Title: Alex Beam answers his December hate mail

" Hi I'm Alex beam them columnist of the close living art section. I -- my columns specifically generate hate mail and I'm here to share some of that mail with you."

" Yeah. This is an audio presentation from the Boston Globe."

" In this podcast I'm gonna focus on response to two columns I wrote in mid December of 2006. First one. Was fairly aggressive condemnation of hip hop. And hip hop classes at places like browns Stanford and Harvard. I got a terrific letter from Michael Silverman is professor of modern culture and media. -- With this lead in. -- Alex here veto word from page we still be into brown enough unity meaning we're not brown and Lou Lou clever witnesses and from brown. On that -- blank. -- stands in for about Edward. First of all that -- to abbey G blank we'd both be what guys over forty indeed. We'll so -- certainly right about that I'm -- guys over forty. I read this CV on the line I think he's ultimately felt himself he goes on to make an eloquent point. That great universities like brown which insists on calling page. He says quote students still read their Plato and a hundred or so Fred -- in the singers are doomed remain top of the charts. But also films hip -- marks biblical Hebrew and nano technologies. He says he finishes his letters and it can't simply be a question of serious. Or not high cultural culture it's not want to the other Alex. It's how they interrogate one another that's kind of coastal cities and you speak. Rub off against each other abrasion and -- engine nation. Lots of blank signifying you -- thank you professor so. More on hip hop came from Thomas Arnold who who works somewhere at Harvard and has a huge fan of Cornell west -- my pretty much trashed in this column. West obviously has a record some hip hop and he was seen. Princeton hip hop symposium of all things this guy Arnold. Not a vigorous defense Cornel west was moralist given the -- rush. From his prestigious job as university professor Harvard Larry Summers. Arnold and calls being a student -- Cornel west and he was one of the best professors he ever crisis quote. We not only not only debated Plato but -- critique of Plano we read George Meredith go to Walter Peter and children will whoever he has. And then even more startlingly Arnold goes totally against the -- you know west was not. Not some clown mask rating behind the title of professor of philosophy -- religion. Arnold writes I can no longer sit fine once someone smugly and ignorant easily sling mud -- future. I won't have someone insinuate he's assigning TV shows to watch instead of parading a class as I once heard him do by saying quote. You haven't read TS -- on Hamlet you haven't lived until you've -- TS -- on Hamlet. So that's a serious side of Cornel west and thank you for right. -- here's yet another letter on hip hop act I -- hip hop artist named -- quietly. On but I quoted about three or four lines in which you know four letter words appeared. With astonishing regularity. -- David -- time vicious he wrote me vigorously defending eloquently. Quoting at length of very stirring. Lyrics that he says squarely wrote that I can't go into. In and painful detail but I must say it's it's it's really beautiful piece of poetry is certainly not the one I quoted since I needed to. Darken the reputation probably rather than make him replica. A latter day Gerard Manley Hopkins. Here's unconscious cues. Finishing line tonight could go on but you've probably stopped reading four lines and want fact that -- next time you wish to discuss the subject that you're clearly ignorant of please do little research. -- quality is one of the few rappers today talking about meaningful worth -- worthwhile subject matter. May I suggest you pick up wanted to see these mos Def and eloquently -- blacks are as my personal favorite. Hope either in the morning corporate run on my iPod and thank you for the letter. There's big hoo -- about City Hall Tom Menino suggested moving the whole thing under the seaport area I was the only globe columnist who endorsed. Tearing down City Hall. Which I've always thought is incredibly ugly. I did get a lot of feedback on that some of it positive but don't we don't -- positive feedback from podcast. And the principal praise saps the strength Chris Kent of Rye, New Hampshire wrote to me I love the appearance of City Hall. But I was art student wave back so there you go. He then quite legitimately criticize the system is saying. One immediate intellectual problem with not liking the way it looks is that the clearly uneducated always agree. A sort of support stuck to the bottom of your shoes. There's not a guy hanging off them back to the city trash truck that doesn't share your architectural and -- His moral -- right I took the low road I confess. Here's another great letter trashing my outlook on City Hall I love the first line dear mr. -- You were wrong of course about City Hall it's an excellent building whatever internal space false it may have which are adjustable. This letter goes on and kind of you know gets right into the hole the -- fitness that kind of -- ask apology architectures as quote like."

" Gary buildings as adept at painting yeah. In this instance cubism and this is instantly please and he recognized upon turning the corner into the place. It is an inspiring more of Boston for other cities as much as our our -- university blah blah blah blah I mean I still say character on this guy ends his letter saying. -- of course welcomes your opinion I doubt he means that but it is an ill formed one and hide bound and backward character like this. Fixing inside opened it up to life and join the levels if you wish to do not racquet. That's what -- stuff and belongs back in the woods and some second ranked -- that is uncertain of its identity disdains innovation and history and cannot recognize. Extraordinary set before I stand corrected and thank you for the -- The last letter comes from one woman and Linda who claims to be polish. Extraction and she writes to me quote I must conclude in much pollution Bob she's words that you were quote. In most naughty man I think Bob she must be -- for grandmother. She goes on if you're unfamiliar with polish wit and I'm pretty certain that you are that is something to be taken straight up. Please keep on doing what you do I introduced my seventeen and fifteen year old -- your writing or ranting on occasion so thank you Linda. Thank you for calling me the most naughty man I'm humbled by the words of your publisher Bob sheets. And thank you for reading confuse voters come."