Dear Boston Politicians, Cops and Media:

You're ridiculous.

I just wasted half my day talking to people and reading insipid news articles because of this Cartoon Network ad campaign. Advertisers hung 10 lite-brite units around the city with a mischevious 2-d cartoon character flipping an 8-bit bird. On January 14th. Today is the 31st.

You and all your vigilance and homeland security missed the fact that the 'suspicious devices' were hanging in your city for that whole time. When someone DID make a call, you pissed all over yourselves. Then you shit all over yourselves. Then you blame others for your shitty, pissy mess. Newscopters, bombsquads, mis-information, and finally buckle up for the dis-information.

Stop by your wonderful Harvard Book Store and grab a fucking Roget's. This was not a hoax. Stop saying hoax. A hoax is intended to deceive. Maybe if you were fooled into thinking that maybe a cartoon character had come to life and visited earth, you could say hoax. Maybe if the lite-brite said the word "Bomb" across it, you could maybe call it a hoax. This was an image of a cartoon character designed to look like a cartoon character, no deception. It is what it is. If someone was fooled, it's because they are a fool.

Authorities, embarassed by their delay, their alarmism and their cowardice are seeking the harshest and most ridiculous penalty possible. This is an ad, not a hoax. Stop Roving up the language just because you're embarassed. Show some grace. You weren't in on the joke. Don't become the joke.

And don't scapegoat Turner, their artists, advertisers, college kids and whoever else you feel comfortable to blame here. Boston is so concerned about losing population, don't punish the kind of people you need to attract.

Sincerely,
Derek Ring
Worcester, MA

PS I don't want to hear SHIT about Boston being better than Worcester. You are now the laughing stock of the WORLD.

Section 102A1/2. (a) Whoever possesses, transports, uses or places or causes another to knowingly or unknowingly possess, transport, use or place any hoax device or hoax substance with the intent to cause anxiety, unrest, fear or personal discomfort to any person or group of persons shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than two and one-half years or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.