January 26, 1998
Dear Octopus,
I've been following the debates you've been having with some of your misguided readers over the issue of the adult services advertisements in the back of The Octopus, and I have to say I agree with you completely. I'm proud to live in a free country with a free press where anybody can say what they want and stand up for their sexuality in all its entrepreneurial glory. Just say no to politically correct liberal feminist hand-wringing, that's my motto.
Imagine my shock then when I came across the otherwise inspiring full-page advertisement in the January 23 Octopus headlined “You're In Good Company” and listing all the fine Champaign Urbana businesses that advertise in The Octopus. I perused the list and found many of my favorite local businesses like the Goodrich Quality Theatres and the Democratic Party of Champaign-Urbana, but where were all the strip joints and phone sex services that are your most loyal advertisers? At first I thought you might have been embarrassed to list them with your other advertisers, but then I remembered the passionate defense you've made for liberty and a free press in your editorials. This is a great country where no one has to be ashamed to make an honest buck.
Octopus, I am writing this letter to let you know that you may actually have one of those liberal feminists working in your own advertising office, someone who has taken it upon herself to deny the Silver Bullet, Dancing Dragon Escorts, and Amber's X-Rated Live Talk Line the right to stand proudly next to the Jane Addams Book Shop and Jumer's Castle Lodge. You can't let this go on!
Stand up for your principles, Octopus. Me and your other revenue-generating readers are behind you all the way!
Proudly,
Fred Sposnik
P.S. You should also consider moving the sex ads to the front of the paper. It gets on my nerves have to wade through all that pinko journalism on my way to the good stuff.
Published in The Octopus: Champaign-Urbana's Alternative Weekly, January 26, 1998.