AOL Listened - Response Concerning List

[dismayed]

The email forms at AskMen.com are no longer going through on this subject. I dug up the author's personal email and telephone contact information and have posted it in the following thread, should you wish to share your thoughts with Nick Clarke himself:

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...tml#post141458

[brianinok]

I forwarded my previously posted email to Mr. Clarke. I have not heard from either Mr. Clarke or askmen.com, but will let you know if I do.

[peaches]

I personally think it is a gross invasion of privacy to post the writers personal e-mail adress and phone number. I am also incredibly embarressed by the behaviour of my fellow Americans. It is obvious that this so called list was meant to be tongue in cheek with no intention of being offensive, it is shocking that as Americans we take ourselves so seriously and frankly it is exactly this type of close minded response that only furthers the image of ignorance that other countries pin onto us. It is a sad day indeed when people can no longer make a harmless joke. I find this blatant attempt at political correctness to be incredibly stifling and narrow minded, whatever happened to the freedom of speach that America once stood for?! I can only hope that people can put as much effort into matters of true importance as they have into this ridiculous witch hunt.

[brianinok]

peaches, he clearly lists his email address on his public website. I am shocked and appauled at your response. This has nothing to do with free speech. He is free to write what he wants, just as I am free to tell him what I think about it. And I will let people know about it when they have complete disregard for the facts.

[Karried]

If it were only harmless, which it's not, it would be one thing, but you'd be surprised how many uneducated people reading this article won't get the humor.

They won't take it as a joke. They most likely will take it seriously considering it was in a well known web publication such as an AOL travel site.

It's actually shocking how unintelligent so many people seem to be these days. I'm less worried about our freedom of 'speach' and more worried about our American education system.

[FritterGirl]

I personally think it is a gross invasion of privacy to post the writers personal e-mail adress and phone number. I am also incredibly embarressed by the behaviour of my fellow Americans. It is obvious that this so called list was meant to be tongue in cheek with no intention of being offensive, it is shocking that as Americans we take ourselves so seriously and frankly it is exactly this type of close minded response that only furthers the image of ignorance that other countries pin onto us. It is a sad day indeed when people can no longer make a harmless joke. I find this blatant attempt at political correctness to be incredibly stifling and narrow minded, whatever happened to the freedom of speach that America once stood for?! I can only hope that people can put as much effort into matters of true importance as they have into this ridiculous witch hunt.

Not sure where you are from, peaches, but if it were your city being compared to those where some of the grossest of human atrocities take place daily when your city is very far in comparison to those, perhaps then you'd understand.

What makes you think this was meant as tongue-in-cheek? Do you have a direct line to the author's thoughts?

As I noted in another thread, I have no problem being listed among "Cities with the Worst Weather," or something of that sort, but to compare us to Baghdad, Chernobyl, places where unfathomable human suffering take place on a daily occurrence, then, well, we don't fit there at all. The author needs to do his research and report on facts (like we don't have blizzards and tornado season runs largely from the last week of March through mid- to late-May, not August as reported). Then I might laugh this off as a joke. Until then, Mr. Tongue-In-Cheek needs to go back to journalism school and learn a thing about fact-finding.

[kevinpate]

peaches, never underestimate the ability of anyone residing between Belle Fourche and Arthur City to feel persecuted. It's something in the water no doubt.

[Karried]

I can only hope that people can put as much effort into matters of true importance as they have into this ridiculous witch hunt.

"A single thorn of criticism is usually more memorable than a hundred compliments"

We feel it is important to raise awareness of the positive attributes of our state and increase tourism.

After all we've done to highlight the positives of our city, this one critique and distinction can undo it all with this misleading article.

I don't care if people think we're thin skinned... we don't live in Hell on Earth and I don't think it was humorous in any way shape or form.

It was an insulting and untrue addition to a list of places that have horrible and horrendous living conditions.

I've spent years justifying and explaining to people why I would ever leave CA to move to OK ( yes, I got that question a hundred times) and I was finally feeling good about that decision.. and then you have bone head authors from another country recommending that people never, ever visit our state because it is Hell on Earth.

Sorry, I'm not laughing.

[dismayed]

Peaches, those were his media contact numbers sweetheart.