Open letters are the hissy fits of our times, petulant and tedious expressions of collective outrage. It is also by some considerable measure the laziest form of protest.
In other words, the terminally aggrieved could take to the barricades but that would mean having to walk all the way to the barricades, standing around, feeling uncomfortable and what if it rained? It’s much easier to simply put names to a letter someone else had written in strident agreement with its contents.
There is one particularly egregious example of the open letter that caught my eye last night. It comes from the Columbia Journalism Review and is allegedly an open letter from the American press corps to President-elect Donald Trump.
As if journalists weren’t despised enough by the community, along comes this haughty expression of well … a journalist’s basic job description albeit dripping in sanctimony and self-importance. It even includes the grammatical venal sin of writing ‘you’re’ as ‘your’. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Full column here.
It occurs to me that the main differences between an open letter and an opinion piece are that the former has “an open letter to so-and-so” at the top, and is written in the second person.
For example, Janet Albrechtsen’s piece yesterday could easily have been titled “An open letter to the Left”, just for a change. She is just as convinced that Trump will be wonderful as the CJR is that he will be terrible, with just as little evidence. But while the CJR’s view is at least based on Trump’s past behaviour, Albrechtsen’s view has nothing to do with Trump at all, but is justified purely by “the Left”‘s dislike of him.
So in Albrechtsen’s view, it doesn’t matter that a sociopath holds the world’s most powerful office, as long as the Left is annoyed about it.
In her article, we learn that Trump’s election is a triumph for voiceless “outsiders” after decades of rule by Left elites. Presumably this means that the Left elites were winning all the previous elections, which in turn suggests the majority of electors belonged to these Left elites. Not sure how that works, but pretty sure the Left will be fuming about it.
We also learn that Trump is one of these outsiders, despite being a hereditary real estate billionaire from Manhattan. This is because he ignores the Left’s sanctimonious rules about not grabbing pussies or politically appointing your entire family, and all that PC crap. I guess that doesn’t make any sense either, but remember: it really shits the Left.
Another interesting fact Albrechtsen passes on is that everything the Left does from now on “will help Trump”. How irritating. We may as well give up.
John, it occurs to me that given the wide audience Jack’s blog enjoys, your above contribution may also be considered “An open letter to Janet Albrechtsen”, albeit a short one. After all, you did refer to her on at least six occasions.
Fair call Carl, but I don’t refer to her anywhere near as often as she refers to this “Left” of hers.
Hear, hear. J.O’H
i thought the main difference was that a whole lot of people got to sign in it and get that glow from being compassionate or clever or whatever.
jack, no-one is obliged to read anything on this blog or elsewhere, so you are perfectly entitled to read and reply to only the first sentence of my comment. In the same spirit here is my reply to the first two words of yours: No, you didn’t.
Damn, that was good O’Hagan.
Wots the world coming to? Just enrolled my little kid (5yrs old) for a game of soccer this mourning with the local club.
The fee? A pensioner paralysing $350. Bloody outrageous! No incentive to get kids off the street and into healthy activities there Bald at this rate of dollars. SAD CAFE!!
That seems high, Bassman and I believe n the case of this particular fee is paid to the governing body which is outrageous in itself. Might I suggest a shift to AFL/Auskick.
It DID include his shorts, a jumper, socks, a training shirt and a club insignia drink bottle. Yes and I have read in the wider media the governing body is wasting a great deal of the junior football money on adult capers. I don’t want him to play league…too dangerous. And by that I include the parents on the sideline! Rodent has told me some frightening stories-his son is a gun league player. 70 is a bit old to father a 5yr old I KNOW!! But he a cutie. He will have a sister in May as well. I got all of my older kids into sport as soon as they could walk. Cost me a fortune-especially the daughter with the horse! They were too tired from training, organized games, competitions and rep etc to get involved with deviant subcultures and I recommend sport for ALL parents/kids.
Your comments on sport are absolutely spot on Bassy. I wish more people followed your sage advice.
I’ve heard about this before. It’s completely outrageous.
Only sport in the country where 5 year olds help pay for those in the A league.
Pity really as it discourages entry into the sport.
Can we blame Frank Lowy for this? Given the way he runs Westfield I wouldn’t be surprised.
