One of the more interesting things about having a post linked by dozens of liberal blogs is the different kind of clientele this site has gotten recently.
My Katrina Response Timeline was linked to by more than 180 blogs and dozens of forums and chat rooms. Not all of them, however, were conservative. And the fallout from this has been literally dozens of lefty trolls whose comments and emails have given new meaning to the term “hate mail.”
I’ve had to delete a dozen or so comments on my posts due to obscene language. I’ve deleted 3 or 4 others for being overly insulting. But it’s the volume and ferocity of the emails that has surprised me.
Here’s one from an admirer in Canada:
Rick – I read your article “The greatest political appointee in history”, and checked on John Adam’s biography. I came across the following quote:‘...On November 1, 1800, just before the election, Adams arrived in the new Capital City to take up his residence in the White House. On his second evening in its damp, unfinished rooms, he wrote his wife, “Before I end my letter, I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.” ’
I assume you and the rabble you are arousing believe Bush to be honest and wise.
Adams also made peace with the French, but I also assume that, as Superhawk, you probably wouldn’t make peace with anyone, but believe only in total domination of America over the lesser mortals that inhabit the rest of the planet.
I will have to read more to try to understand your arrogance and aggressiveness.
Tomorrow, I will tackle your article on Cindy Sheehan to see if it is anything more that a load of abusive garbage – suitable for rabble, I suppose.
Garbage like this I can handle. It only proves my point regarding liberal elitism. This one, however, was too good not to give a response:
I don’t usually involve myself in abject stupidity, but I really must say that you folks have taken this theme to unbelievable heights!! A masterful job if ever I have seen one and I have been on this earth quite a long time.A staunch, unshakable Republican (?) friend of mine sent me your site with the comment that he considers the views expressed here as “main stream” America. If that is so, I am truly sorry and saddened for this nation and the American people.
If what I have read here is an example of the American “main stream”, then the “Grand Experiment” has failed!! As I read what is written here, I see in my minds eye shades of Goring and Gobles; I taste the flavors of Stalin, Lenin, Marx and Benito Mussolini. My mind cannot help but conger up images of Torquemada’s Spain!
You are one sick bunch of little boys and girls!
Mind you, I am not a Democrat, a liberal, Green or Libertarian. I am not a Republican, conservative, or Neocon, and I’m Damned sure not one of you!! I am a pragmatist. Under normal circumstances, I will not put my hand on a hot stove, stand in the rain without cover, or piss in my own, and everyone else’s, Post Toasties as you are so gleefully doing.
I feel very sorry for your mommy and daddy, they must have been very kind hearted – or they would have drowned your silly ass at birth!
I didn’t have the heart to tell the idiot that I was the only writer on the site. Instead, I took the ignorant wretch to school with this response:
Thank you for your note. However, I feel it necessary to correct it for the numerous mistakes made in context, spelling, and grammar.
I’m sure you won’t mind.
The use of the word “abject” as a modifier for “stupidity is incorrect. The use of “abject” in this context is archaic. Perhaps “object” stupidity would have been a better choice.
The use of “Grand Experiment” in quotes is entirely inappropriate. I am unaware of any nomenclature surrounding that phrase that would require the quotation marks. It is not widely used in any sense that I’ve heard. Perhaps you could cite the original source for the phrase – a book title for instance – that would necessitate the quotation punctuation.
If you are going to make me a Nazi, the least you could do is have the common decency not to demonstrate your ignorance by making the laughably stupid mistake of misspelling “Goering” and Goebbels. Also, the use of “flavors” and taste” is questionable in describing people…unless, of course, you are a cannibal.
“Conger up images…” According to the dictionary I have, a “conger” is an eel. Did you perhaps mean “conjure?”
“You are one sick bunch…” The use of “one” and “bunch” in the same phrase is colloquial and not appropriate.
“Mind you…” Another colloquialism…and archaic to boot.
As a general criticism, I don’t think I’ve seen so many exclamation points in a letter since my 7 year old niece wrote me from camp.
“I feel very sorry for your mommy and daddy, they must have been very kind hearted – or they would have drowned your silly ass at birth!”
Are you completely unfamiliar with sentence structure? There should be a period after “daddy” and subsequent capitalization of the “T” in “they.” Also, the necessity for a hyphen following “kind hearted” and before “or” escapes me. Perhaps you could enlighten me.
Please write again and try to express you views. Next time, may I recommend you consult Strunk as well as having a dictionary handy? It gets tiresome correcting ignorant rants from brainless twits like you. I have much more important things to do.
Notre Dame football is on.
Rick Moran
RWNH
The only response I got from the gentleman was “I rest my case,” whatever that meant.
Actually, he proved himself smarter than I thought…He quit while I was ahead.
5:09 pm
RIGHT ON in your dealing with the trolls, especially the illiterate ones. Keep up the great work!!
8:03 pm
Rick, one gets trolls on both sides of the aisle. I’m far from being conservative, but I visit your site regularly because I enjoy your writing and respect your right to believe what you believe in.
Keep up the good work.
Only by reading both sides of the story can one come reasonably close to the truth. A characteristic of fanaticism is a mind closed to the opinions and arguments of the other side.
The satire on my site targets both sides of the aisle. The right side is getting it more at present because they have higher public profiles. If the left side came to power, they would be getting it more.
