Hate Mail

If you read this site regularly, you'll notice that I haven't updated the Infernal Mailbag in a very long time. The reason for that is simple. Time. I don't have a lot of spare time, so I stopped trying to answer all of the emails there. I usually reply to senders, but I don't put it in the mailbag. I keep the mailbag there, however, because I'm hoping to update it...someday.

Anyway, as of this writing, I've received 2 letters complaining about my treatment of skinheads. I assume this is from my review of Romper Stomper. Basically, the writers of these letters think I have skinheads all wrong. That they're not all hate filled Neo Nazis and I'm giving the good ones a bad name. I won't pretend to know enough about skinheads to say that I'm right and they're wrong. But what I will do is APOLOGIZE if I've insulted any "good" skinheads out there.

This isn't something I'm doing because I care if a few people like me or not. Hell, I don't even know these people. And a few emails are easily deleted. But After I read the latest one from someone named Anne-Marie Bratton, I was a little angry. I had to calm down before replying. I don't have the time or the inclination to involve myself in a silly email flame war. No, my droogs, after I read the email and calmed down, I thought that perhaps Anne-Marie had a point. Despite the fact that she called me names and all. If she and her friends have some kind of culture thing going that has nothing to do with racism or nazis, then it is unfair to label her and her friends as "bad", just as its wrong to accuse everyone that studies Islam as terrorists or all that like Rap music as thugs.

Here's Anne Marie's little love note to the Inferno.

I read your page and it shows what an ignorant prick you are. If you did ANY
kind of research on skins, you would know that we are working class and very
much anti-racist. Boneheads are what we call Neo-Nazis. Skinheads came into
existance in the 1960s and Boneheads came later. Common misconception, but any
retard that can write a webpage can also do some research. I mean, come on. You
have enough time to live in your mothers basement and do this [unwrite]..you should
have enough time to research skins. I'm an American SHARP (skinhead against
racial predjudice..since you are kinda slow) Skinbyrd (female skin) and I hope
you learn to [unwrite] yourself before you leave your mommas basement.

Well, Anne Marie, your Uncle Dante is big enough to say I'm sorry if I insulted you in some way. But then I'm also able to say that I really don't OWE you any explanations. After all, its just a movie review site. For Cryin' Out Loud, do you really think my opinion of a freakin' movie will sway the publics perception in any way? You really give me way to much credit. And who are you to tell me what I have time to research? Honestly I have far more interesting things to research than the history of Skinheads. Perhaps you should have taken the time to write a civil email explaining your SHARP thing to me. After all we're both adults aren't we? I know I am, that's why I don't need to resort to insults online. And just for your information, I never lived in my momma's basement.

Frankly, my droogies, I'm amazed at the things people will get twisted into a knot about. By Anne-Marie's letter, you'd think that I was on CNN spouting some "kill all Skinheads" rhetoric. Guess my old High School teacher Mr. block was right....you just can't make everyone happy. Yeesh.

Comments? Email the Inferno!