esquire update

This is in reference to this, which I suggest you read first if you already haven't so you're not totally clueless.

Esquire wrote me back! And here's what they said:

Dear Wes,

In the “How to Curse” section of our May 2009 feature, “How to Be a Man," we presented a parody of extreme profanity and its users, contrasting exaggerated examples of offensive language with ordinary situations. The target of the parody was profanity itself and not the various people who might be its object, whether nine-year-old-boys, female police officers, gay people, or the vision-impaired. The absurdity of the context should be clear. But to those who take particular offense at our mocking of offensive language, we apologize.

Sincerely,
The Editors

Apparently, the editors studied how to write an apology from Chris Brown's textbook example of a truly half-assed, bullshit apology. I have a few problems with this. Number one, let me say for the record: I understand what a parody is. Before I wrote the blog, I went to Barnes & Noble and looked through the magazine. To their credit, Esquire is often meant to be ironic and satirical. Supposedly. To me, they're just condescending. The reply from their editors is no different. "The absurdity of the context should be clear." Esquire, I shouldn't have to tell you, when you assume, you make an ass out of me and your magazine. The absurdity, in fact, isn't clear. And nonetheless, you're just making excuses for something you simply shouldn't have done. Especially considering you could have included the "parody" without that word and the description of who it mentioned (the 9 year old-boy). Anyway, I'll let my response to their response do the rest of my soapboxy talking. This one isn't profanity-laden, so uptighty-whiteys can relax:

Esquire,

I do appreciate the speedy reply and the apology. I don't appreciate the excuses. Apologies only ring true when they're genuine admissions of wrongdoing and expressions of regret for that wrongdoing. I saw nothing in your response that acknowledged wrongdoing.

Again, I ask, would you use the word "nigger" in a "parody"? Probably not, considering the inevitable hell-raising. I fully understand the context, and even the fact that it's a parody. Contrary to what my last e-mail may have suggested, I am not a raving lunatic and idiot. I am also aware of your rights to free speech. I simply don't think that a supposedly reputable magazine, like Esquire, should feature such hateful speech in their articles. Your satirical points, if that's what they really are, and it's not just a convenient way of copping out, could have been just as effective without that word and scenario.

You're in the business of sharing information. Whether the information is a parody, what kind of shorts I should buy, or a political interview, it doesn't matter. You're also a magazine, meaning your words are written down, not spoken aloud. If you're trying to be sarcastic or satiric, may I suggest using inflection? It helps. Watch Sarah Silverman. You just can't expect all, most, or any of the people to "get the joke" (a distasteful one at that) when it's written so poorly.

I believe that you owe it to gay readers, and readers in general who don't want to be subjected to hate speech when they're reading a men's magazine, to be respectful and mindful of them. They are paying for your Marc Jacobs murse, after all. I understand that you can't please everyone - but there's a very simple thing you can do to not blatantly insult your readers:

Think before you speak.

Sincerely,
Wes

So, I must say, I feel better about this letter than the last one. The last one was intended to be ridiculous, and I think it pulled it off. This one gets a bit more serious, because I truly don't think they take it seriously. They really should take it seriously when people are being murdered while being called that word (and similar ones) at increasing rates in our country. 1,017 in 2005 and 1,265 in 2007. In 2008, there was a 1% decrease generally for hate crimes, but a 6% increase for anti-LGBT hate crimes. Thanks to the FBI for that information. Hey, you work for the government right? Why don't you tell them to pass a federal hate crimes law that includes sexual orientation and gender identity? Thanks, TTYN.

I haven't received anything back and more than likely, I won't. If I do, though, my wittle weblog will be the first to know.

And, of course, Happy Easter, everyone!! What a strange holiday. Celebrating someone being brutally beaten and nailed to a cross. And all I see are pastels, ladies in cheap JC Pennys dresses, and Easter eggs (gross). No blood, no guts, no crucifixtions. I guess I'm okay with that.