From You
Letters
originally published October 17, 2001
The whole Clear Channel blacklist urban legend popped up and spread so quickly in the wake of the attack that within a week the New York Times had not only reported the rumor but also revealed it to be just that - a rumor.
The Atlanta Constitution did its own piece on the urban legend last week, and the Athens Banner-Herald revealed it to be an urban legend a few days before this last Flagpole [Sept. 26] hit the streets, so for Flagpole to repeat it as fact reveals that you guys are either incompetent or dishonest or both. Have you guys ever heard of fact checking? Do you guys just repeat everything you overhear in bars or do you occasionally make some of it up yourselves? Is there a reason to believe anything you guys print, since you guys will clearly print anything?
Still waiting for the Sea & Cake.
John McEntire
I can't imagine a more foul, violent piece of copy than printed in your last edition [Sept. 26]. I'm referring to the "Firing Lane" ad reading: "Let's bury Bin Laden with a pork chop in his mouth... Hey Taliban, you want jihad, we got jihad, Bitch!" How about "We're gonna fuck you like the Bitch you are." or "Let's bury Bin Laden with his balls in his mouth."
For a journal supposedly aware of the very fine distinction between advertising copy and other content (see your efforts to restrict fighting-dog advertising) I'm very, very surprised. One more of these and I'm never picking you up again. I'd hope others would consider doing the same.
Mark Higgins
Athens
The victims of this awful tragedy deserve better from us. We cannot carry on as if their lives did not matter.
Our military might was not and will never be a deterrent to terrorists. A military response will embolden others to join the ranks of suicide attackers. They are not rational people!
Their irrationality springs chiefly from injustice and inequality. Our government and private entities, in the conduct of their business, promote underdevelopment of any nation they meet. The consequences of our quick disposition to use any means, however violent, to achieve our political and economic objectives are finally catching up with us.
The failure of our institutions does not lie in their inability to protect us from such an attack. Rather, they have done their utmost to make further loss of life and property even likelier.
Yassert Arafat Gonzalez-Alvarez
Athens
With great interest I read and re-read what Pete McCommons had to say about Rev. Mike Marsengill in his opinion, "Speaking of Rev. Falwell," dated Sept. 26, 2001. The quote by Rev. Falwell on Pat Robertson's "700 Club" television program, is worth highlighting: "....attacks on the World Trade Center represented God giving us what we deserve... the blame for these attacks would have to be shared by the American Civil Liberties Union, the federal courts, abortionists, pagans, feminists, gays, lesbians, and People for the American Way who had all been trying to secularize America."
And, Rev. Marsengill's comments: "...that much hate in his heart is no different from Osama bin Laden."
That his sermon on the true meaning of Christian love and the necessity and difficulty of loving people was eloquent and powerful is understating his vibrant, vigorous, and vicarious performance. I am grateful that during this time of need we have a person of his stature, integrity, and courage. This is supposed to be what great men do (i.e., create unity and harmony, not create prejudice and bigotry and radical racism reminiscent of the "redneck-KKK-N-word-era.")
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. McCommons' assessment that Rev. Marsengill is a powerful antidote for Rev. Falwell (Pat Robertson)'s attempted poisoning of Christianity.
I am a member of Young Harris Church, where Rev. Marsengill invites all to come to the Lord's Table, regardless of socio-economic-cultural affiliations, and where even Rev. Falwell's views and supporters are welcome.
Isn't it interesting that it takes a special kind of person to stand up for what he believes in? Thanks, Mike! (And, thanks for the opportunity to express my view.)
George N. Mize
Watkinsville
Thanks to Pete McCommons for filing a non-jingoist column on the big attack [Sept. 19]. I've felt some empathy for the people whose job requires that they say something.
I, for one, remain "dumbfounded" by this and really can't think of a thing to say in print. These veils of rage and grief make it hard to see any light. If you pushed me into a corner and stuck a mike in my face, I might say "Bomb the hell out of somebody," too.
Meanwhile, the random amounts of TV coverage I've seen since the first week appear to me to be full of sabre-rattling, drum beating and packaging for sale as a "news item" even this event.
Jim Baird
Comer
I just want to give PROPS to the awesome lady that works at Little Italy. If you ever have drank beyond your limits, she is a woman to be FEARED. Me and my friends were enjoying pizza and beer around 1 a.m. on Sat. night when a very drunk girl came to the back of the restaurant in search of the restrooms.
After repeated failed attempts to open a door that had no knob (who understands the logic of drunks, anyway?!) and letting out a little spew, the girl stumbled into the men's bathroom to do her pukey business. Okay, so I tattled to the girl behind the counter, cuz seconds later another boy was about to dump his puke by the candy machine outside the men's bathroom. The counter girl physically throws dude out and then precedes to pound on the door of the men's room. Once the drunk girl emerges from the men's room the employee MAKES the drunk girl wipe up her own puke! Yes, and why not? The employee should not have to clean that shit up! And let me tell you, Little Italy girl was MEAN (and had every damn right to be!) and kept telling drunk girl she missed a spot!
But I do admit that drunk girl did a good job at cleaning up. I led my table in a round of applause for the ballsiness of the female worker to get that drunk to clean up her puke. Let this be a lesson to all you drinkers who don't know your limits and puke regularly every weekend, don't do it at Little Italy cuz that counter girl will make you clean up your mess as you damn well should!
You go girl!!!
Bethie
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