Dear friends and colleagues,
While I share your horror, sadness and feelings of helplessness at the atrocities committed on 9/11, I’m sorry to have to say, you’re not helping by filling my (and my employees) e-mail boxes with forwarded spam e-mail. The one by the Canadian guy? It was beautiful. The first twenty times. The Nostradamus “prophecy”? As I told you: a hoax. The report that Jesus warned some woman not to get on Flight 93? Horrifying if true (Jesus can intervene but chose not to save all those other lives? Why did he hate all those poor people?), and suspiciously un-verifiable. The picture of Satan in the explosion? Oh please. Give me a break. That was stupid and pathetic. You people are normally rational. If I were a retarded chimpanzee with the shakes and only a broken crayon to work with, I could do a better fake!
I understand the need to do something. But spamming people isn’t it. Most of you have donated blood at the company blood drive. I commend you and understand the need to do something else. I don’t have many suggestions. I’ve gone to the store and bought supplies (diapers, etc) that I’ve turned in for the survivors. I’ve flown my flag. And I know you all have, too. And I know. It doesn’t feel like it’s enough.
I don’t have a solution. I don’t know a cure. Spending time with friends, colleagues and loved ones helps. Volunteering helps. The one thing I know that isn’t helping is this ongoing flood of spam-mail. I know that bogging down the company’s e-mail system isn’t helping either. Many of us try to take our minds of things by working. Interruptions every ten seconds with another tidbit of bad, sappy or just plain stupid (the Satan photo) info are not helping.
Please don’t assume that I don’t want to talk or e-mail with you. I do. With YOU, not the latest bit of junk e-mail you want to pass on. Feel free to write to me or talk in your own words. I want to read what you have to say. But don’t send me (or the people on in my department) any more forwarded messages that you’re passing on en masse, or I will be forced to report you to the IT department.
I hope you don’t take this as a personal attack, as I harbor no animosity towards you. I want to talk and e-mail and grieve together with you. But no more spam-mail. Ok?
Thanks!
Your friend and colleague,
Fenris
To all Dopers: Feel free to swipe whatever parts of this are relevant to your job and pass it on (but don’t forward it! 
)