Line #42 Main/StronglyWordedLetter


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11	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/ProblemSleuth https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/strongly_worded_2216.png]]]]
12
13	->''"My favourite thing in the Sun, ever, is the Sun's letters page, 'Dear Sun', where you tell Britain what you think. Not just any thought though, like 'move arm now' or 'eat breakfast this morning' -- preferably a thought that might inspire some hatred and antipathy towards people that are slightly different."''
14	-->-- '''Creator/RussellBrand''', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1uhmnNnmL8 here]]
15
16	The protagonist has had enough. This is the last straw. That [[TheEmpire evil empire's]] in for it now. They're going to... write a strongly worded letter?
17
18	An attempt at some brave or heroic action that falls ludicrously short. When played for laughs, it's often applied to timid or nerdy characters who mean well but aren't prepared to do anything useful. When played for drama, it designates a character who ''ought'' to be one of the good guys but who places too much faith in "the proper authorities" and will likely hinder the heroes by insisting they do so too.
19
20	Often a satire of diplomats. Of course, if the diplomat has a strong country behind them, this actually isn't so weak.
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22	Compare PokeThePoodle, the villainous version. Contrast DisproportionateRetribution as a switcheroo of this. If someone, good or bad, does this before or after doing something of ''actual'' significance, it may be a CallingCard.
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24	----
25	!!Examples:
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27	[[foldercontrol]]
28
29	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
30	* ''Manga/PopTeamEpic'': The one-off gag superhero Twitter Bitching Man solves problems by making strongly-worded tweets about them. When a person notices a mother not paying attention to her child in the subway, he's summoned into the subway car to make a complaint.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Comedy]]
34	* Peter Cook's character Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling says of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII: "Absolutely ghastly business. I was completely against it." ("Well, I think we all were.") "Yes, well, I wrote a letter."
35	* Glen "That Canadian Guy" Foster has mocked this in one of his routines: "What will happen if we print these words? Oh! We'll get letters! [[SarcasmMode Oh my god, more words with paragraphs and punctuation! Aaah!]]"
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Comic Books]]
39	* Played straight in the early issue of ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'' to a villain that has just turned Moscow into a charnel house. The U.N. ups the response by blatantly cough not sending in a kill squad.
40	* One of the habits of the Swedish superhero Kapten Stofil ("Captain Geezer"). Many of his first adventures end with [[AuthorAvatar his civilian alter ego]] writing one. However, as a superhero [[SubvertedTrope he is so good at it that supervillains fear them!]]. And the superhero group he is a member of, ''Vänner Av Ordning'', has a name that not just is a pun on the Franchise/{{Justice League\|of America}} (it means "Friends of Order") - it also reflects the standard signature of a Strongly Worded Letter. ''The Concerned Citizens'' might be a good translation.
41	* In a ''[[Magazine/{{Mad}} MAD Magazine]]'' parody comic from the late 80s, [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Captain Picard]] is unfavorably portrayed as the kind of diplomat who'd ask Starfleet to send a strongly-worded letter to the Klingons... while they're firing on the Enterprise.
42	* [[http://www.punchcartoons.com/images/M/1935.08.14.183.jpg This]] ''Magazine/{{Punch}}'' cartoon from 1935, satirising the League of Nations.
43	* In the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' story 'Bedtime For Drainhead', Luigi tells the sleep-deprived Mario (fresh from a 72-hour-long reading marathon of his Dirk Drainhead comics) that Toad has been kidnapped by King Koopa.
44	-->'''Luigi:''' And you know what we're gonna do, don't you?\
45	'''Mario:''' Write a strongly worded letter to the ''Mushroom Times''... in the morning!
