The Silence Of A Luvvie Lamb

THE internet must be broken. Last week, just as the Professor was about to share his sweaty bed with a wog, an email went out to Silly reporterette Saffron Howden, who had all but accused Andrew Bolt of racism for the crime of referring his readers to an Amazon thread dealing with Anita Heiss' $90,000 worth of taxpayer-funded triumphalism. Bolt did so, you will recall, because Heiss was being shielded by the ABC and her publisher from voices other than those she finds congenial, which is to say everyone outside the tight little circle of luvvies, grant snafflers, pigmental patronisers and other elders of the Mordy-Litijus tribe.

The question to Ms Howden was simplicity itself: Could she provide one example, just one, of racism on that thread?

So far, no response, which can only be because of technical problems. Surely a respectable broadsheet scribe would answer a fair question? Surely!

But so far it has not arrived. Readers less charitable than a resurgent Bunyip might care to put the question to her once again, but do hurry. With Fairfax stock dropping through the floor, it can only be a matter of time before the power company disconnects the entire company. Ms Howden can be reached at showden@smh.com.au. For readers who are down with the youth and all a'twitter, why not put the question to her here?

And if there is still nought but silence from the Silly, this link might elicit a response.

UPDATE: Their ABC will tonight give Ms Heiss yet another dollop of free publicity. There is a comments thread as well. How long will this one last, do you reckon?

An Open Letter To Saffron Howden

Dear Ms Howden,
I read with interest your report in today's Age of, as the headline put it, Andrew Bolt's "link to racist reviews" of Anita Heiss' book. I have visited the Amazon site, read the reviews and comments, and I must say I am puzzled in the extreme. While many comments are acerbic, there is not one I can find that even the most dour appraisal of race relations could cast as racist.

As I am not a quality journalist, I fear I may have overlooked the posted comment(s) that inspired your headline (which I appreciate you did not write) and your first paragraph (which you almost certainly did write). Just to refresh your memory, here it is:

"RACIST comments published on US book retailer website Amazon about an Aboriginal author have reignited debate surrounding News Ltd columnist Andrew Bolt's writings on indigenous people and drawn fire from Aboriginal groups."

So, could you:

1/ Provide me with one example of a racist comment from the Amazon thread. If your sensitivities preclude transcribing it, the name of the poster will do. I will take it from there.

2/ Explain why any comment you nominate is racist, at least as you define the word.

3/ According to your twitter feed of Wednesday*, you were keen to have a quick word with Ms. Heiss. Did you make a similar effort to contact Andrew Bolt? He is being accused in your story of fostering racism online. Surely his comments and observations on the charge of racism were worth the trouble of soliciting?

Many thanks for your attention to this matter. I will be blogging on the subject of your coverage and intend to post this note as an open letter.

In lieu of an example of racism from the Amazon thread, I intend to begin a campaign via my blog to have the matter taken before the Press Council.

Sincerely,
Stanley Gudgeon
http://bunyipitude.blogspot.com/

* the twitter request for a quick word with Heiss has now disappeared