letters to the editor # 4

(And probably the last for the day...)

This one goes in the Self Promotion category. From the Metro News of Canada:

Signature selling is a service
Re: Autograph sellers "ruin" hobby (July 5), Stephen Selby’s letter to the editor:

I am one of the people credited for ruining the hobby of autograph collecting in Mr. Selby’s letter.

With all due respect to Mr. Selby, it is not people like me ruining the hobby, but rather the people that are sitting at home forging the signatures and selling them to an uneducated public who are destroying this hobby.

I am simply providing an honest service for those people who wish to own an authentic signature of their favourite personality and do not have the means nor the time to do it themselves.

Think of me as a middle-man.

For example, the Rolling Stones do not, through any sanctioned, officially licensed channels, offer any signed product for sale. As a result of this – whether they or Mr. Selby want to acknowledge it or not –there is a great demand for their autographs. I am simply there to fill this niche in the market.

Aside from the very few people in this business who acquire authentic autographs at the same level as I do, the bulk of the autographs sold in this market are fake.

I provide a service and at the same time try to educate as many consumers as possible about the state of this business so they will not get taken by purchasing a forgery. I would like to think of myself as one of the few good guys, trying to source out new customers who can appreciate authenticity and understand that it comes with a price tag.

Brad Byrne, Toronto

It's just someone's name on a piece of paper, people. I say destroy this hobby!

worm "I Don't Blame You," Cat Power

namecheck Richard "Out of Town" Butner