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Fan Works]]
49	* ''Fanfic/HowFriendshipAccidentallySavedMagicalBritain'': The shard of Tom Riddle bound to the Diary Horcrux gets so fed up with Lockhart after months of reading the twins' complaints about him in the Diary that he convinces them to transcribe a six foot long scroll of hate mail on Tom's behalf and anonymously send it to Lockhart. Lockhart tries to destroy it, but Fred and George knew this would happen and charmed it [[ClingyMacguffin to always return to Lockhart in perfect condition no matter how he tries to destroy or dispose of it]], and to also float behind him around the school reading aloud choice quotes from the letter in Lockhart's own voice.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
53	* In ''WesternAnimation/ChristmasCarolTheMovie'', after her boss is arrested for failing to pay a debt, Belle writes to Scrooge asking for leniency. The mice spend much of the movie trying to get him to read said letter.
54	* Discussed in ''WesternAnimation/MaryAndMax'', as Max tells her that he often writes such letters about local issues.
55	* In ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMeetsTheBooBrothers'', Sheriff Buzby's reaction to Billy Bob's RecklessGunUsage shooting off the belt to his pants (but doing no damage, aside from causing the sheriff's pants to drop) is to threaten to write the hillbilly a citation. Billy Bob ignores him and shoots out the flashing lights on his car, at which point Buzby retreats, vowing that when he comes back, he'll give Billy Bob ''two'' tickets.
56	* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/SnoopyComeHome'' where due to a new "No Dogs Allowed" law, Snoopy couldn't go to the beach, so he returns home and has Woodstock dictate a letter to The Editor in protest over this law that gets mailed off.
57	[[/folder]]
58
59	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
60	* In ''Film/BlazingSaddles'', Harriet Johnson reads a telegram she has written to the governor, expressing Rock Ridge's discontent with Bart, the new sheriff. At first, she starts off in a soft tone, much to the discontent of everyone, but soon after, her voice matches the strength in her letter:
61	-->'''Harriet:''' ''We, the white, God-fearing citizens of Rock Ridge'' wish to express our extreme displeasure with your choice of sheriff. Please remove him immediately. (''everyone cheers'') The fact that you have sent him here just goes to prove that you are the leading [[PrecisionFSTrike asshole]] in the state. (''everyone cheers louder'')
62	* ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'' has Creator/WoodyAllen in Central America, threatening an angry letter to The Times, as he's stood before a firing squad.
63	* ''Film/ACivilAction'' had an unintentional subversion: the movie was about a corporation that polluted and caused illnesses, and the climax was the good lawyer writing a letter.
64	* ''Film/GetOnTheBus'' has a variation. One of the black men on the bus relates an anecdote about how he got in deep trouble with his white mother, causing her to lecture him. The rest of the black men are unimpressed, saying their mothers would have surely beaten them for the same offense.
65	* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'': The Nova Corps's official response to Ronan the Accuser's rampage is to contact the Kree government and request that they issue a statement condemning his actions. They don't even demand anything, they just ''ask'' for the Kree to do the most minimal thing possible. And the Nova Corps is supposedly the side that won the war.
66	* Marmee does this in response to Amy's teacher striking her with a ruler in the film version of ''Literature/LittleWomen.''
67	-->'''Jo:''' A letter? [[SarcasmMode That'll show him!]]
68	* Mentioned in ''Film/MonkeyBusiness'' when racketeer Alky Briggs catches Groucho with his wife.
69	-->'''Groucho:''' "Sir, this is an outrage, breaking into a man's home! I'm not one to make idle threats, but they'll be a letter in the Times tomorrow morning."
70	* ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' had UN inspector Hans Blix and Kim Jong-il have this exchange;
71	-->'''Hans:''' I'm sorry, but I must be firm with you. Let me see your whole palace ''or else!''\
72	'''Kim Jong-il:''' Or erse ''what''?\
73	'''Hans:''' Or else, we will be very, ''very'' angry with you... And we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are!
74	* James Cameron's ''Film/Titanic1997''.
75	-->'''Jack:''' I don't know about you, but I intend to go write a strongly worded letter [[GallowsHumor to the White Star Line]] about all this.