7:34 am
Wonderful! You have made this former English teacher’s day!
4:36 pm
I love the fact that he specified “Mind you, I am not a Democrat, a liberal, Green or Libertarian. I am not a Republican, conservative, or Neocon, and I’m Damned sure not one of you!”
If we eliminate Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian, conservative and liberal, what is left? About the only thing I can think of is Communist.
8:28 pm
Great work. I am afraid to write to you in fear that my writing will be corrected, but I will take the chance just to say thank you.
10:51 pm
Wow, your even more anal and elitist than Bill Safire, that’s what you were trying to prove, Right?
8:54 am
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3:06 pm
Bravo to you for tackling some of your hate emailers. Mine generally get filed in the “saved messages” file without being answered. I hold on to ‘em in case I need them for whatever reason in the future. I don’t get much hate email (yet) but it has increased a bit in the last couple of months as my traffic has increased. You’d think people would find something better to do with their time.
8:51 am
After reading your correction to this writer, I also felt compelled to write. Mostly to say that you are mostly wrong in what you corrected.
>The use of the word “abject†as a modifier >for “stupidity is incorrect. The use of >“abject†in this context is archaic. >Perhaps “object†stupidity would have been >a better choice.
Nope. “Abject” is perfectly correct. From Hougton Mifflin:
1. Brought low in condition or status.
2. Being of the most contemptible kind: abject cowardice.
3. Being of the most miserable kind; wretched: abject poverty.
Definition one does not apply, but two or three certainly does. This usage is far from archaic.
>The use of “Grand Experiment†in quotes is >entirely inappropriate. I am unaware of any >nomenclature surrounding that phrase that >would require the quotation marks. It is >not widely used in any sense that I’ve >heard. Perhaps you could cite the original >source for the phrase – a book title for >instance – that would necessitate the >quotation punctuation.
Ah, the assigning of homework, the last refuge of those without a position to defend. “Grand Experiment” is a widely used phrase and the fact that you missed the sarcasm implicit in the quotes does not invalidate the usage. A quick googling of the phrase reveals 146,000 results. Do not mistake your lack of subject knowledge for error.
>“You are one sick bunch…†The use of “one†>and “bunch†in the same phrase is >colloquial and not appropriate.
Blog writing, e-mail, and nearly all forms of internet communication are informal and colloquialism is quite appropriate. You may not like it, but it isn’t wrong.
>“Mind you…†Another colloquialism…and >archaic to boot.
Your point is? This is stylistic criticism, not grammatical, and a matter of taste rather than correctness.
>As a general criticism, I don’t think I’ve >seen so many exclamation points in a letter >since my 7 year old niece wrote me from >camp.
I agree with this. Nothing is more annoying that an abundance of bangs at the end of a sentence.
“I feel very sorry for your mommy and daddy, they must have been very kind hearted – or they would have drowned your silly ass at birth!â€
>Are you completely unfamiliar with sentence >structure? There should be a period after >“daddy†and subsequent capitalization of >the “T†in “they.†Also, the necessity for >a hyphen following “kind hearted†and >before “or†escapes me. Perhaps you could >enlighten me.
Why should “they” be capitalized? The hyphen before “or” is absolutely correct and functions as a semicolon. Nothing wrong with that.
>Please write again and try to express you >views. Next time, may I recommend you >consult Strunk as well as having a >dictionary handy? It gets tiresome >correcting ignorant rants from brainless >twits like you. I have much more important >things to do.
Yet another favorite tactic of those who don’t want to engage in actual argument: dismissal because of poor writing. Though in this case the writing has a couple of typos but isn’t actually that bad. Not my style, but not bad.
If you want to be taken seriously, keep your focus on the content, not the style. Note that my personal political beliefs do not figure into this note at all.
8:56 am
Kevin:
#1: Get a life
#2: Get a sense of humor
BTW, “Noble Experiment” would be appropriate in quotes in that the phrase is widely used and been the title of many articles and probably even a few books.
The phrase grand experiment is not widely used, no matter how you parse it.
2:30 pm
Wow, it must be disappointing to be so certain and yet so wrong.
We’ll skip the items marked #1 and #2 on your list as being silly and move right on to the end. By the way, you used one of the other favorite tactics of those unable or unwilling to argue properly, dropping all the points against that you didn’t like only to focus on something trivial.
Let’s assume that for some reason, having a phrase in a article or book title is the proper criteria to evaluate how widely it is used. Rather than just spouting off, I did a little research.
Amazon shows 20 titles with the phrase “grand experiment” and 18 with “noble experiment.” The Library of Congress shows six with noble and five with grand, though two of the nobles are the same book in different formats, so I call that one a tie.
Admit you were wrong and move on, you’ll be a better man for it.
3:59 pm
“Noble Experiment” and “democracy” have been tied together in this country since the founding.
This post is five days old…and you’re tellling me to “move on?”
Get a life. The damn thing was a JOKE, stupid. This means IT WAS NOT SERIOUS.
6:25 pm
That’s a great post there. Big fan of your site. I love using simple grammar and a dictionary to cause the utter devastation of a retard’s email. Nice work.
P.S. I hope you comment on Hillary Clinton’s statement concerning the approval of John Roberts. She’s definitely doing her little swing to the right, I look forward to your thoughts I’ve already posted mine.
1:16 pm
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