We’ll begin with comments on last week’s Voices column, in which Barry Saunders wrote about an exchange with a Beyù Caffè barista who was annoyed that Saunders missed the cafe’s music programming.
“I’m a longtime patron of Beyù,” writes My Bin. “Your article sounded like it was written by an entitled sorority sister from The Valley who was told her fave boutique didn’t have the color she wanted. Thanks for nothing.”
“If you acknowledge that speaking to the owner about the topic could be annoying to him, wouldn’t you expect that another employee would be annoyed, too?” adds Kevin. “Don’t poke the bear.”
Finally, Black Raleigh: “The INDY digs up Barry Saunders to write a hit piece on one of the few brick-and-mortar businesses in the Triangle. Shame on you, Barry! I can expect this from the INDY, but I did not expect this from you!”
Since we’re on the subject, a quick word about the rules to Voices: There are none. (OK, technically, there are two: Don’t libel anyone, and don’t say anything factually incorrect). Writers are free to say whatever they want.
Back to it. F. Marion Redd is very upset about our Best of the Triangle issue: “I was shocked (but not surprised) that the very first award went to the UNC student activists who broke the law and pulled down the statue of Silent Sam last August. Obviously, the INDY’s staff uses these ‘awards’ for its own editorial justification. Not only is your revisionist history incorrect regarding the Civil War, but you also encourage illegal actions and reward terrorists’ behavior.
“What you ought to have mentioned was that the only legal loophole then-Chancellor Carol Folt could find was the ‘safety and security’ issue, and thus she encouraged the mob scene and even fostered events by having the police stand down. Finally, your suggestion that those unfamiliar with history ought to pick up a history book should begin with the writers of this publication.”
Quick fact-check: Our readers, not our staff, selected winners in this and every other category. And, hate to break it to you, but Silent Sam did, in fact, honor students who fought in a traitorous war to preserve chattel slavery; deal with it.
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