Re: the smarmy lecture from [EMAIL PROTECTED] who wrote:
Mario there is no question that if a person writes an opinion column, they [sic] are going to find people who oppose them. Of course, they are going to find people who agree with them. No need to lecture me about opinion columns nor to spin your take on those who read them. You must take me and the dwindling TCN readership to be idiots. Most of us know how to read opinions we disagree with and still respect those who write them with integrity. I've given many examples in past posts. I'm certain there are people you meet that tell you they don't like me for my columns, Oddly enough, I've met people who know you personally, but who still think your columns are cesspools. and they will, as you say below, seek you out because you dislike the columns too. and many I've met are to the right of me, politically, but who are embarrassed by your claims to "justify' the right. Likewise, there are also many people, total strangers, who write to me, email me and introduce themselves to me that tell me they love the column. It's a big world with lots of diverse opinions. I'm not out to change everyone to my point of view. That would be a pretty boring world. A boring world? No, a Hell on earth full of smear, half-truths, and mediocre columns. I've commented here recently about Jim Keady's recent column in the TriCity News: It was carefully thought out and an exquisite piece if writing. If you could achieve half as much, the TriCity News might become something we Asbury Park residents could be proud of. You may recall that in the last city election, I was a cheerleader on your side of the fence. At this point, I find myself disappointed that there are no articulate voices speaking for "The Future Started Here" team. Consider that, in this group, supporters of that team and their policies are, except for you, all anonymous, far from articulate, prone to trash people rather than promote ideas, and not likely to appeal to thoughtful voters. In Keady's essay he commented to Dan J: "We know that you want Asbury Park to be just like Berkeley, Madison or Asheville. Something that those towns have is an independent, alternative newspaper that reports in detail on the issues that the mainstream news agencies miss. We need you to do your part – research issues first-hand and report." "To be just like Berkeley, Madison or Asheville": Some of us residents savored that vision. Michael Liberatore and Dane Hall used to represent some of that writing quality at TCN. But now, especially when it features an outrageously un-Christian column like the War-on-Christmas attack on our Chamber of Commerce, seems to have lost its way. Words are important, and ideas have consequences. Thankfully, Asbury Park still has thoughtful writers evidenced by Kate Mellina's Coaster columns and Frank D'Alessandro's letters.