76	* ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' has a variation. After discovering that his wife was caught playing Patty-Cake with another man, Roger Rabbit in a drunken stupor vows that he and his wife will be happy before running out. The next day, the man that was playing Patty-Cake was found having been killed by a safe dropping on his head and all evidence points to Roger, however as it turned out Roger wasn't the guilty party because after leaving the office he went to his wifes' apartment and had wrote her a love letter in hopes of winning back his wife.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Jokes]]
80	* "[[ClusterFBomb Go fuck yourself, you fucking fuckhead! Strongly worded letter to follow.]]
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Literature]]
84	* '' Literature/AdrianMole'': There are many of these in the books, as letter-writing is Adrian's preferred method of communication with many people.
85	** In ''Growing Pains'', Adrian writes a series of goodbye letters to the people in his life just before he runs away from home, including a scathing one to his headmaster Mr Scruton, asking him if he knows that his nickname is "Pop-Eye". Later, Adrian is extremely worried about this, and a psychologist promises to write to Mr Scruton to inform him that Adrian was under great stress at the time.
86	** Also in ''Growing Pains'', Adrian has been entrusted with looking after the Braithwaites' house while they are on holiday, and he comes across a strongly worded letter from Ivan Braithwaite tendering his resignation from the local Labour party. Seeing a stamped addressed envelope nearby, Adrian posts the letter; unfortunately, Mr Braithwaite had written it, but decided not to post it.
87	** In ''Wilderness Years'', Adrian writes a short and scathing letter of resignation to his manager Mr Brown. He writes "for the attention of Mr Brown", stares at it for a full hour, then puts it under his blotting pad. Later, while away from his desk, he finds that somebody has delivered the letter, and his resignation has been accepted, and he is ordered to leave the premises immediately. He never finds out who delivered the letter.
88	** In ''Wilderness Years'', Adrian receives a strongly worded letter from John Tydeman at the BBC, telling him he has more neck than a giraffe, after Adrian has contacted him once too many about his manuscript, finally asking him to photocopy it for free.
89	** In ''Wilderness Years'', Adrian receives a short letter peppered with F-words from Barry Kent, after he has suggested that Barry funds Glenn's education at Eton; then, it was not known whether Glenn was Barry's or Adrian's son.
90	** In ''Weapons of Mass Destruction'', Adrian struggles massively with writing a letter to end his relationship with Marigold Flowers. Daisy takes charge, and sends him her draft of an extremely strong letter, which horrifies Adrian.
91	* In the ''Literature/BlandingsCastle'' series, the Duke of Dunstable is "a great writer of letters to the ''Times''", and the Government "could not move a step without hearing from him". Given the Duke's character, such letters could not fail to be strongly worded.
92	* Literature/{{Discworld}}:
93	** ''Literature/InterestingTimes'': LaResistance does this to rebel against the emperor. As the China stand-in, they have to have revolutionary elements, but as the ''feudal'' Japan stand-in, they're just too deferential to go through with it, instead shouting slogans like "we humbly suggest reasonable change within a respectable time frame if that's not too much to ask!"
94	** "Gently Push Over The Forces Of Oppression!" Rincewind gets so frustrated with it that he suggests "Slightly Bad Things Please Happen To Our Enemies!"
95	** ''Literature/MonstrousRegiment'' has Nuggan, a god who is described by a diplomat as the divine counterpart of the kind of person who constantly sends such letters to the editor signing off as "Disgusted of Ankh-Morpork". (See "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" in RealLife, below.) [[AnalogyBackfire This was supposed to convince Sam Vimes that Nuggan is not actually insane.]]
96	** In ''Literature/TheTruth'', William notes that most of the type of people who write these to newspapers are nuts and/or prejudiced in some way, e.g. an old lady who hates all young people and a letter [[FantasticRacism complaining about dwarves]]. While William says not to print it, Goodmountain, who ''is'' a dwarf, says ''to'' print it, and when someone writes in to object to the complaint, to print his letter too. He thinks it'll help bring attention to the newspaper.
