From Thomas Paine’s Corner
By Michael Goodspeed

Dear Mayor Goodman,

Or perhaps I should begin this communication with the same discourteous introduction as Hunter S. Thompson in his letter to then President Nixon:

“Dear Dickhead…”

Of course, you remember Hunter. He both lionized and mortified the city over which you so proudly rule in his brilliant tome, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” Perhaps Hunter’s continuous inebriation opened his perception to some psychic foresight — in the 21st century, your city, with all its garishly seductive promises of instant wealth, cheap
pussy, and satanic escapism, has little left but “fear and loathing” to offer.

If these introductory comments seem slightly less than etiquette, Oscar, let me assure you that I am not a hothead, a reactionary, a Christian fundamentalist, an activist of any kind, or even an idealist. I’m actually a quite circumspect and even-tempered fellow, and I place the highest priority on civil discourse with those that see the world differently than I. But any pretense of nicety is flatly absurd when addressing a truly colossal prick such as yourself. Some wretched people have been running “our” government for a long time, and their debasement of America’s bedrock principles is sickening, but one is hard-pressed to find amongst these maniacs any as overtly sociopathic as you.

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