This Is Too Easy
Here’s the scenario: Douglas Wood is kidnapped by Islamic terrorists. His kidnappers:
snatched him, kicked him in the head, kept him blindfolded and bound for 47 days, shaved him bald, killed two of his colleagues, made him beg for his life, and — says a fellow hostage from Sweden — shot several other prisoners in front of him.
Then he calls them “assholes.” Pretty understated, right? Not for Andrew Jaspan, who says:
I was, I have to say, shocked by Douglas Wood’s use of the a—hole word, if I can put it like that, which I just thought was coarse and very ill-thought through and I think demeans the man and is one of the reasons why people are slightly sceptical of his motives and everything else.
The issue really is largely, speaking as I understand it, he was treated well there. He says he was fed every day, and as such to turn around and use that kind of language I think is just insensitive.
Mr. Jaspan’s profession?
You guessed it: newspaper editor.
(Via Bill Ardolino.)
UPDATE: Via a Michael Totten commenter comes word that Jaspan once had some profane words about a critical profile of him in The Sunday Times Scotland. Jaspan called the profile a “shitty piece of journalism.” As Totten’s commenter says:
Oh dear oh dear, Mr. Jaspan–such language! But of course I would imagine those profiling him in The Sunday Times Scotland were a lot crueler than Douglas Wood’s kidnappers.
Indeed. I bet they didn’t feed him a thing.
One has to think long & hard about what kind of person would have priorities like Mr. Jaspan’s. And there’s really no way to sugarcoat the conclusion, is there?
ras (f9de13) — 6/28/2005 @ 11:37 pmI’ve posted this at a couple of different places, but here’s the letter I sent to The Age:
“I was, I have to say, shocked by Douglas Wood’s use of the a—hole word, if I can put it like that, which I just thought was coarse and very ill-thought through and I think demeans the man and is one of the reasons why people are slightly sceptical of his motives and everything else.
“The issue really is largely, speaking as I understand it, he was treated well there. He says he was fed every day, and as such to turn around and use that kind of language I think is just insensitive.
Indeed, sir. I share your outrage. How dare this man use that kind of coarse language about the thugs and murderers who held him hostage, and shot to death an Iraqi hostage at his feet? What an ill-mannered lout. After all, as you say, they fed him every day. The fact that he could have had his head chopped off at any minute is no excuse for such vulgar language. I firmly hope that he is reprimanded in no uncertain terms.
Mr. Jaspan, you sir, are not only a glittering jewel of colossal ignorance, but a moral reprobate. If there is any justice in the world, you will be taken hostage by these 6th Century beasts, and soil yourself while you beg for mercy, just before they saw your head off.
Craig Caughman
San Jose, CA
Oh, and P.S. You’re the very definition of an asshole, asshole.
CraigC (b6a973) — 6/29/2005 @ 12:01 amFiling this under Morons is a little unfair to the other moronic folks in this category. Seems to me this guy deserves a file all to himself — moron is too kind a word for him.
Ann (a9142f) — 6/29/2005 @ 6:41 amI do like Tim Blair’s nickname for Jaspan — Politenessman.
Richard Cook (80aa3d) — 6/29/2005 @ 7:27 amCan someone explain to me why Mr. Jaspan would be so concerned and fearful that people are going around identifying as “assholes” those who are so richly deserving of that name?
Oh, yeah, now I see why he’s so worried . . .
eddie haskell (8fd1a1) — 6/29/2005 @ 10:07 amJaspen should thank God he did not hear the words this exJarhead would have used. Asshole would have been polite in comparison. But then we must be sensative of Muslim feelings.
Rod Stanton (7b6143) — 6/29/2005 @ 1:34 pm