97	* Mr. Tyler, neighbor of Adam Young in ''Literature/GoodOmens'' and Tadfield's resident busybody, who will send a very angry letter to the local newspaper about all these young trouble-makers riding motorcycles, littering his lawn, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick driving burning cars]], just you wait.
98	-->''Not for R. P. Tyler the soapbox, the polemic verse, the broadsheet. R. P. Tyler's chosen forum was the letter column of the ''Tadfield Advertiser''. If a neighbour's tree was inconsiderate enough to shed leaves into R. P. Tyler's garden, R. P. Tyler would first carefully sweep them all up, place them in boxes, and leave the boxes outside his neighbour's front door, with a stern note. Then he would write a letter to the ''Tadfield Advertiser''. If he sighted teenagers sitting on the village green, their portable cassette players playing, and they were enjoying themselves, he would take it upon himself to point out to them the error of their ways. And after he had fled their jeering, he would write to the ''Tadfield Advertiser'' on the Decline of Morality and the Youth of Today.''
99	:: He writes so many, in fact, that the newspaper does not have the room to print all of them. This prompts another letter on the degeneracy of the newspaper industry.
100	** In the [[Series/GoodOmens TV series]], Aziraphale tells Crowley that he avoided miracling his way out of being executed during the ReignOfTerror because Gabriel sent him a stern note about him using his powers too much. Later on, Crowley references that by pointing out that Hell doesn't limit itself to a stern note when his superiors are unhappy with him.
101	* In the world of ''Franchise/HarryPotter'', Howlers are what happen if you could hear the voice of the writer of said Strongly Worded Letter: open them and they scream the message's content at the recipient as loudly as possible. Then Molly Weasley writes one to Ron. The longer you go without opening the Howler, the louder it will shout the message, and if you don't open it immediately, it will ''explode''. And ''still'' shout the message, amplified tenfold.
102	* Literature/HonorHarrington:
103	** ''Storm From The Shadows]]'': The Manticorans send several letters of varying [[BuffySpeak strongly-worded-ness]]. Mind you, the first such letter is delivered by a division of destroyers [[spoiler: which are destroyed by a squadron of Solarian League Navy warships after a misunderstanding several days later.]] The second such letter, much more strongly worded and in response to the spoilered-out incident, is delivered personally by a Vice Admiral in command of a squadron of battlecruisers. Rather than accept this letter, the Solarian Admiral moves his squadron to engage the smaller Manticoran unit. [[spoiler: After the Admiral's ship is destroyed long before his ships can get close enough to fire at the Manticoran warships, the [[YouAreInCommandNow new commander]] of the Solarian squadron chooses to accept the letter]]. The ''third'' letter is being delivered by only one destroyer, but after what happened after the delivery of the first letter, and given that the destroyer finds [[spoiler: a ridiculously large fleet of Solarian Super Dreadnoughts they decide [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere to turn around and go home]] to report what they've found before announcing themselves.]]
104	** ''War of Honor'': diplomatic notes from the Republic of Haven become more and more strongly worded as the current Manticoran Government deliberately strings them along. It doesn't help that other parties were deliberately altering some of the diplomatic notes to aid in this.
105	* In Creator/PGWodehouse's ''Literature/JeevesAndWooster'' novel ''Literature/ThankYouJeeves'', Bertie Wooster is giving ''serious'' contemplation of threatening to write one of these to the Times when the local busybody policeman yet again bangs on the door of Bertie's rented cottage in the middle of the night. Only it turns out it's not the policeman this time, and so the whole matter is dropped.
106	* In ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'', Captain Cully requests that one of his men sing a song of Cully's heroics. The musician later angrily gets up and reveals that, rather than valiantly fighting off the three villains in the song, he wrote them a letter - which he didn't even sign.
107	* In ''[[Literature/NewJediOrder Rebel Stand]]'', the cast is looking over new developments in the war. Since the book is written by Creator/AaronAllston, they snark constantly.
