Daily Aztec Letters- Oct. 31, 2000
In October of 2000, The Daily Aztec, a student publication at San Diego State University, determined that it would be humorous to provide sarcastic responses to letters of criticism. Several angry letters later, including one of my own, they discontinued this policy.
The Daily Aztec has, in recent years, published some of the most ridiculous editorials I have ever seen. Their writers are no-talent buffoons, with very few exceptions, and the paper disgusts me. I read it for campus news and nothing else.
Portions of this letter were reprinted at the end of the semester in a "best of" issue, in which the top ten quotes from the Letters to the Editor that semester were compiled into one large article.
The newspaper remains a "joke" to this day as far as I'm concerned. At least they had the decency to discontinue their insulting policy, and to publish my letter. Enjoy...
Dear Editors:
I agree wholeheartedly with the letter penned by Professor Allen Plotkin (Thursday, Oct. 26). It is completely inexcusable for the Daily Aztec to offer its poor attempt at humorous rebuttal after individual letters to the Editor. This poor decision shows an unprofessional attitude on your part.
Readers who care enough about an article to take the time to write a response, no matter WHAT your opinion of that response might be, deserve some respect! Instead, with your rude remarks, you show total disrespect not only to your readers, but to the entire journalism profession. There are journalists out there who take their job seriously. I'm sorry to see that the editors of the Daily Aztec are not apparently among them.
Letter writers, such as myself, do not need your ridicule or your sarcasm. Nor do we appreciate it - I'm sure that Myhraliza Aala enjoyed being referred to the "opinions" section of your paper three different times in just two sentences. Did she ask for your assistance in finding this section? No... she was merely offering an opinion of her own; her opinion, sadly enough, loses credibility with your "helpful" comments.
Your weak defense of this new policy was almost as poorly-conceived as the policy itself. You want to provide your readers with "comic relief?" Print comics. Or bring back some of your past staff writers - remember Hobi Reader? She was always good for a few belly laughs.
And it doesn't matter who is writing these comments, I don't care if it's Sunny Sea Gold, the editorial staff, or Joseph Pulitzer himself. You can't justify rude remarks.
I suggest that you discontinue your new editorial comment policy as soon as possible. Editors should collaborate to produce a better newspaper, not humor. I like a good punch line as much as the next guy, but this is supposed to be the NEWS... not "Weekend Update." And not even Dennis Miller is as condescending as the group of you.
I guess you don't realize that "The Daily Aztec" is already a joke. You're certainly not helping your case. Lay off the readers, let them speak their mind, and don't quit your day jobs.
John Robert Crawford
Liberal Studies Senior
Don't waste your time with The Daily Aztec... read a REAL newspaper instead.
John
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