Because I'm Too Defensive NOT to...

There has recently been some unpleasantness finding its way into the pages of this website... and for once it’s not from me. This post is addressed to the gentlemen from Kutztown University who has abused the commenting portion of this blog in order to label me an "inconsiderate prick" a "racist" and {gasp} a "white person". Some of my loyal readers may be confused about what kind of entry I must have made to elicit such harsh an inaccurate language. The post in question is located HERE... and was written regarding my displeasure concerning the Barsky Morning Show's removal from 96.5 FM as indicated by the station's radical format change. I suggest your read that first, before considering the comments made below.

To date, the gentleman in question has placed two colorful comments at the tail end of my post. Because of time constraints, I only have time to address 1 of them now. The other will be addressed in a later post. I will be pasting the text of HIS comment, and then my rebuttal so that you can reference the two easily. I feel that this will most accurately showcase the gentleman's pathetic grammar skills which though voiced in a casual venue seem to lack real understanding of how to form a clear and coherent thought, along with his convoluted logic. Lines from his comment are featured in bold, while my responses appear in plaintext. Here we go...

First of all Corks, you are entitled to your opinion, but to say that R&B and Hip Hop is garbage. Who the hell are you.

First, let me compliment you on starting things off with a bang. I didn't have to get more than four words in to realize that you were pretty inept - allow me to clear a little something up for you. The " 's " at the tail end of C0rk is there to express my ownership of this WeBLOG. You see, that's what we educated folk like to call possessive. You go on to... or wait... no... you don't really go on... You say that I am entitled to my opinion, which is a noble, but you never complete the sentence, or an entire thought. Read it again. Does it make sense to you? <-- You'll also notice that I used a "?" question mark at the end of that last sentence. It indicates for the reader that I am in fact asking a question. Despite this disregard, I will answer your question anyway in short concise sentences you might be able to understand. I am c0rk. I have a WeBLOG. I like writing down my opinions to which I am entitled in said WeBLOG. I, C0rk, do not like Rap and R&B music.

This year that so called trash you are referring to has taken over tha Grammies this year. So if that music is what you say it is then explain that?

You really should read-back everything you write. If you had, you may have caught the fact that it is understood that the Grammys you're referring to are the ones that were distributed this year per your inclusion of "this year" at the beginning of what I think is a sentence. There is really no need to repeat them at the end. You show a little gusto in the next portion, essentially 'calling me at' to justify my claims since R&B has "taken over" the Grammy’s. The problem is that this is a imperative sentence which does not require a question mark at the end. A question mark would make it interrogative, and it wouldn't appear that you're asking a question.

There were 104 Grammys handed out at last years Grammy awards (this year’s haven’t occurred yet. They're on February 8th btw). Of those 104 only 13 were awarded to Rap and R&B artists, the same amount granted in every other genre of music. I'm not sure how you meant "taking over", but the stats are certainly not indicative of your claim. On a personal note, I never really looked to awards shows to tell me what I should listen to. My ears tend to tell me all I need to know about the sound going into them. That is what I base my opinion on, not who the politically fueled Grammy Academy says is award worthy this year.

You can't because you are an inconsiderate prick with nothing else better to do than talk about a radio station(which by the way I happen to love now that they have switched and seen the light) and diss a genre of music that has history.

I think I’ve made my point in regards to this gentleman’s command of the English language, so at this point I will focus primary on picking apart his argument which is a lot like shooting fish in a barrel…

The problem here is that you’ve now reverted to childish name-calling, show that it is YOU and not I who is intolerant when it comes to other peoples opinions. As you can see above, my being an apparent prick takes nothing away from my ability to prove you inaccurate. I’ve read my previous entry back a few times, and at no point did I discuss the synthesis of rap and R&B, nor did I indicate that there was any lack of history.

R&B is a form of Jazz you asshole and jazz is a classic. Rock is a form of disco you asshole and that is a classic.

