I wrote a letter to the Boston globe

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The Boston Globe will be publishing the letter that I wrote to them. I thought I'd give you guys a sneak peak... Comments appreciated.


To the man I sat next to on my way in to Boston:


When I boarded the commuter rail, you were already in the midst of a spirited phone conversation and didn’t seem to care about how loud you were talking. You were talking with someone about the Paris train attack and the growing epidemic of gun violence in America.

You spoke about the “murderous NRA” and “bloodthirsty gun nuts” who were causing our schools to “run red with blood.” You spoke profanely of the Republicans who opposed President Obama’s call for “sensible gun control,” and you lamented the number of “inbred redneck politicians” who have “infiltrated Capitol Hill.”

I found myself amazed at the irony of the situation. While you were spewing your venom, I sat quietly next to you with my National Rifle Association membership card in my wallet and my 9mm pistol in its holster. You were only 12 inches away from my legally owned semiautomatic pistol. I suppose I didn’t look like the “bloodthirsty gun nut” you thought I should be. It apparently didn’t register to you that I could so cleverly disguise myself by wearing a fleece coat, Patriots hat, and khakis.

So, to the angry liberal who sat next to me on the commuter rail: I don’t hate you. I don’t have any ill feelings toward you. I don’t wish to do you harm. And I don’t regret sitting next to you. On the contrary; I feel bad for you. It must hurt carrying that much hate inside of you.

You obviously have strong opinions about this hot topic. So, let me say this as plainly as I can: If a bad guy with a gun had decided to walk onto that train and start shooting people, I would have been prepared and able to use my gun to defend my own life and the lives of everyone else on that train, including yours. Although you may hate me, a gun owner, I would risk my life for you.

Opinions and ideologies make a pretty thin shield against the bullets of a madman. Your liberal self-righteousness and ignorance may have made you feel superior and comfortable, but during that 40-minute train ride, my gun kept you safe.



A. Linden
Dighton
 
I think it is well written, but I can't believe the Globe would actually print it. I know it goes against every fabric of their being.
I hope it gets printed and I wish I could see it and any response to it. But I don't subscribe to the Globe or any other newspaper.
 
I'm glad you are getting it published, I am very surprised that they would publish something of that length. I've had about a dozen published over the past 15 years and have never gotten more than 4 sentences. We can have a contest on how the editor will chop your letter to size and distort your meaning
 
Excellent work, Linden. I'm glad someone has addressed the anger and vitriol these Liberals have towards us. It's respectful but poignant.
 
Nice! are they actually going to publish it?
Yes, they are publishing it tomorrow. At least that's what they told me. They said it was much longer than their usual letters but thought it was relevant and provided a different viewpoint then is often seen in the paper. After some back-and-forth emails and a few edits they approved it.
 
Extremely well written, bravo. Better off sending it to the Herald. The Glob will likely "mark as spam".
 
Great letter.
I can not stand people who talk on the phone in public like they are in their living room. I really want one of those pocket phone jammers
 
Fantastic letter. The only comment I would make would be to remove the word "liberal" in the 2 places that you used it. While the anti-gun sentiment and the label of "liberal" pretty much go hand in hand, your focus is on his anti-gun opinions and not his political leaning... a leaning that you're making an assumption on. That assumption, though most likely accurate, cheapens an otherwise outstanding editorial.
 
Nicely done!

I think it is well written, but I can't believe the Globe would actually print it. I know it goes against every fabric of their being.
I hope it gets printed and I wish I could see it and any response to it. But I don't subscribe to the Globe or any other newspaper.

If they do, expect it to be published alongside 3-5 other LTE's crucifying, spitting on the NRA and gun owners in general.
 
I'm glad you are getting it published, I am very surprised that they would publish something of that length. I've had about a dozen published over the past 15 years and have never gotten more than 4 sentences. We can have a contest on how the editor will chop your letter to size and distort your meaning

I have brevity problems. The last letter I got published was chopped up so much that I think the most important points were lost. I stopped writing after that.
 
Good write, but I am curious what it will look like in the paper. I am sure someone will post it so we can compare. Well done....
 
Yeah, if you're not a columnist, it's difficult to get a full item published.

Brevity is the soul of wit. And of getting a LTTE published. The only thing of mine that they're edited was the "alphabet soup" that I include after my name when pass screeds out from under the locked attic door. [laugh]
 
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