While far too many lefties have taken up their pens in order to question each other's street cred in the wake of Seattle, my brother sent a letter to Time's Asian Bureau last week in response to a predictably hysterical Charles Krauthammer column. The following is my brother's letter and his ensuing exchange with Time.
Jeff Downing
Charles Krauthammer astutely sums up the WTO protesters as the "kooky crowd", and I couldn't agree with him more. Indeed, what are things coming to when the consumers in the world's wealthiest nation use their time and resources to participate in democracy, of all things? I myself am ashamed of my fellow 20-somethings for assuming this antiquated notion of citizenship. All responsible young Americans were surely out buying Sega video game systems, stimulating the world economy. Pampered first-world day-dreamers ought not to influence public opinion--this is solely the right of working class realists like Krauthammer. The kooks have an absurd impulse to express opinions, and it needs to be checked before calamity ensues. If we're not careful, people might even start voting again! Thankfully, I'll always have _Time_ to shield me from the embarrassing idealism of our country's ingrateful "activists", and I trust that soon we'll return our attention to important social matters like Pokemon.
Then I got this today:
Greetings from TIME Magazine's Asian edition. We would be interested in running your letter to the editor for publication in early January. Because of space constraints, we had to edit your letter down a little. Would you mind taking a look at it and letting us know whether you approve of the minor changes? Please respond as soon as possible.
Thanks very much, Hannah Beech Chief of Reporters TIME Magazine, Asia
Charles Krauthammer astutely labels the WTO protesters as the "kooky crowd," and I couldn't agree with him more. Indeed, what are things coming to when the consumers in the world's wealthiest nation use their time and resources to participate in democracy, of all things? I myself am ashamed of my fellow twenty-somethings for practicing this antiquated notion of citizenship. If we're not careful, people might even start voting again! I trust that soon all responsible young Americans will return their attention to important social matters like Pokemon.
THIS IS WHAT I'M SENDING BACK RIGHT NOW:
Hannah,
I accept the changes made in the letter, if you wish to publish it. Let me say though that I can't help but notice that my criticism of Time itself has been muted, but then I expected about as much. Gone are the days of Henry Luce, no?
Robert Downing Mexico City