Every incarnation of music has been inspired by sounds from generations prior. I would be willing to take your JAZZ point even farther in saying that all modern sound owes a credit to jazz. I’m not really sure where the reference to disco music fits in though. There is plenty of what many consider to be ROCK music prior to the advent of DISCO during the 70’s. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin… are any of these ringing a bell? Your point there is more than just a little weak, so much so that I can take little pride in pointing in out. I’m glad there are some more pathetic and outrageous moments ahead.

Before you start slandering music do your research.

Perhaps you didn’t get the memo. This is a personal WeBLOG that acts as a personal opinion sounding board. At no point do I claim that my opinions are facts, nor are they empirical laws provable on a home etch-a-sketch. Because the content of this site is purely opinion related, I’m not required to do my research to express my opinion, am I? Now, if I was attempting to prove that Rap and R&B is garbage, well then your argument might hold some water. Unfortunately, I’m not, and you look like a fool because you failed to take this into consideration.

I have nothing else more to say because people like you make me sick, thats whats wrong with society today. 

If only a white middle class 20 year old man’s opinion of Rap and R&B music embodied even one ounce of what is wrong with society. I think the problem with society is it is full of too many intellectually challenged individuals who start running their mouth before engaging their brain (assuming they have one).

And philly only had 1 urban station back in the late 80's early 90's. now they have 3 and you people wanna bitch?

I see we’ve made the switch from Rap and R&B to “urban”… I’ve never heard its described as that, but maybe that has something to do with the fact that I tend to dislike the sound of the music, and therefore avoid any stations or environments on which or in which it might be playing. I live in suburbia and must contend that the sound of Rap and R&B is alive and well here, so in that way “urban” is a terrible misnomer, and at the very least an unfair stereotype.

Capitalize the letters at the beginning of every sentence; I think that was covered for only about 30 seconds in the first grade because it’s pretty much common sense. If you missed it then, you’ve only had quite a few years of reading to pickup on the pattern.

You also seem to have missed the bulk of my gripe with 96.5 FM. I could care less about the format of the radio station, and even less about how many are available to the Philadelphia radio market. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t listen to Rap and R&B. Why should I pay any attention to where music that I don’t like is being played? It’s the same reason I don’t buy Rap albums or pay much attention to the genre in general. I’m sure there is a lack of 80’s albums on your shelf, and that’s just fine. The bottom line is still my dismay over the removal of The Barsky Morning Show, and not my distaste for Rap and R&B music.

Fuck you and I mean that with all my heart. I bet you are a white person(you are a racist)

Your whole heart being added in on this one really clinches your utterly dimwitted argument. I might want my girlfriend to fuck me with all her heart, but certainly not you. Now that I mention it, that kind of thing may even be enhanced when done to the tune of David Bowie, Issac Hayes, or the late Barry White. Well what do you know, I DO listen to some R&B, just not that crap on 96.5 FM… ho hum… talk about taking things WAAAY out of context.

Friend, I think it is your final line which really puts the icing on the cake. It exposes your argument for what it really is --- a misdirected effort to silence the musical opinion of someone you KNOW to be white purely on the basis of his BEING white. Although I take great pleasure in busting your bubble over and over again, I’m afraid you did it to yourself on this one. Prior to this statement I was willing to forgive your comments, as stupid as they may have been, as just another detractor taking life just a little too seriously. Discovering me as racist is something I’m certain you’re very proud of, and I would congratulate you if your statements reflected my true nature, but they do not. Let me be crystal clear on this one. YOU are a racist. The logic implied in your statement alone indicates that regardless of our disagreements about music, you have deduced me as a racist purely on the grounds of my being born white. I feel bad that your penchant for jumping to such radically inaccurate conclusions will only serve to disgrace your character in the future.

