Musings from the Merse
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Letter Writers and Bloggers. Pah!
Being away in the big smoke I nearly missed this sad letter in the Berwickshire:
SIR, - Can we through your newspaper attempt to clear up a situation which has been causing a great deal of confusion for people and upset for our family for many years.
In Birgham there is a lady who is a regular contributor to your letters page, on often-controversial subjects, called Jean Cunningham. Also in Birgham is another Cunningham family: Alastair, Carol and Emma (also Esther who is in Lennel House Nursing Home).
Because people often presumed we were related to Jean Cunningham we have endured many years of comments and strange looks – especially as we are very actively involved in the local community. Emma in particular suffered at school by people thinking her mother was "that Mrs Cunningham from Birgham who writes to the papers.” In the last few weeks we’ve discovered one family recently discovered we weren’t related after years of apparently criticising us.
We have tried to ignore this situation over the years but recent comments reaching us have brought it to a head again - hopefully now everyone will realise there are two totally separate and unrelated Cunningham families in Birgham!
Perhaps its a good thing that the 'wrong' Cunningham is/was not a Blogger as well as a prolific letter writer. Huttonian was no stranger to the all too widespread local apparent inability to tackle someone directly if they have a problem with them. Comments and strange looks galore in the early days of the blog-'that there Huttonian who has a blog sort of thing. It transpired that most of the less complimentary comments came from people who had never read it. 'I don't know what you have written, I don't want to know and I don't like it. Disgusting
And to put the record straight: there is only one Huttonian.
Accept no imitation.
Being away in the big smoke I nearly missed this sad letter in the Berwickshire:
SIR, - Can we through your newspaper attempt to clear up a situation which has been causing a great deal of confusion for people and upset for our family for many years.
In Birgham there is a lady who is a regular contributor to your letters page, on often-controversial subjects, called Jean Cunningham. Also in Birgham is another Cunningham family: Alastair, Carol and Emma (also Esther who is in Lennel House Nursing Home).
Because people often presumed we were related to Jean Cunningham we have endured many years of comments and strange looks – especially as we are very actively involved in the local community. Emma in particular suffered at school by people thinking her mother was "that Mrs Cunningham from Birgham who writes to the papers.” In the last few weeks we’ve discovered one family recently discovered we weren’t related after years of apparently criticising us.
We have tried to ignore this situation over the years but recent comments reaching us have brought it to a head again - hopefully now everyone will realise there are two totally separate and unrelated Cunningham families in Birgham!
Perhaps its a good thing that the 'wrong' Cunningham is/was not a Blogger as well as a prolific letter writer. Huttonian was no stranger to the all too widespread local apparent inability to tackle someone directly if they have a problem with them. Comments and strange looks galore in the early days of the blog-'that there Huttonian who has a blog sort of thing. It transpired that most of the less complimentary comments came from people who had never read it. 'I don't know what you have written, I don't want to know and I don't like it. Disgusting
And to put the record straight: there is only one Huttonian.
Accept no imitation.
Labels: Blogging, life in theBorders, Snide comments, strange looks
Comments:
this weeks letter column has a letter from the other Cunningham.
Quite a riposte. You'll need to get the newspaper itself. The letter does not feature in the on line edition
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Quite a riposte. You'll need to get the newspaper itself. The letter does not feature in the on line edition
