Depressingly xenophobic hate mail reflective of the ‘world we live in,’ TNT columnist says

It’s time, once again, for my monthly, “You rip, I respond,” column.

You know how it works: Angry folks write or call, and I respond and make an awkward video. Then hilarity and often some blatant racism and xenophobia ensue.

I hope you enjoy.

We support the detention center. We will now be protesting you at the Tribune. Your article sucks. … I support ICE, not illegal immigrants. — Anonymous

Fair warning, folks. There was a whole lot of that this month. A whole lot.

I apologize in advance.

Also, no protesters at The News Tribune, at least to date.

Wait until they undercut your wages, (expletive) for brains. — Kenneth

See above.

I think you are one big fool. Do you understand what the word illegal means? They are illegally here. I don’t want them here. I just do not want those illegal people here. They crowd the streets. They crowd the stores. They take over everything. They have countless babies, like a damn rabbit. I mean, why should a baby that’s born here be considered legal? It’s born to illegal people. — Brenda

Hi Brenda.

As the kids say, please delete your account. Thanks.

Brenda actually left this as a voice mail. I transcribed it verbatim. What you read are precisely the words she spoke into the phone, precisely in the order they came out of her mouth.

Presumably, it’s what she meant to say.

I have to be honest. This month’s mailbag left me conflicted. As you can tell from the first three entries, there was a ton of hateful nonsense this month. Just a ton of it.

I wrote several times about the Northwest Detention Center and protests at the privately run, for-profit facility. So the reaction was predictable, I suppose.

This is the world we live in.

I don’t know that printing this stuff is helpful. I’m not convinced it adds anything to the dialogue. In fact, I’m highly skeptical that it does. Because I’m sure it’s incredibly hurtful, and I certainly know none of it merits publication.

By and large, it’s trash.

Like I said, this month’s column left me conflicted.

However, I’ve also become increasingly convinced that sentiments like the ones Brenda expresses — which we hear in the rhetoric of President Trump, which we know exists in our community and which I see in my email inbox every time I write about immigration — need to be confronted, head on.

We can disagree about policy. That’s fine. But what we can’t allow, and what we can’t stand for, is the dehumanization of people.

When Trump describes immigrants crossing the border as “animals,” that’s what he’s doing. When Brenda describes them as “like a damn rabbit,” she’s doing the same thing.

It’s terrifying, and it’s incredibly dangerous.

Because here’s what’s clear: When the people at the center of our national immigration debate — or any debate, really — are reduced to less than human, it opens the door to the worst in us.

That’s what we’re watching play out, in real time.

Enough is enough.

You know, everybody is so worried about these illegal immigrants and their kids, yet they can’t take care of their own people and the homeless people, and they’re worrying about these poor, innocent immigrants. Why can’t they take care of their own people first? I wish you would print this, too. — Jay, from Steilacoom

You got it, Jay from Steilacoom.

True story: I worry about immigrants and their kids, the poor, and people experiencing homeless — all at the same time. The ability to care about at least three things at the same time is a skill I’m fairly proud of.

I’m a pretty evolved human, obviously.

Also, and I hope you’re sitting down for this, Jay from Steilacoom: I’d like to live in a society where immigrants and their children, the poor and folks experiencing homeless are all protected and treated as human.

Some might call me a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.

Mother and son make condoms together — wine condoms that is! I hope you’ are doing well. I want to introduce you to Wine Condom! Let me know if you are interested in a sample or interview opportunity … — PR Person

This is a real public relations pitch I received this month. Mostly, I included it to break up the depressing monotony of a column that would otherwise be full of the kind of terrible stuff that makes me want to go live in a cabin in the woods.

At the same time, I’m not sure people really appreciate the number of downright ridiculous pitches journalists receive every day. It’s staggering. And constant.

Here’s some perspective: In 2000, PR people outnumbered reporters two to one. By 2016, as Mike Rosenberg reported, it had increased to nearly five PR people for every reporter.

That’s crazy. Though I suppose someone has to help get the word out about a mother and son making wine condoms.

I did not request an interview.

Still deciding on the sample.

I read your article with the Mayor. Without wasting my energy I’ll get to the point. I’m leaving Tacoma and I cannot leave fast enough. This Mayor of Tacoma is under educated for the job and clueless. I’ll humor myself from my new sunny location and read your articles. They are amusing. — Anonymous

Hello,

I hate to think my columns contributed to your decision to leave Tacoma.

In fact, I’m crushed.

I hope your new home treats you well, and please remember, my columns are available online — so, if you need a chuckle, you know where to find me.

Thanks for reading.

Why would she want to get rid of ice.

They are scathing the countryside for rig raft.

We need ice.

Why do democrates want heroine and meth in our country.

All mexicans must leave.

All dems should move to Mexico.

Go trump. Sanctuary city my butt.

Seattle area has turned into a joke.

Tell her to fix the potholes. — Scott

Wow. It’s like poetry.

Terrible, xenophobic poetry.

I decided to keep the exact spelling and punctuation, assuming it was probably part of the artistic statement.

Let’s have heterosexual parades. Remember parents are trying to raise kids around here ... that job is hard enough. We don’t want any more gay parades. It is ridiculous. Grow up. Go to San Fran to do that. — Scott

Hi Scott,

Pride festivals, like Tacoma’s, honor and pay tribute to the painful struggles that have gone into creating a more just and equitable world.That’s important, and there’s still work to do. It’s what Pride is all about.

And here’s the thing: Literally every day is a heterosexual parade in this country. Our whole culture is built on dominate white male heterosexual culture. It’s the water we swim in.

Also, the kids will be fine.

In fact, the kids will be better if they learn to respect people and treat everyone with love and dignity — and events like Pride help that cause.

This story was originally published July 27, 2018 at 9:28 AM.