Below is the email that I sent to letters@washpost.com, readers@washpost.com, and jeff@amazon.com regarding the most recent, and most recently offensive, essay written by Richard Cohen.

To Mr. Bezos & the Editorial Staff at The Washington Post,

 

I debated whether I should email you regarding the latest controversy surrounding your “conservative” columnist Richard Cohen. I heard that he wrote something awful and offensive (again) but I didn’t want to give the bean counters the satisfaction of being another click to your site. I didn’t want to have to read it. I would have preferred to ignore it. But, after taking the plunge and being coated by his slimy viewpoint, I feel I have no choice but to respond.

 

The Washington Post is one of America’s premier newspapers. Like many Americans, I have been dismayed to hear about its declining revenue streams and the struggles that it has undergone to stay afloat. But is keeping Richard Cohen on staff truly a sensible way to generate revenue?

 

I don’t think it is necessary to rehash exactly what was reprehensible about Richard Cohen’s latest diatribe, although I do find it interesting that what started as a simple attack piece on Chris Christie’s chances in Iowa ended up revealing, once again, the sour bile of racism and intolerance that bubbles and stews constantly within Richard Cohen’s heart. He cannot seem to go more than a paragraph or two without revealing how shocking to the senses minorities of all kinds are–be they gay, bisexual, black or interracial couples.

 

The reason I decided to write in to voice my displeasure at Mr. Cohen’s recent article, the reason I am politely requesting that he be suspended indefinitely or fired outright from your newspaper, is because he decided to throw Iowa under the bus. Iowa was allowed to represent all of the repressed (?) racism and homophobia that exists in his curdled brain. I find that grossly unfair.

 

Iowa was one of the first state’s in the union–if not THE first, I can’t remember–to allow same-sex marriage. Iowa, the place that Cohen wishes to ascribe those “conventional” views to, was on the forefront of 21st century Progressivism. If anything, Richard Cohen, with all his disgust for people who are not straight and white and (presumably) Protestant, would gag at the idea of having to live in such an unconventional state.

 

The only conventional view that you should consider is the one that demands you let Richard Cohen go. Your newspaper has too much of a reputation and too much hope for the future to tie itself to someone so bigoted, backwards, and wrong.

 

(I’m not from Iowa, by the way. I’m just offended that he made that state a pawn in his vitriolic game.)

I hope that you take your readers’ views under consideration and realize that the time has come to make a change to your staff.

 

Sincerely, Laurie A. Brunner

Conventional American