[Vision2020] How About It, Gang?

[Ted Moffett]

Warren et. al.

You are a public employee, with a public website advertising this as such.
I assume most everyone knew of your work.  I apologize for what was
apparently a misstep on my part.

Nick Gier, Joe Campbell, and Tom Hansen all are or were employed by the
local universities, which is well known on Vision2020.

I made no inference of your status as a "hack writer."  I am sure you are an
excellent writer.  And of course there are many skilled writers in the U of
I English Dept.  I only named a few who I have read.

I guess the main point of my response in this thread is that the U of I
English Dept., a department from which I have taken about 25 credits worth
of course work in literature and writing, has some fantastic writing talent,
nationally known, that many in our area are unaware of.

And judging from one private response I got from the U of I English Dept.,
some would like to write columns for the Moscow/Pullman Daily News, but
their professional obligations keep them more than fully occupied.

Again, I apologize...

Ted Moffett

On 3/18/08, Warren Hayman <whayman at roadrunner.com> wrote:
>
>  Hello Ted, and everyone else,
>
> Thanks for the inference of my status as a hack writer at best. With this
> I agree. And thanks as well, sort of, for the broadcasting of my position--
> something I don't make public very often for various reasons. But you're
> right. I teach literature from Gilgamesh to yesterday, and all forms of
> writing except fiction.
>
> Eek! I even publish poetry and nonfiction, and have served as editor
> within the Virginia Dept of Education (vocational curriculum writing and
> editing, and co-wrote legislation for the Core Standards and Measures of
> Performance of Va voc ed). I was also the last editor of the Northwest
> Journal, formerly the Palouse Journal here in Moscow. I would bet I'm the
> only person around, including Ivar Nelson, who owns and wears a PJ t-shirt.
>
> I am not comfortable discussing what I do or have done, if only because I
> wish no disservice to any affiliations I have. But here it be. Also a reason
> I don't contribute to V2020 very much at all, either. Misinterpretation,
> etc.
>
> Lastly, I don't know how you could have left Dan Orozco's name off your
> list-- he is a superb UI English Dept fiction writer .
>
> Warren Hayman
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com>
> *To:* Sue Hovey <suehovey at moscow.com>
> *Cc:* vision2020 at moscow.com
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 18, 2008 1:00 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] How About It, Gang?
>
>
> All-
>
> What I find astonishing is that no one from the U of I English Dept.,
> featuring some of the most skilled writers in our area, is on this contact
> list regarding the open Daily News columnist offer.  Many in that department
> can write circles around most everyone on that list, no offence meant.
> After all, good writing, as an end in itself, is what they do!  And many of
> them are not exactly of the religious or political orientation of Iverson,
> to put it politely.  They could pen Daily News columns that would stun!
> What about Robert Wrigley, Kim Barnes, Mary Clearman Blew, Ronald McFarland,
> Joy Passanante, all well published and beautiful writers?
>
> Just a few days ago I was discussing with someone how few academics from
> the U of I or WSU contribute to Vision2020, or in the local press.
>
> Warren Hayman is the only member of the U of I English Dept., that I
> recall, who contributes to Vision2020.
>
> Ted Moffett
>
>
>
>
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