches from the front
This morning’s column contains a line in which I mention the vile e-mails I receive (I also get abusive calls ). I am not complaining. I am not asking for your sympathy. I do recognize that irritating those who deserve to be irritated is important work — and somebody’s got to do it. I am also not intimidated. I fear nothing that walks this Earth (except, of course, Mrs. H).
But I thought it might be helpful to print some of these bilious e-mails here to give you a sense of the rancor abroad in the conservative camp — a rancor that is buoying the McCain/Palin campaign behind the smiley faces.
Now I have no doubt that if Obama had been the target, I would have got notes from the loony left but in all honesty I don’t think quite so many and quite so hate-filled. The left is a remnant of what it once was and it has few public cheerleaders dedicated to constantly stirring up its faithful as Rush and the others do.
I will not identify those writing these notes — they wrote to me on the expectation of privacy (many were too cowardly to sign their names) and I am ethically obliged not to reveal them, as much as I would like to.
The extraordinary thing about these notes is how bitter and humorless they are considering that my alleged crime is having a different point of view and trying to express it by making people laugh and smile. As you read these, consider that my colleague Tony Norman gets worst stuff routinely, much of it racist.
Also don’t forget that both of us get many nice notes of support, which are much appreciated and insulate us from the fact that there’s something very ugly lurking out there on the right, intolerant, abusive, irrational, juvenile, explosive and not amenable to reason (and certainly not satire).
Go ahead and suck up to that [n-word] Obama...
how does it feel to be working for one of the worst newspapers in the country ... I would not even wrap fish in that garbage newspaper and you write anti-conservative garbage every day....
karma my friend I hope you die an untimely death and Obama is there to meet you in the gates of hell
You are pathetic. There was not one thing insightful in your article. There was only cynicism.
If you want to criticize someone, there should be some meat and not merely snide remarks.
You’re an idiot, and one of the many reasons I no longer read the Post-Gazette.
You sir are a total ass.
Fantastic! Now we get to hear our own paper blast Sarah Palin from our leftist, marxist writers. How dare you!?! This would never occur for Obama that’s for sure. You are very slanderous in your article about Mrs. Palin as well as Christians and particularly Catholics. Your writing is garbage and highly inflamatory. You should be fired. The Post should be ashamed for publishing your liberal rant. Obama is slipping, falling, oh no he’s losing! Time to unleash our liberal, socialist, writers on the readers. You should be ashamed of yourself. But I’m sure your not since this is what they teach you little marxists since your hippie days (I’m sure) in the 60’s. Most Americans agree with the values of John McCain and Sarah Palin. The slim portion that don’t agree with America are all over the media where they can influence voters. Your a joke you marxist, socialist liberal. Go to Europe where you would be openly accepted Comrade Henry.
I think that you just spew hatred in your columns and have never read one all of the way through. How can you justify making fun of a child’s name just because you don’t like the candidate? However I bet if someone made light of the name "Malia" - you would be all over that.
I am an independent voter - not some wild-eyed republican finding fault with you because you are attacking my candidate. You criticize FOXNEWs yet how do you see yourself any more scholarly? Ahh, the NY Times, now there’s a non-partisan editorial page.
I thought that you were just a bitter old man - too lost in the past to write anything of interest - but you are just plain mean and no better than with whom you find fault. Grow up - oh, I’m sorry - you’re just a mean-spirited fellow who only knows how to beat up on those he does not agree. The wisdom granted through years evidently was missed on you!
Enough humorless cranks for one sitting? Unfortunately, there’s more where they came from. And they are all voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin.