Delicious Defamation

Well, it seems someone discovered a response I posted on a conservative blog; the good folks at aero-news.net. Indeed, they took the opportunity to further attack an issue they proved they knew nothing about. Anyone even remotely familiar with the situation would know that the inaccurate paraphrase of Jill Edwards did not "[speak] for the student body." Nor did Ashley Miller ever "sneer." For that matter, I also don't recall anyone holding a bong. This hardly qualifies as "Top News." More like "Made-up Nonsense." And now my most honorable mention:

"Defending his decision to diss Boyington, Director of Student Senate Operations Karl D. Smith thought he was going for middle ground, commenting in a regional blog, 'We also are home to civil rights leaders such as Gordon Hirabayshi and a major contributor in the eradication of smallpox William Foege, and the Nigerian statesman who worked for peace Alex Ekwueme.' Yep, household names all, just like Boyington. I was just wondering today, what's Al Ekwueme up to these days? You hardly hear his name any more. By the way, I am not the Great Punctuator, but I'm willing to send Karl some commas. You know, to bring his writing up to the junior-high-school standard expected at UW.

Smith issued the plaintive call of today's university dweller, confused, intimidated, and relativistic: 'How do we decide who is and is not deserving?'

Well, Karl, it looks like you just did, despite your girly-man waffling. Did you say that he was evil for shooting down enemy airplanes?

'I stand by my comments in support of removing the language regarding the Japanese planes shot down.' (Geez, the kid talks like a bureaucrat already. He'll be making everyone's life miserable in the DMV some day). 'In war, killing is a necessary evil. Because of this I am all the more grateful for those who endure the effects of war. But I do not believe our honor of him should focus upon the evil, regardless of how necessary.'"

Their ad hominem attacks aside, I would suggest that they drop the "household names" argument. Gordon Hirabayashi is far more of a household name to me than is Pappy Boyington. Besides, isn't one of the points of creating a memorial to ensure someone will be remembered? As to their questions regarding where Alex Ekwueme is now, evidently he's still doing good works in Nigeria: "Now 66 years old, Ekwueme is a philanthropist as well as a public servant and architect. He established an educational trust fund that sponsors the education of several hundred Nigerian youths in universities at home and abroad."

It gives me some reassurance that I am not the only object of Mr. O'Brien's bullying. Also, I am no Great Researcher, but nor am I the "Director of Student Senate Operations." A trifling matter, but about as significant as a missing comma.

As of this writing, I have not received said commas offered by Mr. O'Brien. I'll be waiting at the DMV!