Put it down to entitlement TV
BASSMAN says:
January 22, 2017 at 1:07 pm
says: “Bad day on the rum!! I must try harder…oh never mix drinks.I did. Cointreau and lemon…my favourite
God..nectar from heaven.”
Bassy, you’re living too high on the hog mate. Knock off the jungle juice for a couple of weeks and you’ve got your kid’s ball game fees covered.
Wild Turkey American Honey whiskey goes down very well after a few Cointreaus on the rox and squeezed lemon in them Bald. Bloody heaven.
Bassy, now I fully understand where all those dodgy stats are coming from. It wasn’t the scrapbook after all!
Methinks it’s to do with insurance cover Bman. All the same that kind of expense will keep a lot of kids at home with their ipads.
That sounds good value for money for acting lessons, Must be of the the few games that you can win by taking a convincing dive.
Mack the Knife 03:39am .
Just on your Trump ‘weeding out the wankers “, you saying , it was shown on TV a CNN reporter just would not “shut up “after told others there to ask questions can’t get a go. This fool acting like a class feral, has given Trump staff and security the need on cases , now the opportunity to shovel these idiots out the door on bad behavior .
Just watch ABC 24 today on how media manipulated this swearing in having crowds well down in footage shown through TV as manipulation as explained on station 24 by chief media advisor for the new government America. He now has moved out of low gear into top gear on clamping down on dodgy media manipulation showing crowd much smaller when Ch 9 and 7 last night shown crowds extending out of sight . Is this now the grubby few left in media over there we now may expect? It seems they are so vindictive with hate that will not make any effort for supporting progress in America . Americans are very strong resilient people proud of their country.
Barry Matherson and Carl Stefanovic watching them gave account that large bulk of Americans are behind Trump wanting jobs , change , security no PC politics,industry and health fixed up . They are wanting America to be strong again , no bickering just plain strong America again. I listed in last 8 hrs over 40 reasons why they did not want the democrats in again while angry around 4 million Trump votes lost due to bias media killing off Trump.
Like the old Nifty Wran saying ,..Íf you throw enough mud , eventually some sticks”,..that is why Trump lost millions of votes following a bias media trying to inflict voters towards Hillary.
I sense a plan here. First Sean Spicer suggests that they might need more space as the WH press room only seats 59. WH press corps pitches a fit, plan ditched. Want to bet a lottery is the solution? The big 3 networks will lose their reserved seats–and their collective minds. They can’t argue it’s not fair!
This silly hysteria about how big the inaugural crowd was is a perfect example of the media trying to exert influence. Crowd size is totally irrelevant surely. Hardly surprising that there is irritation.
Strange that…the press lies about everything according to Trump. The crowd numbers are rigged, he doesn’t tell any lies (21 counted in the last debate when his ‘facts’ were checked). Yep everything is RIGGED yet on one of his posts he used an Obama crowd as a background as if it were his own but quickly took it orrff when he was found short. This coming from The Master of Fake News. He really is a most repellent unit. Those vile things he has said about women and their privates. How must his Mrs feel standing next to him. Now we can see that a POTUS can say or do an ything he wants no matter how vile and still steal the chalice. And he’s only one day into the job! Freedom of the press will be under pressure any day now. Feel sorry for journalists who will lose gigs if they don’t toe the Trump line and report accordingly. Like many hacks in Australia who the Libs have taken orrff ‘the drip’ they too will suffer.
How does his wife feel? Probably the same as Madonna’s latest man would after the vile things she said in reference to Trump’s dick.
Sad to see delightful former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin didn’t get a gig in the Trump administration Mr Insider. A lassie who handles a gun the way she does and loves “huntin and fishin” as much as she says she does would have to be an asset methinks. Meanwhile poor old Mitt Romney awaits the call up still – he must be 1st Reserve surely, or 2nd or 3rd……..!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5X7fjvoWrg
I see Mitt as Ambassador to the Court of St. James.
Lou oTod 09:16pm.
Great seen Shaun Marsh striking the ball well again after recent mishaps plagued him.
When in form with the bat , he is very impressive as does his brother Mitch having mixed performances in the BB this season .
Bella 08:19pm.
Good on you Bella on your view being a real Usain Bolt quick out of the blocks as usual , I like it.
Lets just say Bella American politics needs some aggressive injection to get our agitated people jumping around in animosity with many gibberish haters still can’t except defeat.
