Email wisdom

Recently, my mother received a gem of an email from a friend of her's. It had a line in it to the effect that if its sentiments didn't float your boat, you could just delete it. Mum was about to do just that, when she decided that actually, this thing was so abominable, so horrifying - in short a clusterfuck of wrongness, that deleting it simply wasn't sufficient. She wanted to return it to its sender with a summary of what she thought of it. In fact, she wanted to send it on to other people with a punchy, insightful header pointing out why, if you find yourself agreeing with any one if its points, you need to take a long hard look.

Unfortunately, at 11pm last night, we were not long on punchy, insightful summaries. So I am reproducing it here, and asking you to help us turn this piece of hate-mongering into a Media Watch moment.

Thought you might like to read this letter to the editor ~
ever notice how some people just seem to know how to write a letter?.

This one sure does! This was written by a Canadian woman,
but oh how it also applies to the U.S., U.K. and Australia

THIS ONE PACKS A FIRM PUNCH

Here is a woman who should run for Prime Minister!

Written by a housewife in New Brunswick , to her local
newspaper.
This is one ticked off lady.

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? [Well that hooked me in right away] Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on
September 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since? [And the Oklahoma bombing was committed by a Christian - your point is?]


Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered
that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from the nation's
capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ? [Are people not being brutally murdered all over the world every day in hate-inspired conflicts?]

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a
horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they? [Have not in excess of 100,000 men, women and children suffered the same fate in Iraq alone?]


And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to
be tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are
fighting against in a brutal insurgency. [Well, yeah, if you claim to believe in justice.]


I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and
repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. [So you will continue to demand that people suffer until the impossible happens. Good plan.]


I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle
East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a
crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan .. [You will not respect them until they respect you. That strategy always works.]


I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for
hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling
slashed throat. [Ah yes, point to the horrors of conflict as a reason to incite conflict.]


I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in
Afghanistan come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their
own religion by hiding in mosques and behind women and
children. [Fight our war in your country on our terms dammit!]


I'll care when the mindless zealots who blows themselves up
in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of
their suicide bombs. [Yes, because people so desperate that they will kill themselves for what they believe is right (no matter how misguided) will do so to achieve the after-life of a different religion - huh?]

I'll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that
their freedom of speech on stories is more important than the lives of
the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when something happens. [Because exposing a war as a political stunt and getting soldiers out of there won't help anyone.]


In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN
soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know
this:

I don't care. [Every time...]

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he
is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it
to the bank:

I don't care. [...you say this...]

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a
prayer mat, and 'fed special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars,
is complaining that his holy book is being
'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts:

I don't care. [...you are...]


And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled
'Koran'
and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you
guessed it,


I don't care!! [...what you condemn.]


If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your
E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible
for this ridiculous behaviour! [But what to do when I just so don't?]

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button.
Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more
atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our
great Country! [I will complain whenever any atrocities are committed anywhere, by anyone, and I will campaign to fix the situations that result in people feeling justified to commit them.] And may I add: [No, but I'm sure you will.]

'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made
a difference in the world. But, the Soldiers don't have that problem.' [They don't, although many, many lay awake wondering what that difference was, and I feel for them, because it wasn't their choice.]

I have another quote that I would like to add, AND.......I
hope you forward all this. [Wouldn't miss it for the world.]

One last thought for the day: [You promise?]


Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:


1. Jesus Christ

2. The British Soldier.

3. The Canadian Soldier.

4. The US Soldier, and

5. The Australian Soldier

One died for your soul, the other 4 for your freedom. [Oh my. Oh my. Ok, this one has me stuck. I mean never mind myriad other peoples ignored here (well, you know, Kiwis are really Australians when they're good blokes), there is so much wrong with this...]


YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET ALL
OF THEM [Umm, no. Disseminating hate is not among my hobbies.]

AMEN.

As you can see, I was incapable of reproducing it without comment, but I'm pretty sure there are much better take-downs out there.

And in case you are wondering why my mother would bother, why this isn't just spammed with the penis enlargements and offers of Nigerian cash, it is because way too many people agree with this, because people she knows would exchange high fives over this email. Some things are not best left alone.