Thursday, June 11

Why I love my own archives.

There's something absolutely fantastic, and I mean that in the gee whiz science fictiony way, in having a searchable archive of your own writing for the past almost five years.

Thinking last night about the horrible shooting at the Holocaust Museum yesterday, and the arrest of Hal Turner, who apparently does not have the constitutional right to brag on his blog that he has "enough bullets to take down" those he disagrees with, as well as the "uppity" police. The police didn't like that last part especially, Hal. They got just uppity enough to put you in jail where you've got plenty of constitutionally protected speech to your lawyer via webcam.

Here's where my archives come in. In the middle of the night I remembered this 2006 article by Ben Metcalf in Harper's. It's a wonderful examination of his own hate feelings for George Bush, which lead him so far as to fantasize about killing George W. "with his own bare hands." Of course, the free speech threshold applies, because...why, exactly? That's what the article is about.

I recommend it highly to those writing about hate speech and thresholds and such. Very timely, yet linked by Blue Gal back in 2006. Found it in under three minutes. Rock on.

4 comments:

  1. How can I add you to my feed?

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  2. Ugh, nevermind, I found the bottom way down there. :-)

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  3. I love how you awarded yourself five blue panties in honor of how totes awesum your archive is! HAHAHAH!

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  4. I remember that article vividly! And given my age and the amount of alcohol I have consumed over those years, that means it is a terrific essay! Thanks for reminding me.

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I really look forward to hearing what you have to say. I do moderate comments, but non-spam comments will take less than 24 hours to appear... Thanks!