108	-->'''Wedge:''' I don't like this notion of dovin basal mines that pursue you.\
109	'''Han:''' Me neither. I'm going to draft a strongly-worded letter to the Yuuzhan Vong high commander and insist he stop using them.
110	* The Creator/DonaldWestlake book ''Put a Lid On It'' has a political crony confidently (or rather over-confidently) declare that he's put a stop to a crooked political donor's efforts to sabotage the president's burglary operation (something affecting millions of dollars and all kinds of political favors) by threatening to revoke his invitation to the inaugural ball.
111	* In Creator/KeithLaumer's ''Literature/{{Retief}}'' stories, the diplomats of the ''Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne'' (Terran Diplomatic Corps) often spoke of sending strongly worded messages instead of taking effective action. Of course, these "strongly worded letters" are often delivered by the biggest, most powerful warships in the galaxy.
112	* In A P Herbert's poem ''[[http://laudatortemporisacti.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/saviours.html The Saviours]]'', this is what Sir Thingummy Jig, Admiral Bunkum and the Duke of Doodledoo spend their days doing.
113	* In the ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' case "The Adventure of the Second Stain", a letter written by an unnamed European leader to Britain is described as being so inflammatory that its public release would lead to war. The British Government, wanting cooler heads to prevail and to avoid war, want Holmes to recover the missing letter before it can be put in the hands of third parties who would gain advantage by war. Holmes writes his guess of the leader in question and passes it unrevealed to the client, who admits that's who it is. [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany It's not difficult to figure out who it's supposed to be.]]
114	* Admiral from ''Literature/WingsOfFire'' wants to convince [[TheEmpire the [=HiveWings=]]] to better the condition of [=SilkWings=] like him, and is content with his position as a glorified prisoner since he thinks it gives him the power to create reforms this way. The problem is that all of his suggested reforms are laughably small and only humored by the authorities. Talking to Admiral makes Blue, TheHero of the book where Admiral appears, realize how complacent his own idea of changing the world is.
115	* In Charlotte [=MacLeod=]'s novel ''The Withdrawing Room'', one of the new boarders is a prolific generator of letters to the papers about what was wrong with everybody and everything in and around Boston.
116	-->If [any of a number of minor issues arise], Barnwell Augustus Quiffen would leap to take pen in hand and regret to inform.
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
120	* ''Series/Babylon5'' has a case of a note of protest actually being regarded as a sign of how seriously the sender takes a matter -- the Vorlons practically never take any interest in the concerns of younger races (openly, anyway), to the point of often not even bothering to show up to the Babylon 5 council, so even if it doesn't stop the perpetrators, them filing an official protest against [[spoiler: the Centauri bombardment of Narn using mass drivers, in direct and open violation of treaties banning mass drivers]] is something people notice.
121	* Part of the regular SelfDeprecation on the ''Series/TheBasilBrushShow''.
122	-->'''Basil:''' Our [[NoFourthWall viewers have very active imaginations]]! And colourful language to match. According to the letters we get.
123	** Amusingly, it so happens that Basil's original StraightMan from the first series was one Creator/DerekFowlds, who would go on to play Bernard in ''Series/YesMinister''.
124	* In one episode of ''Series/BlackBooks'', they are building very noisily next door to Bernard's shop and will continue doing so for two weeks, leading to this exchange:
125	-->'''Bernard:''' I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll write a letter to the council.\
126	'''Fran:''' Wh-what are you gonna say?\
127	'''Bernard:''' I'll say: "Dear Council, please don't build beside us for the next two weeks."\
128	'''Manny:''' Yeah, but what if that doesn't work?\
129	'''Fran:''' Yeah, yeah, what are you gonna do if that doesn't work?\
130	'''Bernard:''' You wanna know what I'll do?\
131	'''Manny:''' Yeah!\
132	'''Bernard:''' I will... drink heavily and shout at you!\
133	'''Manny:''' Yeah, but I won't be able to hear you, will I? Because I'll be living in Drillsville!\
134	'''Bernard:''' Well, then I'll write you a letter as well!
