Now I know why

I often wonder why I cannot communicate with my students. Now I know why.

A few days ago, I sent that e-mail about the Petition 2493 hoax. All I did was to add this message to the top of the hoax letter and click "reply all."

This is one of those evergreen urban legends that floats around christian circles. The FCC has pointedly denied that it exists (http://www.fcc.gov/mb/enf/forms/rm-2493.html). Focus on the Family says it's a hoax (http://www2.focusonthefamily.com/focusmagazine/christianliving/a000000143.cfm) and Snopes (the organization that looks into urban legends and the like) says it's false (http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/fcc.asp).

Actually, the FCC has received over 30 million enraged communications from christians who were duped by this particular piece of fiction.

The pastor's teenage son has added his name to the bottom of the message I sent and forwarded it to dozens of friends. Did he even notice my paragraphs? I doubt it.