Comments

[Andrew]

Well I think a "Yowza!" is in order here. I would not like to be in his shoes right now, after having received an intellectual bitch-slap of that magnitude. You defended your opinions with the utmost intelligence and zeal. And while I applaud the professionalism and eloquence of your response, I furiously regret its necessity. (Oh and if your friend is reading this, inform him that the lack of an "'s" at the end of "its" does not suggest that it is not possessive. According to the MLA (Modern Language Association), one does not place an apostrophe in the word "its" to suggest ITS possessiveness. See? Look. I did it again.) I only mention this because, in conjunction with his myriad of social and intellectual ineptitudes, he is glaringly ill equipped with the basic concepts of grammar.

A little bit of advice from me to you there chief, turn down the radio and pick up a book; you know, one of those funny little paper things with little black words in it.

With the praise out of the way, I come to my real point. I regret to inform you that you missed a blistering inaccuracy in our friend's response. He referred to your previous posting as slanderous. I hate to nitpick, but slander is spoken. Libel is written. You couldn’t have slandered Hip Hop and R&B because you WROTE IT DOWN. I’d also like to mention that a statement (whether written or spoken) is only considered slanderous or libelous if the speaker or writer did so maliciously. Malice. Definition of Malice you say? Fine.

Malice: 1. A desire to harm others or to see others suffer; extreme ill will or spite.
2. Law. The intent, without just cause or reason, to commit a wrongful act that will result in harm to another.

While I’m at it, why don’t I throw out the literal definitions of Slander and Libel too?

Slander: 1. Law. Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.
2. A false and malicious statement or report about someone.

Libel: A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation and the act of presenting such material to the public.

Funny. For a person so eager to suggest that you "do your research," he certianly seems to have confused his terms. God I just love being intelligent.

Back to my point.

As you mentioned before, you were simply expressing an opinion. You meant no ill-will by it, and for anyone (however angry and however large the chip on their shoulder may be) to suggest otherwise is indeed stupid, ignorant and in this specific case... RACIST.

In summation I would like to respond specifically to, what will now be, OUR mutual friend. You are an idiot. More importantly, you are a loud idiot. Your idiocy is crime enough, but to pollute cyberspace with your mindless tirades is unforgivable. I see that you have strong convictions, and I applaud you for that, but the next time you want to make a stand, be sure that you have a POINT. No one wants to listen to a loud asshole blindly attacking a differing opinion. Especially if that rant is predicated on nothing more than ignorance, racism and a bad attitude. My advice to you: Read a book. Open your eyes. And until you're ready: shut your fucking mouth.

[Ali]

Hi,

This is clearly a really old post so me commenting is pretty pointless as you may not even notice it. Plus as a complete stranger it's probably not my place to comment. However, this is the internet and strangers butting in is what happens. Anyway, I just thought I'd say that you answered the guy's rather appalling comments very well. I just had one word of advice: when criticising grammar, do read over your own message to check you aren't making glaringly obvious mistakes. I spotted a few grammatical errors in your post, I won't point them all out, but a couple of the noticeable ones are:

"You say that I am entitled to my opinion, which is a noble, but you never complete the sentence, or an entire thought."

- addition of the word a before noble, implying you were going to say something else afterwards, but changed the direction of the sentence and forgot the a.

"other peoples opinions"

- Missed the possessive apostrophe there.

"You’re point there is more than just a little weak"

- Ooh, painful, the wrong spelling of your. A very common mistake, but I notice that you did not make this mistake later on, so it appears that rather than being one of those people who just doesn't know that you're is a contracted form of you are, you just slipped up while typing.

Having said all this of course it's highly unlikely that the other guy would notice even if he did read your replies, his grammatical awareness did seem rather limited.

Feel free to point out if I made any errors of my own. - Excluding any English spellings, those aren't errors.

Ali

[Andrew]

I cant believe i caught this response. However...
RUNON!!!

Having said all this of course it's highly unlikely that the other guy would notice even if he did read your replies, his grammatical awareness did seem rather limited.

First rule: Periods are our friends.

Second rule: Who cares?

Now go away...