# AskNott gets hate mail **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 15, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475 "2004-10-15T22:31:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/1 "2004-10-15T22:31:24Z")
I wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper, and a few days after it appeared in the paper, I got an anonymous, angry, handwritten letter postmarked from Kokomo. I’m sorta proud of my letter, and I thought you’d be amused to see the reply. > [@](#): > > Dear Editor, > When I was a young man, I lived in a free land where a man could tell the president he was wrong and not worry about being thrown in jail for it. In my country, if a man went to war and was given medals for his bravery, people were proud to know him and he was treated with honor. In the land of my birth, a man could go to a library and read whatever he pleased, and he wouldn’t have to worry about the security police sneaking around to find out what he read. In my mother country, I could go to see my vice president speak without having to sign a pledge that I’d vote for him. I lived in a country where I could stand by the road as the president drove by, and if I disagreed with him, I could hold up a sign saying so, and nobody would arrest me. When I was young, I lived where I could worship in any church or temple, and no general of my country’s army would say I was praying to a false god or a devil. > > I did not move. I was born right here in Indiana, in the USA, but those freedoms don’t exist anymore. Somehow, the wrong leaders took over my precious homeland, and every day I pray that the voters of America will wake up and correct that tragic mistake. > > ``` > Sincerely, > > ``` I transcribed the hate mail. Everything was spelled right, but she’s fond of underlines and double exclamation points. I say “she,” because my wife said the handwriting looks feminine. After my letter appeared in the paper, my urologist shook my hand and thanked me for pointing these things out. “People just have no idea what has happened.” Boy, was he right. > [@](#): > > Someone has misled you—this is the same United States! But we must continue to fight for the freedom of the Republic before the misguided liberals destroy us. > > #1 Any man who is awarded medals for bravery is a hero----until he comes home, praises the enemy, throws away his medals (or ribbons) and disavows his country. That is a traitor—not[/u a hero! > > #2 You are free to go to the library and read whatever you choose. > > #3 You do not have to sign a voters pledge to see the Vice President. (Unless it’s a Union Vice President!!) > > #4 You can stand by the road and display a hateful sign to the President—I know because I held one up for Clinton calling him an Immoral Draft-Dodger!! > > #5 Even though our constitutionally God given right to worship Christianity is being challenged, we still can worship anyone or anything we want to—from Allah to Satan!! > > #6 You have been brainwashed by the far left, liberals, Hollywood, and Ted Kennedy if you believe you are not in a free country. > > #7 Thank God for George Bush—sent just in time to uplift the country after 8 useless years of that horrible whore-mongering, terrorist-appeasing Clinton! > > #8 There are none so blind as those who will not see!! The writer got her facts wrong about Kerry, and she mistakes free speech for treason. She’s unaware of the Patriot Act. She’s unaware that the president and vice president are completely shielded from those who disagree. One Indianapolis man was arrested for waving a flag as Mr. Bush’s limo drove by. She’s, um, not fond of president Clinton, I guess. Her point #8 nicely sums up her own cluelessness. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/2 "2004-10-15T22:41:11Z")
Well, considering both letters are full of hyperboles, I guess it sorta cancels out 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/3 "2004-10-15T22:43:38Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > Well, considering both letters are full of hyperboles, I guess it sorta cancels out > > 😉 I suppose you’re saying I exaggerated. Would you care to elaborate? ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/4 "2004-10-15T22:49:18Z")
Hate mail? I didn’t see any hate there. I saw a lot of stuff that I don’t agree with but what can you do? Maybe your just troubled that a real person took the trouble to pick up a real pen and put it to real paper and put a real stamp on it and walked to the real post box and posted it to your real address. Would you have been so dissappointed in the same sentiments in an email? On a message board? Pen to paper can have a lot greater effect than electrons on a computer screen. If nothing else it is a sign of the senders strength of belief. BTW. I LOVED your letter. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/5 "2004-10-15T23:23:40Z")
So what’s the name of someone who worships Christianity? Christianityan? Christianityist? And is their religion Christianityanity? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/6 "2004-10-15T23:45:47Z")
Great letter to the editor. Your _urologist_? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/7 "2004-10-15T23:54:28Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > So what’s the name of someone who worships Christianity? Christianityan? Christianityist? And is their religion Christianityanity? If personal experience is any indication, you wouldn’t be far off in calling such a person a bibliolatrist. [sub]Yeah, I know it was a joke, but how often do you get to use that word?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/8 "2004-10-16T00:15:10Z")
I like “constitutionally God-given right,” because the phrasing makes it sound like God is sub-ordinate to the constitution. “God gave us these rights, but only because it was okay with the Founding Fathers.” Heh. What a putz. But, I have to agree, it’s not really “hate mail.” It’s just “stupid mail.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/9 "2004-10-16T01:40:24Z")
Moving this thread from IMHO to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/10 "2004-10-16T02:04:40Z")
> [@legion](#): > > Hate mail? I didn’t see any hate there. My reaction exactly. What I see is a point-by-point rebuttal of your letter, characterized by far more passion than reason or intelligence, but that passion is not directed at you personally. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t make it hate mail. When I was young man, I lived in a country where you could express disapproval or disagreement without it being labeled “hate speech.” ---
**Author:** ![griffen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce7236/32.png) [@griffen2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffen2)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/11 "2004-10-16T03:18:38Z")
I ran it through the [Gender Genie](http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html) and it said the writer was definately a guy, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![griffen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce7236/32.png) [@griffen2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffen2)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/12 "2004-10-16T03:20:10Z")
I ran it through the [Gender Genie](http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html) and it said the writer was definately a guy, FWIW ---
**Author:** ![griffen2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce7236/32.png) [@griffen2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffen2)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/13 "2004-10-16T03:21:13Z")
Oops, sorry for the simulpost. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/14 "2004-10-16T22:57:52Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Great letter to the editor. > > Your _urologist_? :dubious: My though, exactly. What if your urologist had been a far-right Republican!!! :eek: You, standing there, with your identity in his hands. No telling WHAT might have happened. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marsie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Marsie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marsie)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/15 "2004-10-16T23:04:30Z")
There is something so wickedly cool about getting someone “worked up” enough over something you wrote that they actually respond. Congratulations…keep writing those letters to the editor. You have a flair! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/16 "2004-10-17T00:02:03Z")
Wait a minute. Your letter appeared in a _newspaper?_ However did this poor soul come across it? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/17 "2004-10-17T03:23:37Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Wait a minute. Your letter appeared in a _newspaper?_ > > However did this poor soul come across it? Maybe he was briefed by White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/18 "2004-10-17T05:22:24Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Wait a minute. Your letter appeared in a _newspaper?_ > > However did this poor soul come across it? It’s a mystery to me. There was no greeting, no signature, and no return address. It’s especially puzzling how a newspaper reader could have missed the grim facts of the Patriot Act and the stories about General Boykin’s anti-muslim sermons. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/19 "2004-10-17T05:27:56Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Your _urologist_? :dubious: lol my thoughts exactly. He wash up before that handshake? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475/20 "2004-10-17T20:04:02Z")
Of course he washed up. My urologist is a great guy, and we had discussed politics before. He was born in the middle east, but he’s been a US citizen for a long time. When a guy reaches an advanced age (I’m 55,) he can tell you his urologist’s name with no hesitation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asknott-gets-hate-mail/269475.md?page=2)