When Garth George wrote a column suggesting that open-slather abortion was at the root of our child-abuse epidemic, he got a reaction - well, in truth, 97 reactions.
I opened my email inbox last Thursday and to my astonishment found 63 messages waiting. All but two of them were reactions to my column a fortnight ago in which I suggested that open-slather abortion was at the root of our child abuse epidemic.
It took but a moment to discover that a few highly selective quotes from that column had been posted on an American website called feministing.com.
There was a click link to the full column archived on the nzherald.co.nz website, plus a link to the "email the author" facility which that site offers.
The column quotes were posted by the feministic.com website's executive editor, Jessica Valenti, who referred to me using a four-syllable American imprecation beginning with m.
And that pretty much set the tone of the email responses, which continued to arrive until they numbered 97.
So here, for your entertainment if not your edification, are quotes (complete with asterisks which did not appear in the originals) taken from some of the messages, mostly, but not entirely, from women, most of them in the United States, with a sprinkling from Canada and Britain:
Tiffany: "You know nothing about being a woman."
Simon: "Your misogynist column made me embarrassed to be a New Zealander today, after it was picked up by an international blog. Please in future keep your confused and pathetic ramblings to yourself."
Stephanie: "I don't know how a newspaper that is not a hateful, right-wing propaganda piece of garbage can legitimately publish such RUBBISH! ..."
Ashley: "I am comforted by the fact that as a crusty old white guy you will die soon and that, at least, will halt your ignorant, antediluvian, philistine ranting ... There is no room for people like you in the world."
R. Steward: "I'm shocked and appalled that you're parading this mysogyny [sic] as some sort of legitimate stance society in general should consider ... You are an idiot, a woman hater, and a bigot."
Tina: "You are a Neanderthal, evolve or be left behind bitch."
Rebecca: "How dare you use the murder of a 3-year-old girl to further your ridiculous Stone Age beliefs. It is disgusting. I cannot even begin to express my rage. How like a man to reach for any excuse to blame his own lack of self control."
Edith: "You are clearly a moral degenerate. I will not dignify your 'article' with any comment as it is beneath contempt. Maybe all the ladies in New Zealand should decamp to more hospitable climes. We'll all see how you trash get on."
Krys: "You're insane. Risperdall is an amazing drug. Look into it."
Nick: "Every once in a while I find people that are completely useless to the human race. You sir, are one of those people."
Laura: "I find it disgusting you call yourself a journalist. Go find a big tall mountain in your beautiful country and jump off of it."
Alatea: "You are an idiot. If I was within 20 miles of you I'd make a point of seriously threatening your maleness by performing minor surgery, preferably with a dull knife."
Moran: "Please keep your opinions out of my uterus."
Alison: You are an unfortunate piece of ****, and if anyone ever should have been aborted, it's you."
Beth: "I will never run out of breath or energy when it comes to calling uninformed, bigoted idiots like you sexist."
Special Lady: "When I grow up, I want to get paid to write bull**** too."
I have received this year so far 1003 emails responding to columns, an annual record that is mainly down to the international reaction to the abortion-abuse column, and one earlier this year in which I challenged the theory of human-induced carbon emissions causing global warming.
But this is no problem: I resolved 12 years ago when I began writing columns that I would not respond to responses, either positive or negative, unless there was good reason, mainly genuine questions from readers.
I didn't have the time when I was employed full-time, and now that I'm semi-retired I still don't. But I read them all and take note of what they say, even if some contend with me in more words than the column itself.
I value reader responses highly. They help to keep me churning out columns week after week, year after year.
Thank you for them, each and every one.
• Garth George is a retired Auckland editor.
