[Vision2020] "Hate speech at my US Post Office" (a letter)

[Paul Rumelhart]

I would have written "Don't feed the trolls" or "trolololol" on it.  Or 
better yet, just laughed and ignored it.  If you respond to trolls, the 
trolls win.

Paul

On 03/04/2012 06:30 AM, Tom Hansen wrote:
> Courtesy of The Salon at:
>
> http://open.salon.com/blog/davidsatterlee/2012/03/02/hate_speech_at_my_us_post_office 
>
> ------------------------------
>
>
>     Hate speech at my US Post Office
>
>
> By David Satterlee of Dayton, Iowa
>
> I found this posted on the information board at my US Post Office in 
> Dayton, Iowa, 50530 on March 2, 2012. There were also three modified 
> cartoons referring to President Obama, fried chicken, watermelon, and 
> black salami. I thought that the cartoons were inappropriate and 
> offensive to public decency; I removed them.
>
> The threat letter seemed more personal, so I added my answer and left 
> it there. I will transcribe the notes for your convenience.
>
> The original message was: “What do you call 20,000 liberals in the 
> bottom of the ocean? A good start. Liberalism is a mental disorder”
>
> My answer reads: “Please, don’t just threaten me with drowning and 
> post anonymous racist hate cartoons against our elected President in a 
> US Post Office. Make your case, explain your issues, and give 
> practical ideas for improvement… and please have the courage to sign 
> your name. With sincere best wishes, Your neighbor, David Satterlee”
>
> Frankly, I worry that the threat could get personal. It may already be 
> personal: I’ve had an Obama 2012 poster in my front window for weeks.
>
> Having lived in this small rural town for only two years, I’m still a 
> bit of an outsider. I’ve improved the old 1880s workman’s Victorian 
> that we bought and joined the Lion’s Club until my social anxieties 
> got too severe. I smile and speak kindly at every opportunity, and 
> wrote a series of positive local feature articles for the Dayton 
> Review until I had a stroke last year.
>
> The editor of the Dayton Review has encouraged me to begin submitting 
> an opinion column, which I can write from home without running all 
> over to take interview notes. I plan to feature liberal ideas 
> explained in terms and values that conservatives claim as their 
> exclusive own.
>
> It occurs to me that my openness may fan the flames among those who 
> are prone to reflexive hate. I could just hide in the shadows, 
> cringing and hoping that no one will notice me or be mean to me. But, 
> I am aware of the courage of those great souls who spoke out to end 
> slavery, gain the vote for women, oppose the baron kings and their 
> trusts, and march for civil rights.
>
> As a child in school, I was raised in a particularly rigid, 
> conservative, Christian faith. I remember how it was to be the object 
> of hate, bullying, and abuse. I learned to run fast. No more. I’m 
> going to stand fast. Bullies should be faced down. I’m tired of this 
> shit and I’m not going to take it any more.
>
> I’ve spent decades trying to figure out all the things I didn’t learn 
> as a closed-minded conservative. I started with all the 
> self-improvement and pop psychology books. I graduated to social 
> psychology, Eastern religions, and theories of human development. 
> These past four years, I’ve concentrated on figuring out the 
> difference between Republicans and Democrats. I came out of the 
> process as a generally-tolerant, love-thy-neighbor, but 
> still-evangelical liberal. But, I still can’t feel good about hate, 
> disrespect, and bullying.
>
> 'nuf said.
>
> ---------------
>
> image.jpeg
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Seeya later, Moscow.
>
> Tom "tree-hugging, bleeding-heart, card-carrying liberal" Hansen
> Post Falls, Idaho
>
> "If not us, who?
> If not now, when?"
>
> - Unknown
>
>
>
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