We need some strong leader to give the odd kick arse aggression instead the boring old Hillary looking like a’ fake doll’ on stage saying “I will make a strong America for you”.
We need the cartoonist Bella to get cracking and what better way seen Trump looking like an eagle ready to pounce on its prey.
CHINA Bella and other nations were trampling all over Obama being weak in diplomacy having Iran , North Korea looking dangerous, Americans now wanting change , debts reaching 19.9 trillion , the elites running richer while the poor out in the country and industry suffering , manufacturing low , imports flooding in making China rich America poorer health worst its ever been plus wage groth shrinking .
Next,..America has gambled for change that is badly in need slipping on the world stage. The 95%press have egg on their face now turning for Trump to do better after reading Col Allen editor chief of NY Post who is on top of American politics.The crowd shown on ch 9 was enormously packed in that Trump sworn in speech .
Looks like the quick response from media now saying they will make America strong again response, will work.
I love a president with balls Bella , not a lame duck that looks like a preacher .
No doubt the sour lot out there still want the old PC politics being blind not excepting modern business and family structure , will bitch on whinge forever having the betrayal leaders up front inspiring the fear on people riding on vilification forever trashing America.
Lets just travel along the path that America is our friend as shown over time and trust them of choice and not turn this into hostility barking at Trump to get out of our lives and America.
These mad mobs geration fear , are more dangerous on themselves , next step is trying to create a negative image turning into bizarre perpetrators these mad street protesters not excepting change is needed .They are nuisance groups most from a rent-a-crowds universities .54%of these protesters never even voters polls shown . If they shown up at voting , they may have Hillary over the line.
Cheers Bella , keep your work up , love it.
Oh dear.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/trump-blasts-media-over-crowd-size/news-story/26b49b50167f70faacffc06f64829e67
The old ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ argument hey Swannie, oh dear indeed. How undignified of him, portents of sad things to come. Here we go, here we go, here we go…. 🙂
.
Oh, and meanwhile he says all deals are off. Does that mean they will be leaving Darwin soon?
So, knowing turnout was thin, Trump tries to pass off a photo of Obama’s inauguration as his, then when actual photographs of the half-empty Mall are published, he accuses “the media” of lying and threatens that they will pay “a big price”. I guess we already knew this, but the guy is a paranoid, authoritarian clown.
He’s 70. I would love to be proved wrong, but I doubt he’s suddenly going to learn how to behave honestly or rationally. This outburst demonstrates how his new office magnifies his flaws, in this case from a little cheating on Twitter to wholesale threats against the Fourth Estate.
The fourth estate did all it could to not get him elected. I’d be a bit pissed to.
Fair comment
If by “did all it could to not get him elected” you mean “reported his statements”, then yes. But I think the Russian effort would have more than made up for that.
Bloody hell when you lefties spit the dummy, you really spit the dummy!
Liverpool, ManU, oh dear! And Spurs and City miss 2 points.
BASSMAN
January 21, 2017 at 7:02 pm
says: “Address the FACTS you Drongo. I can use my own scrapbook any day I like…debt is $203.6billion under your Looters. U shld be writing about that instead of saying stupid things about me. ”
Of course you can Bassy, of course you can. But there’s no need to get up on your high horse about it.
Some of your protestations Bassy, cause me to wonder if you may have been taking Albert Einstein too seriously when he said – “If the facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts.”
Many apologies my son
Bad day on the rum!! I must try harder…oh never mix drinks.I did. Cointreau and lemon…my favourite
God..nectar from heaven. Bradman starts 12:30. Must get oiled up for that.
RE;Jean Baptiste says:
January 21, 2017 at 9:35 pm
JB,
I suspect the ‘dummy’s’ speech embodies everything with which you would disagree!!
http://www.nationalcenter.org/ReaganEvilEmpire1983.html
What a sleazy mealy mouthed mouthed con artist was Reagan. A fraud and a stooge. As thick as two bricks but as cunning as a sh*t house rat. A classic dumb military industrial installation in the White House, just capable of learning his lines. And he didn’t dye his hair either. Pay up suckers.
http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/index.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/reagans-great-lie-in-the-sky-star-wars-scientists-may-have-deceived-moscow-and-congress-about-the-1463972.html