WILD WING REPLY.1

Just a few comments about Les Hendricks' letter in the August 21 Flagpole. First of all, the description of what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence is a piece of "urban folklore" that's been floating around the Internet for some years now. It's full of errors and half-truths designed to help us feel good about their sacrifice. Many of them were, in fact, extraordinary men, and it does them no service to spread misinformation about them. More importantly, the idea that "Flagpole is derogatory towards what America is about" because it chooses to print articles critical of the government is seriously flawed. I can understand Mr. Hendricks' concern - these are difficult times, and it is natural to feel that we should all be pulling together - but questioning governmental authority, especially when that authority threatens our civil liberties, is precisely what America is "about," and it is exactly what those 56 men were doing. It is also entirely possible to be both "proud to be an American" and critical of specific governmental actions - a list of such individuals would include Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, Ronald Reagan, etc.. I hope we never reach the point where "embracing nationalism" means avoiding criticism - the Declaration of Independence was about fighting tyranny, not marching in formation.

Ed Wilde
Athens

WILD WING REPLY.2

Mr. Hendricks, I am a liberal Democrat, a husband, a father, an upstanding member of our community, a patriot and a former patron of Wild Wing (my wife has a penchant for hot wings). Unfortunately, I can only infer from your letter that you don't think it is possible to be left-wing, fun-loving and patriotic, and furthermore, you don't seem to want my business. Worse, you seem to think that complaining about our government and its policies is unpatriotic. Mr. Hendricks, it is the duty of citizens who love this country to complain if they think their government is betraying the principles of the Constitution, and specifically, the Bill of Rights. All the revolutionaries you eulogized in your letter were famous complainers. If we left wingers didn't like this country, why would we bother to try to improve it? Civil, respectful dissent is a bedrock foundation of the society that America has built over the last 226 years. Maybe you don't want liberals in your restaurant, but please don't excuse your bias with false patriotism. Personally, I prefer non-partisan economic activities. If I want to go out to eat, I want to choose my restaurant based on the menu, the service, the atmosphere, and the price. It's always a bummer to have to worry about the owner's politics. I guess I'll have to find someplace else for my wife to eat hot wings. Signed, Left-wing hot-wing lover

Rhett Jackson
Athens

WILD WING REPLY.3

Mr. Hendricks: Though I respect your opinion regarding Flagpole magazine, I feel you missed the mark after you so eloquently recounted the efforts of our nation's forefathers to give us the freedom we take for granted.

You then critiqued the Flagpole for publishing articles that offered non-mainstream views of our nation post-Sept. 11. But isn't dissent exactly what gave our country its independence? Isn't dissent what ended slavery, gave women the right to vote and ended prohibition? As Ralph Nader said at his visit to the University of Georgia last April, "Dissent is the essence of patriotism."

I applaud the Flagpole for offering insight to different issues in the country's most difficult times, despite mainstream pressure to conform. If you read some of the back issues, Mr. Hendricks, you may find that the Flagpole offered viewpoints on such national issues - such as corporate accounting scandals and President Bush's knowledge of the possibility of attacks - well before the mainstream media did.

Before criticizing the Flagpole for a "left-wing extremist stance," I suggest you look at the town you operate your business in, Mr. Hendricks. The aforementioned Ralph Nader speech had an overflow crowd of students. The Green Party registered more votes in Clarke County than any other in the state in 2000, receiving 1,247 WRITE-IN votes.

Locally, look no further than the last election. A community activist with "left-wing" views and a small financial war chest outperformed an incumbent, business-aligned mayor with campaign donations considerably higher.

So while you may not support "left-wing" views, I'm betting many of your customers do. I've been to the Wild Wing Café many times, and the college-student crowd far outnumbers the families, businessmen and the "elite" that may frequent your establishment.

It doesn't seem wise to alienate your core clientele by not supporting a publication that exercises its right to free speech. You imply they are dishonoring our country, but I believe the Flagpole is one of the few publications demonstrating true American spirit.

If you will "significantly reduce" your support of a publication that cultivates free thought and offers non-mainstream views, perhaps Wild Wing customers should "significantly reduce" their patronage of your restaurant.

Joe Dennis
Athens



Mr. Hendricks, please provide the names of the "many... business owners" you huddled with as you decided to denounce this publication.

I would like to know their names so that I can avoid their establishments like a stumbled upon corpse. I don't need chain restaurants to provide me with "upbeat, positive" fun. What fun isn't positive? I also don't need chest-thumping Real Amerikans (TM) to assault me with their whiny appeals to Revolutionary glory days. You are another sad victim of the pervasive, insidious, and deceitful right-wing, America first, dissent crushing conservative bias that permeates our mass media and our popular culture. Thank Buddha and all the pagan spirits that Flagpole exists! At least Ashcroft & the neocon regime haven't rounded up every dissenting voice (yet) and locked them in a military prison for "undermining American unity." You ladle some history gravy on your complaint, but let me distill it. We are founded on dissent. Political satire, critical commentary and poorly written (mine, not yours), indignant letters to local paper editors are fundamentally American! May all true patriots boycott your tacky establishment.

Brent Buice
Athens



In response to Les Hendricks' commentary on Flagpole's publications: That's great that Wild Wing Café has such a jovial atmosphere. You're very lucky. I'll just ask you to consider the millions of people, human beings, in this world that never get the chance to describe their circumstances as "jovial." In fact, oftentimes, it is the result of American foreign policy that makes them unable to do so. If it is truly your desire to provide joviality to humans, consider the misery that your great America imposes on others and quit being blindly patriotic!!!

Christine Gaston
Athens