135	* ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie'':
136	** In the last series, a very drawn-out version of their typical "vox pops" scenes had a woman played by Laurie threatening to write "a very stiff letter... on cardboard."
137	** Another sketch involves Laurie's character attempting to convince a psychiatrist played by Fry that he was mad. To Laurie's annoyance, the psychiatrist refuses to believe that he's anything other than eccentric, and he announces that he'll be writing a very stiff letter to the Daily Mail about this. ''That'' gets the psychiatrist's attention.
138	* A recurring character in the last season of ''Series/TheChasersWarOnEverything'' was an angry letter writer who would watch the show, waiting for something offensive to happen so he could write a Strongly Worded Letter to Creator/TheABC. He was never disappointed.
139	* On one episode of ''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart'', Samantha Bee warns that people who anger the Canadian government "might find themselves on the business end of a very sharply worded letter."
140	* Rare serious example: in ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'', the local residents of Deadwood publish a strongly worded letter in the local paper calling CorruptCorporateExecutive, BigBad, and all-around evil George Hearst to task. Resident throat-cutter Al Swearengen remarks on what a strange decision it is, but everyone seems to agree that it's the ''right'' decision even if they realize that it's not an ''effective'' one.
141	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
142	** During "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS11E4TheMonsterOfPeladon The Monster of Peladon]]," the ambassador from Alpha Centauri threatens to make their displeasure known by sending an official communication to the Galatic Federation. This is during the middle of an armed uprising against the government.
143	** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath City of Death]]", the Doctor tells Duggan that if he knocks anyone else out, extreme measures will be taken...like asking him not to.
144	* From ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'': "I sent him a very angry letter, with, like, five frownie faces."
145	* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' has done this a few times. One time he got his way by accident, but since he was still deluded that this trope was the proper way, he still didn't consider it a victory.
146	* A DoubleSubversion occurs on ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' when Rose sends a letter to Gorbachev about nuclear disarmament. She actually receives a response from him, saying he would like to hold a press conference with her, but just before the conference starts Rose finds out that Gorbachev thought a little girl wrote the letter.
147	* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'':
148	** Referenced in "The Book of Dougs". After a frustrating meeting with the Good Place Committee, Michael declares "the Titanic is sinking, and they're writing a strongly worded letter to the iceberg!"
149	** During season 4, the Good Place Committee return, and this time they ''literally'' draft up a sternly worded letter regarding [[spoiler:the Judge erasing all human life]]. Then they decide stern is ''too much'', and the guy writing it quits forever.
150	* Crossed with IrrevocableMessage, from ''Series/TheHoneymooners''. The "Lost Episode" "Letter to the Boss." Ralph thinks he's been fired after being told to turn in his uniform, so he dictates to Norton a hilariously hostile letter where he calls his boss JJ Marshall a "dirty bum" and a "miserable lowlife" and that he "ought to turn in" his "membership card to the human race." Ralph tells Norton to sign it "Respectfully yours, et cetera et cetera." Later, Ralph finds out from a higher-up at the bus company that he's been promoted to traffic manager. Ralph is thrilled but remembers the letter so he and Norton have to run off and find it before Ralph's boss sees it. Oh, and Norton ACTUALLY SIGNED the letter "Et cetera, et cetera."
151	* In an early ''Series/MadTV1995'' sketch, "Annie Ho" (a gangsta film as written and directed by Creator/WoodyAllen), a neurotic gangsta on the way to a drive-by shooting asks his colleagues, "Do we really have to kill this guy? Can't we just send him a nasty note?"
152	* In one episode of ''Series/MamasFamily'' when Vint finds out that he's been laid off, Iola decides to write a "scathing letter" to his company.
153	-->'''Iola:''' And believe you me, they are ''not'' getting the floral stationery!
154	* The fondness of the English for these was parodied multiple times in ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' with sketches containing letters complaining about the sketches (and in some cases the previous letter).
