A Quick Note to My Impersonators

It comes to my attention that on numerous campus publications there have been commentators posing as me and saying nasty things as if I had said them myself. In recent weeks, I have been accused of commenting and saying nasty things on the websites of The Forum, The Student Life, and The Port Side. Here's the problem: I never wrote any of the things attributed to me.

Witness this exhibit A from "Sean" who is the Web Editor from The Student Life. (It's likely "Sean Laguna" who is from Harvey Mudd.)

Here's what he writes:  you're so funny Charles Johnson
9 messages

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Web Editor	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:34 PM
To: cjohnson11@students.claremontmckenna.edu
That I e-mailed half of the TSL editing staff to see if I can approve your comment or not. That and I kind of want people to start hating on you in response...but I kind of don't want that as well. I hope you're being sarcastic yourself, though. I get crass, offensive humor. I endorse it. I create it. I laugh my ass off at it. I think it deconstructs the shit that most people think it supports. I hope we're on the same page here. Sean

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Charles Johnson	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:38 PM
To: Web Editor
I have no idea what you are talking about. I haven't ever written on your website. What the ^%$#?

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Charles Johnson	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:38 PM
To: Web Editor
Can you please tell me what is going on? and email all those people saying that I have not written anything? [Quoted text hidden]

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Web Editor	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:48 PM
To: Charles Johnson
Hahahahaha. I didn't approve the comment yet, so don't worry, your sacred sacred reputation shall be saved. Here's the article that "you" posted a comment on, and that everyone's all up in arms about. http://tsl.pomona.edu/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1624:welcome-to-the-family&catid=25:opinion&Itemid=82 Your comment is attached as a screenshot from my computer. Feel free to utilize that IP address if you care to. The link goes to: http://www.sparklingstrawberry.com/product_images/y/350/coM6049__78163_zoom.jpg Don't worry, I'll clear things up with the staff, I'll say it wasn't actually you. Either way, I'm sure you'll appreciate that I fail to approve, and subsequently delete the comment. Sean Screen shot 2010-12-05 at 8.44.12 PM.png 53K

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Charles Johnson	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:51 PM
To: Web Editor
What's the IP address? [Quoted text hidden]

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Web Editor	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:52 PM
To: Charles Johnson
Look in the image. [Quoted text hidden]

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Charles Johnson	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:53 PM
To: Web Editor
Is it pornographic? [Quoted text hidden]

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Web Editor	Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 8:57 PM
To: Charles Johnson
No no, it's not that bad. Stop being such a pansy about it. And I meant the attached image, which is just a screenshot of the unapproved comment. Since you're having trouble grasping this, I find the need to lay things out clearly for you: 1) Lots of people are posting comments in this thread. 2) Clearly someone thought it would be funny to pretend to be you and post something crass that would illicit lots of negative responses and start some obnoxious chain of comments. 3) I e-mailed you. I gave you two things. First, I attached TO THE E-MAIL a screenshot of the unapproved comment. This is where the IP address can be found. It's completely safe; the only thing in the screenshot is text. Within the comment itself, there was a link to an image. The image is of a girl dressed up (arguably) like some stereotypical form of an eskimo. If you read the article, you get the joke. She's not naked, so I don't count it as pornographic in the slightest. You don't need to click the link that was presented within the comment to get the IP address. You can't do much with an IP address anyway, except figure out where the person using it is located, and maaaaaaaaybe who it is. Sean

Imitation they say is a form of flattery and yet I find myself often being targeted by halfwits who don the mask of internet cowardice. Such is life.

DREAM On, DREAMERS: Dreier's a "No" Vote

Supposed Pomona College student Jessica Valenzuela was quoted at the San Dimas offices of Congressman -- and Claremont McKenna alum -- David Dreier. (Jessica is supposedly a student at Pomona College, but I can't find a class year or even a picture of her on Facebook.)

San Gabriel Valley Tribune has the quotation:

Pomona College student Jessica Valenzuela, 20, of Claremont, said the group wanted to get a lobby visit with Dreier and convince him to vote yes on the legislation.


She accused Dreier of dropping his support for the DREAM Act to appeal to conservative voters.

"We'd like him to stick to his promise and play politics fairly," she said

1.) Dreier supported a totally different bill in the 2000s, so how can you accuse him of playing politics unfairly?

2.) Moreover, isn't this group that wants people who are here illegally to get to the front of the immigration line? Isn't that playing politics unfairly?

Claremont Links Out and About

For years people told me that Pomona didn't admit illegal immigrants. Turns out they were wrong. In fact, they give them scholarships! But no scholarships for international students... Hmm... where's the Rawlsian justice now?

FrumForum says "Claremont McKenna scholars" want us to return to a time before progressivism. I'm down.

Professor Ralph Rossum's AALE refuses to be the Department of Higher Education's "Whipping Boy" over its power to be a voice for liberal arts education. The whole thing, of course, makes me think of this song.



Helena Bottemiller CMC '09 is something of a shill for the FDA and regulation of food. She heralds the passing of the legislation that would actually harm the small farmers that foodies (like Ms. Bottemiller are)  but it looks like it'll be held up for the simple reason that the Senate has no power to raise taxed and this bill tried to raise taxes.  

Grady Righthand's Punches Well Above His Weight

The oh so witty David Allen beat me to the punch. Dude goes to a party, punches host, leaves. It's not a bad joke. It's a party at a Claremont college student's place. I'd like to say that this comes as a surprise but there is, I have noticed, a special kind of drunk at a party who, depraved of all sense, decides that his is a Hobbesian existence and that we, other members of said party, must be trying to rob him or fight him. To such a man, I hope some time with the Claremont PD sobers him up.

I don't know if this is the same "Grady Righthand" that plays in this band, but if it is, he needs better taste in music, too. Apparently, he's a student at USC (Class of 2012) majoring in the music industry. Lots of luck with that one. (Of course he's the one in the hooded sweatshirt, right?)

Party's punch no good, so man offers his own

David Allen, Staff Writer

Created: 12/04/2010 07:08:21 AM PST

IN CLAREMONT, a man by the name of Grady Righthand has been arrested on suspicion of battery after clocking the host of a college party. 

At about 1 a.m. Nov. 21, the host asked Righthand if he'd enjoyed himself, to which Righthand is said to have replied, "I'm going to kill you."

With that, according to Tony Krickl in the Claremont Courier's Police Blotter, "Mr. Righthand clenched his fist and punched the victim in the nose with his right hand before walking away."

Police later cited this Righthand man, who did not explain his actions.

Personally, I don't want them explained. I merely want to admire the delicate lace holding this tale together.

If Righthand were a lefty, the whole item would have been ruined.

Along the same lines: Does Righthand know what his left hand is doing?