By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Francisco E. Jimenez
Someone called the newsroom on Monday with a rather interesting comment, and I just so happened to be the individual fortunate enough to answer.
He did not give a name, nor did he ask to speak with anyone in particular. He simply began speaking, assuming that the person on the other end of the line (aka me) would like to hear the nonsense that this faceless individual was about to spew.
“I read your story about Popeyes,” said John Doe (I’m not sure if he knew he was actually speaking to me, the individual who wrote the story, or simply assumed that his words would reach me).
“You forgot one big thing,” he said. “People from San Benito can’t afford to eat at Popeyes because Popeyes doesn’t accept the Lone Star Card.”
“Ok?” I said, a little confused, but not really.
“You see, everyone in San Benito is on welfare,” explained Mr. Doe. “That is all; bye, bye now.”
I’m paraphrasing, obviously, but that was the general tone of the conversation, if it can even be called that.
My immediate thought was, “Does this person really have nothing better to do than troll a local newspaper’s telephone line? How does he have so much free time to do this? Is he on welfare? Is Popeyes really that expensive?”
To be quite honest, I couldn’t help but sense a hint of racism as the motivating factor behind this individual’s statements. I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but it’s hard to ignore, especially considering that this community is more or less 86 percent Hispanic. I’ve never really been one to play the race card, but something about this individual’s tone just set off my Spidey sense.
There is no denying that poverty is unfortunately prevalent in Cameron County and much of the Rio Grande Valley. In fact, U.S. Census Bureau data recently listed the Brownsville-Harlingen area as the poorest in the country.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little bothered by this individual’s audacity, as well as the fact that I was not really allowed an opportunity to respond to his asinine comments.
Given that Mr. Doe is such an avid reader of our publication, I figured this column was a logical means of reaching him, whoever he is. So, without any further ado, and as Jules Winnfield once said, “Oh, you were finished? Well, allow me to retort!”
Mr. Doe, your comment could be described by a lesser person as a worthless piece of defecation, but to state as much would be an insult to worthless pieces of defecation everywhere. It is easy to criticize and troll from the comforts of your home or apartment or wherever you choose to do whatever it is you do.
There is no denying that San Benito has a poverty problem. All one needs to do is pay a visit to the local food pantry on the 100 block of East Stenger Street on any given Wednesday morning to see that. But if you, Mr. Doe, are able to make time in your obviously busy schedule to visit the food pantry, you might also notice a group of individuals doing something that you clearly are not: trying to make a difference.
If you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem. Surely, someone as wealthy as you will have a few pennies to spare for us poor folk in San Benito, or at the very least your precious time.
I normally do not let the words of shallow individuals get the best (or worst) of me, but I also have little tolerance for nonsense, especially when it comes from a coward such as yourself (whose voice I recognized as another caller who, in a similar fashion, made derogatory remarks about another story we published). In my mind, Mr. Doe, you’re no better than the prepubescent teens who leave horrendous comments anonymously on various social networks because they know that there are no repercussions, but at least in their case you could chalk up their antics to a misspent youth.
What’s your excuse, Mr. Doe?
Well, I am sure you will read this. And when you do, you will know that this is directed at you. I may not know who you are, but you know who you are, and that’s a far worse realization than any stupid comment you will ever make.
Note: Let the record show that I had a very different choice of words to describe Mr. Doe, but Managing Editor Michael Rodriguez never lets me have any fun.
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I have a feeling this idiot that was trolling is a man from costa mesa, california. His name is steven belanger but he has fake accounts like john henery or tom henery..I have seen this racist ignorant troll on other news websites calling out san benito..everyday he brings up san benito. It makes me wonder why someone from california would have all this time to see what little ol’ san benito is up to. I guess you’re right he himself is probably on welfare. You could see for yourself on valley central, and see how this guy never shuts up about san benito or welfare..I almost certain it was him.
“Mr. Doe, your comment could be described by a lesser person as a worthless piece of defecation, but to state as much would be an insult to worthless pieces of defecation everywhere.”
CLASSIC!!!
I see comments like this all the time posted on other news media websites about San Benito. I don’t think it has anything to do with racism just ignorant people making stupid comments. What’s funny is that the people that post these comments do it under a fake profile. But for someone to actually take the time to call you and make a comment like that over the phone takes it to another level of stupidity. I’d actually feel embarrassed to make a call like that. I’d be willing to bet that that guy who called the news room is from the Rio Grande Valley like the others who post stupid comments which just makes their comments even more ignorant because San Benito is similar to the rest of the valley when it comes poverty and crime.
People tend to be insensitive. While I did not have the opportunity to read the entire text from “Mr. Doe”, it appears that this individual has contempt for this area that many of us choose to call home. My guess is that he is not from the area. If he is, I will personally contribute a penny for every mile that he distances himself from our city, because he doesn’t have to live here. So, my conclusion is that he is making disparaging remarks about our city from a distance, but lacks the maturity, intelligence and couraged to engage in responsible discourse. By insulting our community, he is, by extension, insulting each one of us, and is doing so without provocation. This puts him at the same level as those who have trolled ValleyCentral with similar disparaging comments, hoping that they would remain unchallenged. Like those, I feel compelled to respond. Crime appears to occur less frequently here than in larger Valley cities (Mission, Edinburg, Harlingen). Statistically, our schools are close to the top in terms of student achievement. I could continue, but space is limited. So, I leave the reader with this thought: A person who makes an unprovoked, disparaging comment about another (or in this case, about a whole community) is really saying far more about his lack of character than the person he is talking about. My question is this: If a person could realize how badly he really makes himself appear to others, why on earth would he open his mouth in the first place? It is far better to conceal one’s personal weaknesses than to show others that the speaker is lacking in character. No wonder he chose to remain anonymous!
The two key words in your commentary are “troll” and “racist”.
Let the record also show that I agree with what you mean about Managing Editor Michael Rodriguez, he probably would drop the extra letter “s” I would have added to the word “asinine” !