# Look, I'm as patriotic as the next guy- SO SAVE YOUR FUCKING EMAILS!!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2001, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422 "2001-09-13T19:24:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/1 "2001-09-13T19:24:34Z")
Here’s a sample of one of the nearly ten well meaning but annoying emails I recieved this week in my company mailbox: \*\*Friday Night at 7:00 p.m. step out your door, stop your car, or step out of your establishment and light a candle. We will show the world that Americans are strong and united together against terrorism. Please pass this to everyone on your e-mail list. We need to reach everyone across the United States quickly. The message: WE STAND UNITED - WE WILL NOT TOLERATE TERRORISM! Thank you. We need press to cover this - we need the world to see. THANKS, JOEL FISH INVESTIGATIONS CATAWBA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE 465-8345\*\* JOEL FISH??? Let’s see. The bloodbanks have lines of people waiting to donate. The country has bonded together to help the victims of the attacks. But we STILL need to show we are united??? Then I got another one yesterday telling me let’s all wear blue jeans to work, and a red and white shirt today. Red, white and blue. Get it? Look people. Everyone standing outside their cars holding a stupid candle on Friday night is not going to scare one terrorist. It will just hold up traffic. I have a better idea: spend that 5 minutes making a donation or something. Everyone wearing badly matched clothing today signifies NOTHING. I plan on wearing dress casual today, and taking a nap tommorow night, is that ok with you? Gordon Sinclair made that fucking speech in 1973. I would bet you dollars to donuts that whoever wrote that prayer was NOT in the Secret Service. And the picture of the firemen putting up that flag is nice, BUT I’VE SEEN IT 20 FUCKING TIMES!!! Not to mention that who knows who some of these attachements are from? Just what we need- more computer viruses. LET ME SHOW PATRIOTISM MY OWN WAY. I don’t need your emails telling me I should do this, or I should do that. 90% of what you people are senidng out are urban legends and hoaxes anyway. STAY OUT OF MY MAILBOX!!! ---
**Author:** ![magdalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@magdalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magdalene)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/2 "2001-09-13T19:29:46Z")
:WILD APPLAUSE: A friend on a listserv sent the Gordon Sinclair speech around, apparently forgetting that we have about 10 Europeans and Japanese folks on it, so now there is a long running discussion about whether patriotism means bashing our allies to remind ourselves how great we are. I put patriotic glurge in the category of all other glurge. Send me an email to tell me how you are doing. Write me a simple “hello, how are things.” If you didn’t compose it directly for me, I don’t want it. ---
**Author:** ![magdalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@magdalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magdalene)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/3 "2001-09-13T19:32:01Z")
And where would Catawba county be? Is that 7:00 EDT or what, Joel? And what’s your area code? I want to call you personally and make sure this candle-holding is the real deal. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/4 "2001-09-13T19:33:40Z")
I’ve gotten quite a bit, but I’m trying to be tolerant. Obviously, I understand-I hate it. But I’m not in the mood to fight about it. It’s just not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Von\_Erich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@Von\_Erich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Von_Erich)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/5 "2001-09-13T19:45:55Z")
I just searched for Catawba county and it is in NC, the area code is 828. I called and got an answering machine for MR. Fish. I guess he is real, but I dont know about the whole candle thing. It is ridiculous anyway. ---
**Author:** ![magdalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@magdalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magdalene)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/6 "2001-09-13T19:46:54Z")
Well I take at least part of that back, Playboy. ---
**Author:** ![Von\_Erich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@Von\_Erich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Von_Erich)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/7 "2001-09-13T19:48:19Z")
I thought it was made up too, I just wanted to make sure. I dont know what I would have done if he had answered. ---
