Hatred by Any Other Name Still Reeks.. or crawls

Cover of News & Review which has my letter-to-the-editor in it

Ok, you got a reprieve today from my vacation journaling and an example of why the subtitle of my blog is 'Claire's sit-com life'. This morning on my way into the office I saw this week's News & Review, Sacramento’s local alternative newspaper. One glance the cover and I hesitated to take one, even if thought it's free. Printed, all over the cover, were honkin' big, creepy disgusting... six leggedy insects (if they'd been real I'd have flippin' keeled over). I stared; utterly repulsed.

Finally, I gingerly picked up the damned News & Review (as if it could bite) and went on into the office. A quick perusal and yep, sure enough, this week's paper shows me that yes, the gods still have a sense of humor. Here. Take a look at this cover and see for yourself: the front page was slathered over with THE thing I hate most in the universe - 'the R word' - rhymes with 'coach'. See? SEE? I can't even type the damned word!

So, what is the significance of the six legged 'R' creatures on the cover and how does this particular issue of News & Review pertain to me? A couple of weeks ago the News & Review ran an article entitled, Fat Bastards by Jaime O’Neill. The article was heinous, nasty and blamed pretty much all of America’s problems on its fat citizens.

I don’t get to riled up by too much, but the sheer venom in that letter appalled me so much that I quickly whipped out a letter to the editor. Somehow I knew it’d get published and it was - in this week's 'R-word' encrusted edition. GAK!

While it lasts, here is the original article, Fat Bastard from June 28th.

And here are the numerous rantings the original article inspired: reader letters about the on-line version of the article. My letter to the editor is the first one listed.

All right, all right Earth Mother. I get the joke. You can stop laughing now.