printI had feared that the reaction to this week’s column on the pornography of public grief, now on LewRockwell.com, would be as angry as the reaction to my “Bullied ‘Jail Bus’ Lady: Fearful Fatty, Not A Hero.” Was I in for a happy surprise!
The letters have been overwhelmingly full of gratitude and relief for my having expressed what readers were thinking.
Here is a smattering:
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 10:42 AM
To: imercer@wnd.com
Subject: RE: The pornography of public grief
You are a Modern Prophet. You have identified the real affliction that humanity is either willingly blind to, or naively blinkered.
Regards,
JT
Friday, December 21, 2012 1:42 PM
To: ‘imercer@wnd.com’
Subject: Public Grief!
All I can say about your article on public grief is…”AMEN”. … Thanks for your articles. I have always appreciated them, I should have said so before this.
JB, Texas
Friday, December 21, 2012 4:28 PM
To: imercer@wnd.com
Subject: The pornography of public grief
Very good piece.
Interested in you book “Into the Cannibal’s Pot: Lessons for America from Post-Apartheid South Africa”
Having lived in SA for five months.
John
Friday, December 21, 2012 4:38 PM
To: imercer@wnd.com
Subject: EXCELLENT!!! (THE PORNOGRAPHY OF PUBLIC GRIEF)
Hello Ilana,
It has been several years since we exchanged emails, and it has been some time since I’ve caught back up with your intellectually masterful musings.
Your piece said what I, and I think many others, have been thinking since the awful news broke last week. And nobody has said it better than you with this:
“At the root of it all is the rejection of the existence of unadulterated evil. Rather than accept the reality of evil – s–t happens, live with it and be prepared to proceed against it – misconduct has been medicalized.”
Thank you so very much for your strength to stay true to your moral and intellectual compass.
Wishing you peace and prosperity,
CB, OH
Friday, December 21, 2012 10:00 PM
To: ilana@ilanamercer.com
Subject: Thank you
Your article brought clarity to me of the feeling I have had about the circus and exploitation of the grieving process of the families and friends of the victims. The national media avoids the issues, use any excuse not to make news and create entertainment ghoulish at the least.
Sincerely,
HS
*************
Needless to say, the media as master of ceremonies is sustaining the puke factor. And the ostensible defenders of our sacred right to defend our lives are looking like clobbered seals on ice floes.