I try to maintain a thinly veiled anonymity on the blog here... but let's face it... I don't do a very good job of it. Most of you all are like Lois Lane in Superman 2 before I've kissed you. (And for anyone who is wondering, yes, I do have that kind of power.) You're in on my real identity.

But for appearance's sake, work with me. I've got this friend named Scott. He was recently embroiled in a bit of local controversy in the local newspaper. You see... Scott is a good and hardworking Executive Director of a local non-profit theatre. He is largely responsible for rescuing said theatre from the brink of financial ruin in just eighteen short months so far. He knows what he's doing.

Recently, a pair of traveling bluegrass bands rented his theatre for their show. They chose a bad date and did a very poor job of advertising the show. As a result, only 46 people showed up. It's too bad, because it was a good show. But when people rent the theatre, they pay a set fee and get free reign of the place. They are responsible for promoting their own show. Why would that responsibility be Scott's? He isn't being paid for it, he couldn't possibly be rewarded for it, and he isn't contractually allowed to represent an outside group. That responsibility is the renters alone.

There was a woman in the audience who enjoyed the show and was upset that only 46 people were there. Scott sympathizes with her. But does she go to Scott? Does she approach the one person who could actually answer her questions and assuage her concerns? Nope. She writes a letter to the editor of the local paper criticizing Scott, his theatre, and the way he does his job. Here is her letter. (I removed it from its original setting to avoid any further controversy. I also have not, nor will I mention the name of the newspaper. Do me a favor, if you do any further digging, please don't use the name or set up any links if you respond to this post either here or on your site.)

Who does that?!? Who writes a letter to the newspaper criticizing the way someone they don't know does their job? Who tries to publicly shame someone over something that they have a complete lack of understanding about? What gives people the cajones to stomp through life as if there's no possible way they could be wrong. Don Boscoe theorizes that it's Bill O'Reilly's fault. I don't know, maybe there's something to that. Maybe they get it from his preaching. "Don't like something? Complain! No one listens? Complain louder! More publicly! You're always right!"

At any rate, this is where Scott gets both very happy and very angry at the same time. Angry for the afore mentioned reasons of the injustice of the situation that casts dispersion upon the good name of the business into which he has thrown himself for the betterment of his city for no good reason. Happy because this argument is not merely a difference of opinion: He is right. She is wrong. It's that simple. It's objective and simple. In fact, it has no place on the "Opinions" page. It should be on the "Rantings of Misinformed Fools" page. So Scott wrote a response. (Actually, they edited his actual response for size. Here is the full response edited only by Scott's sense of decency.)

Scott can only conclude that the woman never actually wanted her questions answered. She never wanted her concerns aired. She never wanted to investigate the situation. She just wanted to lash out and hurt the person she perceived to be the villain that didn't tell enough people about her beloved bluegrass music. This is no way to live life, people.

So what have we learned from all this, Cachinnatees?

1. Learn your facts.
2. Check those facts.
3. Recognize that there really may be the smallest possibility that you are wrong about something.
4. Drop the idiotic attitude that leads you to believe that you are always right, you have an innate right to be heard by everyone, and the point of life is to make sure that you are satisfied with everything.
5. Don't go up against the Cachinnator. You will lose.