What Wingnuts Think

According to my fan mail, it appears Sean Hannity criticized my essay on the Blacksburg massacre picked up by "CounterPunch," and his listeners somehow got my e-mail address. I have long wondered who Hannity's fans are, and at last I had the chance to find out. More than 150 emails arrived, most of which only cursed me or suggested I depart the country, preferably feet first. Others, though, suggested various tortures, including taking me apart with a pliers; and a few took the trouble to prescribe harsher punishments should I cross their path. One of the typical, albeit more profound letters, which I quote in its entirety, came from Ken Land of diceland@verizon.net, who said, "You are a piece of s---."(Note: as a believer in family values, I am not reprinting the s---- -word.)

Kenneth A. Ciullo, at kciullo@nyc.rr.com, wrote, "If I ever see you or hear you at a meeting, in public, at a private party, beware, I might be standing next to you, about to blow your f---ing twisted brains all over the wall." Other Hannity followers also explained why gun control won't work.

Some letters lifted my spirits. One from Noel Granite, at voyage923@yahoo.com, was cause to make me thank my lucky stars: "You are lucky I can't get my hands on you. Call it a threat, report it, do whatever you want but if you ever cross my path you will never be able to write again." (Noel, I am NOT reporting it. I like a guy who speaks his mind. Besides, the FBI must be so busy trying to find the perp of the 10/11 anthrax attacks on Congress, I don't want to hand them another tough nut to crack.)

From b.it@comcast.net came advice to "open my carotid artery and suck on a barrel for being such a piece of s--- low life that would write such a thing. ...Die filthy America hater. Just die." (Please note: this is NOT a death threat, merely a suicide suggestion, so I am only forwarding it to the State of Oregon.) Not one to be left out, Jeff Slegaitis at mtn_man_98034@yahoo.com, wrote, "Just quit breathing! Lick the snotty-end of my f--- -stick BITCH! (Note: as a believer in family values, I am not reprinting the f-word.)You live under the freedom provided by soldiers of past and present who served and DIED so you can write the S--- you write! Respect that or GET THE F--- OUT of our country." Actually, Jeff, I learned to write contributing to the Lackland Air Force Base "Tailspinner" during my military service. If my prose is insipid, blame them!

A number of readers objected to the fact I said negative things about the compassionate conservative in the White House. Jeff Geslison of Salt Lake City, Utah, Jgeslison@aol.com, put it bluntly: "WHAT THE F--- IS WRONG WITH YOU? (Again, as a believer in family values, I am NOT spelling out the f-word.) How dare you attack President Bush as you did. You are one sick mother f----r. You need to wake up and smell the coffee a-- hole. I've got a serious problem with you and the s--- you spew out of your mouth...! Grow up ass f---! Get a life and quit harassing our President." (Relax, Jeff, a president who won't heed Jim Baker won't listen to me.)

Anyway, the above should provide a representative sampling of the mental apparatus of Hannity's listeners and if that's what Hannity's advertisers want, as a believer in free enterprise, that's okay with me.

Link.