Punctuated Equilibrium
Punctuated Equilibrium
Today, I Cancelled My Subscription to the (Right Wing) New York Times
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I’ve been a subscriber to the NY Times for nearly 10 years now. Like many people, I used to particularly enjoy getting that big, thick wad of Sunday paper, sipping morning coffee while perusing the arts section or reading the book review. But after the Judy Miller episode, it seems the level of propaganda between its pages has been steadily increasing -- even extending to the book review and arts section. Perhaps it was always there and I just didn’t notice, or was more willing to overlook it.
But the last straw came when they appointed William Kristol to their editorial staff. Yeah, I know he’s been there for a few months now, but it has taken me this long to get around to penning the letter below and stopping that “venerable” sheet of cat box liner from showing up in my driveway every morning.
I feel much cleaner now. As if I just washed my hands after emptying my cat’s litter box.
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To the Editor, Publisher, and Public Editor --
After many years of subscribing to the New York Times, I regret to inform you that I simply cannot continue to do so in good conscience.
Your recent addition of William Kristol to the editorial staff was really the last straw. The thought of my money going to support someone who has been proven wrong so many times, not to mention his abhorrent , bone-headed and blatantly racist opinions.....well, this leaves me speechless. Words fail to describe how I feel. How could you even consider unleashing this rubbish upon your readers?
Who will be next? Will you be adding Rush Limbaugh to your editorial staff? Ann Coulter? Bill O'Reilly? Pat Robertson?
Before you reply by giving me any of that usual pabulum about needing "balance" in your editorial pages, please...don't even think of doing so. This is not at all about "balance." To be an editorial writer, you have to have some perspective that brings something to the discussion. You need factual evidence to make your case. And you need to be proven right about your prognostications at least once in a while.
William Kristol has none of these qualities. He's been proven wrong so many times I've lost count. Did you even bother to check his record, to look at his comments prior to the Iraq invasion debacle? Not to mention all of the other nonsense he has spouted, and continues to spout? Do you bother to read the pile of letters written in response to the virulent diarrhea he releases upon your pages?
Yes, I know that he has been part your staff for months now. I intended to cancel my subscription immediately, but perhaps I hung on in futile hope that your readership would knock some sense into your editorial board's collective brains. Or kick your collective asses. But alas, apparently that did not happen or else you enjoy being kicked.
Coupled with all of the other "balanced" opinion and news on your pages (need I bring up Judy Miller? Your one-sided coverage where Israel is concerned? David Brooks, Tom Friedman and their laughable pontifications? Simon Romero's daily smear piece on Hugo Chavez?) I simply cannot allow my dollars to go on supporting you and your advertisers. The "balance" has certainly tipped so far to the right and their propaganda is so pervasive on your pages, that the number of items I can tolerate reading for more that a nanosecond has become miniscule. In fact, I approach your plastic-wrapped newspaper lying in my driveway every morning with increasing amounts of trepidation and angst.
I am sure you are aware that the situation with most major newspaper these days is rather dire. Declining readership, staff cutbacks, etc. have all contributed to a downward spiral that has led many news outlets to consolidate or go out of business entirely. People are increasingly turning to other news sources.
The "venerable" New York Times has also suffered, and I have to sadly say that it is on the same path. A dinosaur whose days are numbered. Add a few more paleo-cons like William Kristol to your editorial staff and one day, a pink slip will show up in your inbox too.
Regrettably submitted,
-Michael Henry
On the left (three words he most certainly would loathe to hear), the ever-so-pathetically-pithy William Kristol gets pie on his face.
‘Tis a pity that the pie apparently was not filled with any of his own diarrhea.
William Kristol gets pie on his face