This week, Mr. Thomson chose to entertain us with a piece on political discord, and just how sad it is that we all can't get along. I trust the irony of the writer's political affiliation won't escape you. Instead of reflecting honestly on the racism and bigotry inherent in today's GOP, Thomson chose to present himself as a world weary, superior individual, who is above all of this silliness.
In fact, he went as far as to say this:
"Meantime, I’ve written two local critics, suggesting our insult swaps needn’t preclude friendly relations. Regrettably, both responded churlishly. This bespeaks a lack of confidence, or a destructive conflating of personal and political."
I confess. I'm one of those churls. Mr. Thomson did send a missive to me in the spring. This was my reply:
May 29, 2009
Dear Maynard Thomson,
Thank you so much for your very entertaining letter. I can’t think when I last received a missive that insulted my intelligence, threatened me with a lawsuit, and then invited me out for coffee with an offer of friendship. I don’t believe I’ve had anything comparable since my last stalker, and that was over a decade ago. Your comedic timing (intentional or otherwise) is amazing.
Over the years you’ve called me stupid, accused me of lying, and in once memorable instance, berated me for not having traveled sufficiently. In fact, your constant droning responses to my columns over the year have shown that you possess a lack of basic reading comprehension skills, snobbery, elitism, and an overweening ego.
I urge you, Maynard, to make good on your rather thinly veiled threat of a lawsuit. Please – sue me for defamation in my May 8 column. You could give me no greater gift than to make your claims public. You would be revealed as the thin-skinned buffoon that you are, attempting to threaten me into silence, on a bogus claim. I would enjoy every minute of this action, so please, I implore you - go forth and sue.
I’m not apologizing for anything, Maynard. You might go back and reread my May 8 column. I’d be interested to hear where it was I mentioned your views on abortion or marriage equality, seeing as how I didn’t. I referenced the views of your political party, and if you weren’t such a reactionary dolt, looking to take offense at the flimsiest pretext, you might have figured that out. Years of your letters to the editor, however, have shown your utter inability to comprehend what you read.
Sadly, I am certain you’ll be surprised that I have no interest in meeting you. I don’t willingly meet up with those suffering from narcissistic personality disorder – there are too many chances to meet them randomly.
With the utmost sincerity,
Susan Bruce
Lack of confidence? Destructive conflating of the personal and political?
Nah. I just don't voluntarily associate with assholes.
3 comments:
Oh Susan! How I wish I had your gift and skill of the written word! Outstanding. Today is BLOG ACTION DAY, Let's sock it to 'em.
As to Mr. Maynard I have a response here for him and the large club he sadly belongs to;
I too am exposed to the diatribes of Mr. Maynard and read them with flinching pain. Mr. Maynard, as 'a dirty stinking foreigner' (I've since learned that being a citizen is to some, meaningless) here are my thoughts. When I first arrived on your beautiful shores, I was confronted with a surprising passion and vehemence of anti-Apartheid protesters. How wonderful I thought. This is truly the home of the free and the brave, rallying for the underdog and against injustice globally. The passion was overwhelming and tear provoking. There is hope for the world. Then I stayed for twenty two years.
Those same individuals of which you very well may have been part, now refuse to practice what they have preached unfailingly for over hundred years. Do what I say, however, I choose to live differently. Mired in racism, xenophobia and homophobia, I see and recognize it all the moment I hear it or read it. I see it in your writings, Mr. McLaughlin's and many others.
This is why the world has a difficult time "liking" Americans. You don't practice what you fling at others. Start now, start quickly, before you are turned into Dinosaur dust!!
I have friends who moved with their children to North Dakota. Just the other day, the young man (22 yrs) walked into a hardware store and moving through a gauntlet of white thugs heard them yell at him "Hey N******r!You buying tools for your white masters"? Yes Mr. Maynard, it's alive and functioning! Time to end it.
Thankyou Susan for the work you do for those of us with 1/2 a brain. Happy blog day to you!
As another of the 'churls' to whom Counselor Thomson wrote, I'd like to mention that the very first letter I received from him (about a year ago) called me out for objecting to the stranglehold that AIPAC has on Congress and the White House. The good barrister proceeded to call me an anti-Semite and a Jew hater. This will come as something of a surprise to my many relatives who were killed in the Russian pograms and gassed at Auschwitz. If not replying to a troglodyte who called me a 'Jew hater' makes me a churl, well, as the French say, ainsi soit-il.
And the horse you rode in on, Maynard.
I don't think cause and effect as different entities is something one learns. The brain either gets it or doesn't. I suspect that the people who conflate the two and, in consequence, tend to assign cause to (especially) the victims of negative events, are instinct-driven and respond, in the main, to preconceived notions that arise from their emotions.
They really can't perceive a conflict between the personal and the political because they don't see a difference. You are what they perceive and that's the beginning and end of it. That they're reacting to preconceived notions--i.e. to their own imaginings--doesn't occur to them. Because, although they are self-centered, they have no awareness of self.
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