Thursday, July 10, 2008

Does Writing a Personal Email Do Anything?

For the very first time in my life, I actually had the enthusiasm and emotion to personally respond to an article that I read online. I read this article written by a very tanned writer from Forbes, and could not help but respond via email. I will keep the world informed as to whether I receive any response, but in the meantime, I wanted to share my email here as it is pertinent to my blog. Enjoy the reading.

Mr. Tamny,

This email is in regard to your email titled "Memo To Washington: Let GM Fail". I am a 26 year old who was born, raised, and educated (shocking, I have an undergrad AND grad degree despite my Detroit-area backwater upbringing) in Michigan. While I appreciate and respect the financial market-related implications of your article, I am deeply, personally offended by the many low blows that you have decided to impart to not only the economy of Michigan, but also the people who have chosen to live here.

As a high-flying, jet-setting coastal type, it is quite pleasant of you that you have continued to stoke the negative stereotypes regarding my state and those who have chosen to chase their dreams here either because they love where they were raised, they want to remain close to their family, or they truly want to make a difference and help to turn around the state. Personally, I chose to remain here because of all three of these reasons. I also do not deny that the leaders in the domestic auto industry have made some very poor decisions along the way, but why must we doom them, as well as the corresponding fortunes of Michigan residents and those employed by the US auto manufacturers and their suppliers, to the scrap heap of history? Perhaps you should write another article titled "Memo to Washington: Let the State of New York Fail Because Greedy Investment Bankers and Mortgage Securitization Ruined the Housing Market and the Global Economy". I think that would be equitable.

Is the only solution for all struggling companies in the United States to pick up shop and move to San Francisco or New York? My goal here is not to rant and rave about how or why you are wrong or to declare "you just don't understand us." Instead, I want to let you know that you have cast yet another negative pall over the place that I love and in the process, have personally offended me.

Thank you for your time and have a nice afternoon,
Ken

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

If they publish comments, I certainly hope yours get published or referenced in some way.

Anonymous said...

Amen, I wouldn't live anywhere other than the great state of Michigan. What about the response?

Perhaps this gentleman should take a trip UP north tell him his trip begins at Michigan.org.