KEY POINTS:
I opened my email inbox last Thursday and to my astonishment found 63 messages waiting. Not one pertained to last week's column. They were all reactions to the one the week before in which I suggested that open-slather abortion was at the root of our child abuse epidemic.
It took but a moment to discover that a few highly selective quotes from that column had been posted on an American website called feministing.com. There was a link to the full column on this website, that dreadful picture of me which the site uses and which some parents no doubt use to frighten children, plus a link to the email facility the Herald site offers.
The column on the quotes were posted by the US site's executive editor, Jessica Valenti, who referred to me using a four-syllable American imprecation beginning with m. And that pretty much set the tone of the email responses, which continued to arrive until they numbered 97.
So here, for your entertainment if not your edification, are quotes (complete with asterisks which did not appear in the originals) taken from some of the messages - mostly, but not entirely, from women, mainly in the United States, but with a sprinkling from Canada and Britain:
Tiffany: "You know nothing about being a woman."
Simon: "Your misogynist column made me embarrassed to be a New Zealander today, after it was picked up by an international blog. Please in future keep your confused and pathetic ramblings to yourself."
Stephanie: "I don't know how a newspaper that is not a hateful, right-wing propaganda piece of garbage can legitimately publish such RUBBISH! ... F*** you, you detestable moron."
Ashley: "I am comforted by the fact that as a crusty old white guy you will die soon and that, at least, will halt your ignorant, antediluvian, philistine ranting ... There is no room for people like you in the world."
P****d Off: "You, sir, are an idiot. I've never heard a more sorry excuse for logic than your bald-faced misogynistic rant in defence of violence against women. The Herald should fire you quick before they're marked as being the same as you!"
R. Steward: "I'm shocked and appalled that you're parading this mysogyny [sic] as some sort of legitimate stance society in general should consider ... You are an idiot, a woman hater, and a bigot."
Tina: "You are a Neanderthal, evolve or be left behind bitch."
Rebecca: "How dare you use the murder of a 3-year-old girl to further your ridiculous Stone Age beliefs. It is disgusting. I cannot even begin to express my rage. How like a man to reach for any excuse to blame his own lack of self control."
Edith: "You are clearly a moral degenerate. I will not dignify your 'article' with any comment as it is beneath contempt. Maybe all the ladies in New Zealand should decamp to more hospitable climes. We'll all see how you trash get on."
Krys: "You're insane. Risperdall is an amazing drug. Look into it."
Nick: "Every once in a while I find people that are completely useless to the human race. You, sir, are one of those people."
Laura: "I find it disgusting you call yourself a journalist. Go find a big tall mountain in your beautiful country and jump off of it."
Alatea: "You are an idiot. If I was within 20 miles of you I'd make a point of seriously threatening your maleness by performing minor surgery, preferably with a dull knife."
Moran: "Please keep your opinions out of my uterus."
Alison: You are an unfortunate piece of s**t, and if anyone ever should have been aborted, it's you."
Beth: "I will never run out of breath or energy when it comes to calling uninformed, bigoted idiots like you sexist."
Special Lady: "When I grow up, I want to get paid to write bullshit too."
And from Emma, who wins the prize for brevity: "Dear George: F*** YOU!!!!"
In view of this response, I was intrigued to read Tapu Misa's declaration on Monday of email bankruptcy.
I have received this year so far 1003 emails responding to these columns.
This is an annual record that is mainly down to the reaction to the abortion-abuse column, and one earlier this year in which I challenged the theory of human-induced carbon emissions causing global warming.
But this is no problem; I resolved 12 years ago when this column began not to respond to responses, neither positive nor negative, unless there was good reason, mainly genuine questions from readers.
But I read them all and take note of what they say, even if some contend with me in more words than the column itself.
I value reader responses highly. They help to keep me churning out columns week after week, year after year. Thank you for them, each and every one.