**Author:** ![DeskMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DeskMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeskMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/8 "2001-09-13T19:53:58Z")
HA!! I just had to chime in. After about the 10th email of this nature (6 from one person at work who sent them out to all staff each time), I sent this email to a friend at work. I couldn’t take any more. "I will NOT dress like a flag tomorrow. I will NOT put a candle on my porch so my neighbors can see what a good citizen I am, then watch my house burn down. I will NOT pray during my lunch hour. I will NOT put up a flag on my car’s antenna and up my cat’s ass to show support for the unsuspecting victims of an attack. I will NOT suddenly rediscover religion and pride in the good ol’ shiny white faces of the U S of A. What I will do is feel very sad for those involved and donate some money to the Red Cross. I will imagine a sheet of atomic glass where Afghanistan used to be. I will move on with my life and rebook my eyebrow appointment that was inexplicably cancelled due to a terrorist attck in NY (what, because America was attacked I must now be forced to grow a unibrow?). I WILL continue to delete this glurge in my fucking Inbox that is making me fucking mental!!! Shit, man!" But now I’m reconsidering on the cat thing. I think that would be a great way to get my patriotic kitties involved. I can tell they’re hurting too. ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/9 "2001-09-13T20:20:18Z")
Oh, here’s one my wife sent me. This goes to prove that if you spend enough time wasting your life on a computer, you can contrive ANYTHING about the WTC, and then email it to 100 people. This one is reeeeally stretching it: 1. open MS word 2. type “NYC” in uppercase letters 3. change the font size to 72 4. change the font to webdings 5. change the font to wingdings Yeah that’s what I thought too. Glad I could save all of you time opening the email. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![PotLuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@PotLuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PotLuck)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/10 "2001-09-13T20:32:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > \*\*Glad I could save all of you time opening the email. :rolleyes: \*\* I second that :rolleyes:, Vinnie. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/11 "2001-09-13T21:25:47Z")
I think I could deal with patriotic ones, dumb as I think they are. But I got one today that made me round on a very good friend of mine, who sent it to me, little anticipating the response she’d get. I don’t know if she’s mad at me know and I don’t care. It made me so fucking mad I couldn’t let it pass. Here’s the e-mail she sent me, forwarded from God knows where: > [@](#): > > * * * > > COMPASSION AND REVENGE > > The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are occasions of great significance. They are opportunities for you to feel inside, to find those parts of yourself that are in fear, and to make the decision to move forward in your life without fear. That is the challenge for each individual on this planet today. The pursuit of external power, the ability to manipulate and control, creates only violence and destruction. The painful events in New York and Washington are living examples of that reality. > > The causal chain that created this violence is one in which compassion and wisdom are absent. Are wisdom and compassion present in you as you watch the television, and read the papers? It is important to realize that you do not know all that came to conclusion, or into karmic balance, as a result > of t hese events. Because you are not able to know all that can be known about them, you are not in a position to judge them. > > When you are able to look at the events of the Earth School from this perspective, you will see clearly the central importance of the role that you play in it. That role is this: > > It is for you to decide what you will contribute to > this world. Many will be asking your opinion of these events. Each question is an opportunity for you to contribute to the love that is in the world or to the fear that is in the world. This is the same opportunity that presents itself to you at each moment. If you hate those who hate, you become like them. You add to the violence and the destructive energy that now fills our world. As you make the decision to see with clarity and compassion, you will see that those who committed these acts of violence were in extreme pain themselves, and that they were fueled by the violent parts of ourselves, the parts that judge without mercy, strike in anger, and rejoice in the suffering of others. They were our proxy representatives. If you can look with compassion upon those who have suffered and those who have committed acts of cruelty alike, then you will see that all are suffering. The remedy for suffering is not to inflict more suffering. > > This is an opportunity for a massive expression of compassion. It is also an opportunity for a massive expression of revenge. Which world do you intend to live in – a world of revenge or a world of compassion? This is my reply: > [@](#): > > Jean, you know I love you but I think