Open Letter to Dennis Kneale of CNBC re: New Media and the Recession

CNBC
Attention: Dennis Kneale, host
900 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632
(201) 735-2622 Office
(201) 735-3200 Fax

Re: The Blogosphere and the True State of the Economy

Dear Mr. Dennis Kneale:

Recently, you attempted to discredit the entire new-media/blogosphere based on several individual vitriolic blog posts criticizing your Keynesian analysis whereby you stated:

“the Great Recession is over.”

Dennis Kneale
CNBC
June 25th, 2009

In a subsequent display wholly unbecoming of a journalist, regardless of medium, and in lieu of offering further research to buttress your original statement, you opted to stoop to their logical fallacy of argumentum ad hominem and referred to your critics as “digital dickweeds”. Additionally, you then further attempted to construct a straw man by directing your ire towards the anonymity offered by the internet, when the crux of the matter is your analysis, not the benefit or detriment of anonymity.

Therefore, should you be open to an actual discussion regarding the causation, length, and the fundamental flaws of your economic philosophy, I would be happy to oblige. Moreover, my name and the legal names of all contributors to “The Smoking Argus Daily” have and shall remain in full view righteously pegged to their individual reports and editorials.

Admittedly, we may share a general dislike of anonymous blog posts; however, our nation has a rich history of pen names and anonymously penned editorials. One only need to think of the founding generation’s use during the time leading up to the ratification of the Constitution, as well as Mark Twain, to understand that anonymity is not solely the tool of those with low moral fortitude.

Respectfully,

Allison Bricker

P.S. If you would like me to fax over a copy of my driver’s license in order to prove the factualness of my name in order to avoid your condescending use of air quotes, just let me know.