The Atlanta Journal-Constitution publishes some confusing letters and a retraction (!) in response to a photo of the Britney/Mazza kiss apparently printed on the front page:

#1 asks: "It makes me wonder whether it is getting this kind of coverage because it is every straight man's fantasy. [Dude, it actually happened, which is sort of the opposite of a fantasy.] Would a kiss between Eminem, Justin Timberlake and 50 Cent be treated in the same manner?" To which I can only say, how cool would that be? Man, Justin really should just lean over and give Slim a big ol' kiss. Oh sure, he'd get shot or something, but it'd still be pretty cool. Eminem looks like he needs a hug.

#2 quite honestly sounds like a joke from either the Simpsons or Bloom County. Here it is:

Newspaper should protect children

I have never been so disappointed in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. To put it bluntly, I'm mad as hell, and it makes my stomach turn to see such trash on the front of the newspaper.

How do we expect to raise a generation of children who are healthy mentally, physically and sexually with inappropriate images in every form of media there is? Will you not accept your role in helping to raise Atlanta's children?

The sad part about this is that you will write about our children and their high teen pregnancy rate, low SAT scores, children out of wedlock and the rising cases of AIDS without taking any responsibility for your role in the problem.

You need to be better than that.

Britney and Madonna kissing causes low SAT scores? Nice! "Won't somebody please think of the children?!"

#3 compares the photo to photos from the war with Iraq. It's actually a reasonably valid comparison, but it's still weird to read. Sure, Mags is getting old, but it's not that bad, is it? It's like all those jokes about to equations between sex and violence: are people really as offended by the sight of two attractive people kissing as they are by the sight of mangled human corpses? Just askin'.
posted by Mike B. at 8:35 AM 0 comments