J.J. Hunsecker Chivalrously Defends Holly Golightly

In response to this comment left on my profile by someone named"Frivolity" just yesterday, J.J. Hunsecker came to my defense with his rebuttal found below. J.J. is like my own "Fred". It's really sad that Julia Allison doesn't have her own version of my J.J. to come to sweep in whenever trouble arises in blog land....

Frivolity - March 16th, 2008 HollyGoLightly, in your paltry two years in Manhattan, have you ever crossed the bridge into any other borough? The Manhattan-centric nature of your commentary, as well as your generally pathetic elitist ill-spirit, belies the philistine sensibilities of the typical faux-”New Yorker”; it’s clear that you\’re a relatively nouveau-arrivée, who has spent her meager amount of time on the Island attempting to dissimulate her suburban bourgeois roots by masquerading as some smug cosmopolitan , unaware that you\’re living belatedly amid the ruins of a Manhattan that has become virtually obsolete. Sort of like Romulus Augustus’ Rome. Jejune, my dear, positively jejune. Mr. Capote would scoff disdainfully in his velvet smoking-jacket.

J.J. Hunsecker's rebuttal below:

J.J. Hunsecker - March 17th, 2008 edit Frivolity, obviously you are as silly as you are linguistically pretentious. HollyGoLightyly is a persona that is supposed to be Manhattan-centric, is supposed to appeal to those who dream of Tiffany’s and 5th Avenue, and supposed to be a bumpkin embracing the glamor of New York. A little research would show that GofaG has a diverse group of personas to appeal to the interests of many different people (i.e. “the undergraduate,” “Brooklyn Rah Rah, etc.”)

Your judgement of Holly centers on the facts that she was not born in New York and only arrived her 2 years ago. “paltry two years,” “nouveau-arrivee,” “meager amount of time.” None of these facts are related to merit, they provide no character insight save for your own, and lead me to conclude that you judge others on things they cannot change. Such lines of reasoning have been the justification of every human rights violation since the beginning of time.

I don’t think anyone in any borough appreciates the sheer arrogance and cruelty that you display in defining what it is to be a New Yorker. By casting aspersions of what it is to be a “faux ‘New Yorker’,” you implicitly admit that you have concluded that only certain behavior is acceptable of a “New Yorker.” To try to limit what is acceptable behavior, again, only points to a disturbing behavior and line of reasoning. Just because someone is different than you, or does not fit into your paradigm, does not give you the right to judge, a true New Yorker would celebrate.

“Masquerading”? Did you read Holly’s bio? Holly has made it explicitly clear that she is from the country and has fallen in love with the glamor of New York. I find it difficult to imagine how Holly could have been more forthcoming. “dissimulate her suburban bourgeois,” duh, thats the point of Holly, looks like somebody missed the memo, or the novella, or the Oscar winning movie.

“Ruins of a Manhattan that has become virtually obsolete.” Thank goodness, did you see “Gangs of New York?” Oh wait, you wouldn’t be talking about that Manhattan, you would only be referencing the Manhattan that those people who recently moved here were not present during, but which you were. This way you can continue to hold over their heads the fact that they weren’t here, but you were, and conveniently conclude that’s why you’re better. Again, a “high-ground” not based on merit, logic or reasoning. Scary.

“Sort of like Romulus Augustus’ Rome.” This statement does not provide any value other than to make sure all of us know you remember a Latin name from a classics course you took or perhaps know how to use Wikipedia. Thanks for letting us know.

“Mr. Capote would scoff disdainfully.” Again, you show unbelievable arrogance in that you contend that you can read the mind of Truman Capote. The only thing that has been established is that you missed the entire essence of his character. If Mr. Capote is going to be scoffing at anybody, the arrows point to you.

Frivolity, New York is a wonderful city and it is so because of people from everyone like Holly, the captains of industry, the immigrant dishwashers, the village poets, the musicians, etc., and to even people like you. That’s right, you. Don’t rebel against this, revel in it.

After only 2 years in the city, Holly is an editor of a blog that provides nourishment and enjoyment for many and all types of New Yorkers. After admittedly more years in the city, what can you say for yourself? Maybe if what you said was right about the health of our city, maybe this city needs more Hollys.

I would like to just add that I've been here over three years now, and still love this town. Thanks J.J. xoxo,

Holly G

[From The Center Of The Country To The Center Of The Universe] [Old School Reporting At It's Finest]