EDDIE DEAN: RE THAT LINE

you consider to be journalism that appeared in the Washington City Paper on Feb. 23 (“The Great Square Dance Conspiracy”). The table of contents read: “Square dance of the macabre.” If you had any education at all you probably might have come up with a line that made more sense. Perhaps you meant the antonym (look it up). Grotesque, gory, gruesome, hideous, or morbid? It took an idiot like yourself to conjure up something this idiotic.

To take something like square dancing, which is a healthy family activity, and come in with a line like that is more than witless. As I recall, you must lump your family into this category as well. When I invited you to come to the Village Swingers, I also invited your family. Your daughter was singing and dancing and laughing with us. I guess by association that makes her all of the above. Your wife and mother-in-law from Argentina had a great time at the dance. I even saw them dancing to the music. I even saw you clapping to the music in the back of the room. My, my, Dean, were you so over come by evil that you were mystified?

You begin your poison-pen article by talking about “gaudy costumes.” Your wife, your mother-in-law, and you daughter enjoyed them very much. Again, what does this mean? Then you ramble on and use the phrase, “It may not look like a coven….” Do you even know what words you are using? Your so-called journalistic vocabulary has taken a vacation. Now then, let us reason your term, “giddy geezers.” I guess 7- and 10-year-olds fit into this category. Or was it because we had three generations of a square dance family there.

Then there is “mind control”

and “cult leader.” What an idiot you are, Dean.

Those “Howdy Doody grins” that you speak of are the same ones that your wife, mother-in-law, and daughter were seen emulating. Then you really fall six cents short of a dime when you get onto your pedestal and begin ranting about fascism, Stalinism, and Nazi Germany in your article. I don’t need to tell you how ignorant you not only appear to be, but surely must be to make this kind of venomous statement.

Remember, Dean, I invited you to this dance, and you and your family stayed for two hours. How painful it must have been for you not being with your drinking buddies at Glen Echo. I guess you came dressed as you would going out there. You were totally disheveled. I was embarrassed to introduce you. But you were true to your dress code. Your article and your personal appearance are on the same scale. Perhaps if you tried real hard to acquire a little class you might find that the world is not demonized. You do have a problem, Dean. Maybe you are the one that is macabre.

We are proud of what we do for the community and we are proud to be Americans.

General Chairmen,

49th National Square Dance Convention

Greenbelt, Md