Stupid journalist

[ladyofastolat]

From this week's local paper, in the "quirky and humorous" opinion column: "At Walk the Wight, how many people's spirits were uplifted by the constant jingle-wingle of Morris Dancers' bells, or - much more likely - did they vow to bring a pair of pliers next year to snip them off their stupid, stockinged feet."

I am far more annoyed by this than I ought to be. If the bells are annoying, you can get ahead, or drop behind. No need to walk in earshot of them. But it's the "stupid stockinged feet" that makes me cross. I am so fed up with the fact that Morris dance is so derided in its home country, when foreign folk traditions are encouraged.

Stupid man.

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

The desire of 'opinion-formers' in the press to enforce dull uniformity knows no bounds.

[nilsigma.livejournal.com]

This is the problem with jaundiced journalists, let alone half-baked hacks. Write back and point out that alliteration went out with Chaucer.

[pellegrina.livejournal.com]

You could even point out that if they'd written that snidely of the folk traditions of anyone but the English, they'd have been hit with accusations of discrimination. Can you imagine writing something analogous about Diwali celebrations?

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I just did. I was writing my angry reply in my head all afternoon, and I included this point when I came to write it up when I got home. I don't know if I'll send it. I feel a bit silly rising to his provocation, but, still...

[kargicq.livejournal.com]

That must have been satisfying to write! My advice would be either to try to hit a humorous "I'm not taking myself too seriously" tone in the letter for fear of seeming to rise, or to keep it very very short and contained: "Dear Sir, would Jim Bloggs have complained about someone Walking the Wight in traditional costume of any other culture? Yours, etc." On the other hand, your local rag might have a tradition of printing rants...

[evilmissbecky.livejournal.com]

You should take a pair of scissors to his stupid, stuffed-up article. Pfft!

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

I'd go with Kargicq's short and pithy comment, anything else is unlikely to be printed as the snooty little shits will just tell themselves you must be the local BNP councillor.