this e-mail is basically bullshit. (And I know I can speak frankly with you – that’s why we’re friends.) > > “It is important to realize that you do not know all that came to conclusion, or into karmic balance, as a result of these events. Because you are not able to know all that can be known about them, you are not in a position to judge them.” – I think I am absolutely in a position to judge these events and to condemn them as the INEXCUSABLY EVIL things they were. I think to tell people that they cannot “judge” the effect of a terrorist plot that claimed over 5000 lives and scarred us ALL is the absolute worst kind of moral relativism. > > “If you hate those who hate, you become like them.” – It is perfectly possible to loathe people who would commit such henious acts without succumbing to whatever impulse or psychic failing made them capable of doing those acts in the first place. To equate hatred of the actors with the ability to do such acts is an affront. > > “As you make the decision to see with clarity and compassion, you will see that those who committed these acts of violence were in extreme pain themselves, and that they were fueled by the violent parts of ourselves . . .” – I realize you didn’t write any of this, but I have to say this makes me unspeakably angry. (Not at you personally.) To imply – no, to outright STATE – that I or you or the people who died or ANY OTHER innocent person contributed in ANY WAY to this horror is an insult to us all. To call the murderers of our brothers and sisters, those who killed them in cold blood and without mercy, the “proxy representatives of us all” is unspeakable and inexcusable. > > Compassion is to be extended to the suffering. But JUSTICE (not revenge, but justice) is to be sought on behalf of the dead, because they deserve nothing less, and because their very deaths demand it. To send an e-mail implying that those of us who long for justice must therefore be without compassion – must be, in effect, just like the men who did this – demeans everyone who receives it. > > I encourage you to send my response to whomever sent this to you, and to whomever else you think might want to read it. You know I have nothing but the greatest affection and respect for you, but my emotions are simply too raw today to allow something I think is so unfair to pass without comment. But to you personally I send a great big hug and all my love. Jodi Note that I left out all the bullshit about “negative energy” and “Earth School” because she believes that stuff. But I just couldn’t swallow the rest of it. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/12 "2001-09-13T23:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > \*\*Oh, here’s one my wife sent me. This goes to prove that if you spend enough time wasting your life on a computer, you can contrive ANYTHING about the WTC, and then email it to 100 people. This one is reeeeally stretching it: > > 1. open MS word > 2. type “NYC” in uppercase letters > 3. change the font size to 72 > 4. change the font to webdings > 5. change the font to wingdings > > Yeah that’s what I thought too. Glad I could save all of you time opening the email. :rolleyes: \*\* My God. I had no idea. I followed the instructions, and have learned the awful truth. First Binyon’s Optical Center celebrated Valentine’s Day in a major metropolitan city. Then, what really scared me was the second part. It seems that pirates (yes, **pirates!** ) are using throwing stars to cut people’s thumbs off! I mean, think of the children! And their thumbs! ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/13 "2001-09-13T23:23:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > \*\*Oh, here’s one my wife sent me. This goes to prove that if you spend enough time wasting your life on a computer, you can contrive ANYTHING about the WTC, and then email it to 100 people. This one is reeeeally stretching it: > > 1. open MS word > 2. type “NYC” in uppercase letters > 3. change the font size to 72 > 4. change the font to webdings > 5. change the font to wingdings > > Yeah that’s what I thought too. Glad I could save all of you time opening the email. :rolleyes: \*\* I dunno, I did that and I found it pretty fucking eerie. However I bet the Eye Love New York thing was probably done on purpose. Erek ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/14 "2001-09-13T23:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jodi \* > \*\*I think I could deal with patriotic ones, dumb as I think they are. But I got one today that made me round on a very good friend of mine, who sent it to me, little anticipating the response she’d get. I don’t know if she’s mad at me know and I don’t care. It made me so fucking mad I couldn’t let it pass. Here’s the e-mail she sent me, forwarded from God knows where: > > \ > \ > > Note that I left out all the bullshit about “negative energy” and “Earth School” because she believes that stuff. But I just couldn’t swallow the rest of it. \*\* Your