My First Letter to the Editor
Anyone read the news lately? Anyone? No? Well. If you haven't been (and I don't blame you, honestly I don't), you might want to know that we have a very, very sticky economic situation on our hands. The housing market has taken a great big crap, and has taken several loan-lending banks to the crapper with it.
Countrywide is no more; it got assimilated by Bank of America. IndyMac went kablooey and was seized by the FDIC. This is BIG AND SCARY NEWS. And of course, the media, being the FREAKIN' FEAR-MONGERING MEDIA, has JUMPED on it. "Who's next?" they ask. Over and over and over, trying to predict the future.
Well you know what? Publishing NAMES of "who's next" spreads and breeds fear and paranoia. The "who's next" banks have all their customers running into the branches, little old ladies withdrawing their 200k in life savings. Guess what that does? Makes their predictions come true. There HAVE been runs on banks. Downey Savings is suffering. Thousands of employees' livelihoods, not to mention their tens of thousands of customers, are in jeapordy.
Fucking blood-sucking parasites.
So in my rage, I decided to email the editors of the LA Times. Oh yeah. I was honest.
I never knew there was so much money in vampirism. The blood-sucking tactics of the media regarding the aftermath of the IndyMac bank collapse have gone too far. For many years I myself have aspired to be a successful journalist, but the inflated hype over Downey Savings and Loan's financial situation has caused me to rethink this career choice.
In the wake of IndyMac's seizure by the FDIC, I have read article after article hinting at or outright stating that Downey Savings will be the next to fall. I find this despicable. Attempting to predict the future in this way is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more fear the media creates about the status of Downey Savings, the more people will run on the bank and withdraw their life's savings. People are naturally skittish and paranoid, and by feeding into their fears, this media is ASKING for the bank to collapse.
If this newspaper wants to be responsible for the collapse of one of California's most trusted institutions, if it wants to be responsible for thousands of bank employees to lose their jobs and livelihoods, if it wants to bring an end to a half-century of excellent service, then by all means, continue to publish this fear-mongering.
IndyMac's situation is news. I understand that a journalist's job is to report on what happens in the world. But please, stick to NEWS. There's quite a difference between what has happened and what might never happen at all.
Best part of all this? I brought the letter to my dad before sending it, seeking his critique; he blogs on the news all the time, and this is the first time I've done anything like this. HE LOVED IT. My dad is normally pretty critical of my writing too. And he couldn't resist the temptation of sharing it with his co-workers--they loved it, too!
I think I've found a new medium and new audience. *squirms in glee* :3