response was just as contrived and a bit more kneejerk than her original letter. I don’t think I will blame karma for this one. However I can say that our government is responsible. Our government played a hand in the Taliban coming to power, our government trained Bin Laden. Whether you or I are responsible karmically maybe yes or maybe no, but the citizenry does reap the benefits of it’s government. Government by consent of the governed. And if you are going to pretend you didn’t know the CIA was a bunch of evil fucks sticking their cocks where they shouldn’t then that’s probably a lie. I’m pretty fucking sick of hearing how the poor innocent US had to suffer like this. No one should have to suffer like this, innocent or not, and I say we should go over them like a steamroller if for no other reason than to show them that messing with the US is a bad fucking idea. However we aren’t all sweetness and light that got handed our teeth to us when we weren’t looking because we were too busy picking flowers. Erek ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/15 "2001-09-14T02:59:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mswas \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > > \*\*Oh, here’s one my wife sent me. This goes to prove that if you spend enough time wasting your life on a computer, you can contrive ANYTHING about the WTC, and then email it to 100 people. This one is reeeeally stretching it: > > > > 1. open MS word > > 2. type “NYC” in uppercase letters > > 3. change the font size to 72 > > 4. change the font to webdings > > 5. change the font to wingdings > > > > Yeah that’s what I thought too. Glad I could save all of you time opening the email. :rolleyes: \*\* > > I dunno, I did that and I found it pretty fucking eerie. However I bet the Eye Love New York thing was probably done on purpose. > > Erek \*\* In case anyone didn’t get it, when you conver to WINGdings, WING, get it??? You get, now this is what I’ve been told: “Dead + Jews + THUMBS UP!!!”. Brilliance. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/16 "2001-09-14T03:26:00Z")
I must rant: what PISSES the FUCK out of me is getting a damn slide show that has like 6 pictures of people falling to their death. to the idiot that made it: really fucking nice you, twat. great going, giving these people a last bit of dignity. what were you thinking as you made this slideshow??? what was going in your head? and stop sending me this damn thing. its just plain SICK. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Harvey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@Max\_Harvey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Harvey)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/17 "2001-09-14T03:46:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > \*\*Oh, here’s one my wife sent me. This goes to prove that if you spend enough time wasting your life on a computer, you can contrive ANYTHING about the WTC, and then email it to 100 people. This one is reeeeally stretching it: > > 1. open MS word > 2. type “NYC” in uppercase letters > 3. change the font size to 72 > 4. change the font to webdings > 5. change the font to wingdings > > Yeah that’s what I thought too. Glad I could save all of you time opening the email. :rolleyes: \*\* There’s also a secret message if you use Wingdings 2. **"Stop! ET is THAT way!"** And if you thought Nostradamus was bad, wait till someone gets their hands on some Bible Code software. [sub]\[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/18 "2001-09-14T07:34:45Z")
Amen **Vinnie**. And where to you live? That’s weird that you got an email from Catawba county…that’s right down the road from me. ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/19 "2001-09-14T12:13:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > \*\*Amen **Vinnie**. And where to you live? That’s weird that you got an email from Catawba county…that’s right down the road from me. \*\* Actually it was a chain mail, forwarded to me and about 200 other people. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422/20 "2001-09-14T12:54:56Z")
Hey, **mswas** , please explain how **jodi’s** reply to that steaming heap of horseshit was “contrived” or “kneejerk”. She didn’t reply with predictable, rote patriotic replies, and she didn’t belabor the obvious. Our government was responsable for the deaths in Pittsburg, Washington, D.C. and New York? Fuck you. No one ever claimed the U.S. was Magical Happy Fairy Land, but nothing our government EVER did deserves an unprovoced attack on civilians. There is NO justification for terrorism. > [@](#): > > No one should have to suffer like this, innocent or not, and I say we should go over them like a steamroller if for no other reason than to show them that messing with the US is a bad fucking idea. Do I REALLY have to point out the contradiction here? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-im-as-patriotic-as-the-next-guy-so-save-your-fucking-emails/81422.md?page=2)