155	* ''Series/MrShow'' has a brief sketch involving Bob and David trying to incite their viewers to send them hate mail. The show cuts to a man played by David writing a letter in which he never gets to the thing he's angry about. "I have ''never''... ''ever''... ''never''... ''[[{{Angrish}} nevenevenev]]''..."
156	* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': In "Stuffed Gopher", Mr. Conklin thinks he's going to be fired as principal from Madison High School. He writes a strongly-worded letter of resignation to Mr. Stone, the head of the school board.
157	* Used in ''Series/RedDwarf'' when Rimmer, after having his anger sucked out by a polymorph that feeds on human emotions, suggests that they defeat the creature by hitting it "hard and fast" with a "major leaflet campaign... And if that's not enough, then I'm sorry, it's time for the t-shirts".
158	** And in "The Beginning", Rimmer starts writing a strongly worded letter to Geneva complaining that the simulants are violating Treaty 5 as said simulants are launching a barrage of photon mutilators at the Starbug. [[spoiler: Subverted when it turns out that he's intentionally baiting them as part of a trap.]]
159	* In an episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', Turk and J.D. believe a nurse has got their patient's file confused with someone else's. J.D. insists on taking the lead in confronting her, and Turk asks if he's going to write one of his strongly worded letters. J.D. replies that he's not because he doesn't have his thesaurus. It's not clear if Turk realises what a lame response the letter would be, or thinks it's going ''too far''.
160	* In the "Smile" episode of ''Series/SpinCity,'' this is Carter's first response to someone parking a bicycle in his spot while Stuart mocks his diplomatic approach. When the bike's there again, however, Stuart eggs him on to mow the thing down.
161	* One episode of ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' has Cody suggesting writing one of these to the city council in order to prevent a park from being bulldozed.
162	* The habit of even serious news programs actually ''asking'' people to send these, at its height during the Web 2.0 / User Generated Content boom but still very much a thing, was lampooned by both ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook'' - "You may not know anything about the issue, but I bet you ''reckon'' something, so why not tell us what you reckon?" ([[https://youtu.be/OQnd5ilKx2Y?t=6 Link here]]) and, most notably, by {{Series/Newsnight}} host Jeremy Paxman, who did a very similarly dismissive take on giving out the Newsnight contact address at the end of one broadcast.
163	* ''Series/ThreesCompany'': In "Out on a Limb," a food critic comes into Jack's Bistro, takes a quick bite, and leaves, causing Jack to worry that the critic hated the food and is going to give him a bad review. Larry suggests that Jack send the critic an angry letter, with Janet typing it. Larry starts the letter with "Dear Sleazebucket," and it goes downhill from there.[[note]]Jack and Janet ask Larry how he could come up with such a hostile letter off the top of his head like that. He says it was easy because he got the exact same letter that morning at the used-car dealership.[[/note]] Of course, the critic loved the food and gives Jack a great review, so the gang has to [[IrrevocableMessage retrieve the letter before the critic can see it]]. Oh, and Janet actually toned it down.
164	* ''Series/TheTonightShow'': A common additional punchline to DudeNotFunny jokes about current events told by Jay Leno was for Leno to mime writing a letter while muttering "Dear Mr. Leno, I just saw your recent show and..."
165	* A Morris Marina Owners Club member's reaction upon the wanton destruction of Morris Marinas in ''Series/TopGear'' was:
166	-->"I will send you an e-mail, and I don't care if you don't read it!"
167	* In an episode of ''Series/UglyBetty'' when Betty [[UnsuspectinglySoused is high on toad venom]] [[ItMakesSenseInContext from a spiked bottle of perfume]] and acting irrationally, she makes the decision to finally stand up to Gio (a sandwich vendor who she finds irritating but has UnresolvedSexualTension with)... by writing him a strongly worded note.
168	* In the "Summer" episode of ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley,'' David Horton writes one of these to the water company that is actually not very strong at all. Subverted by [[spoiler: Geraldine's letter, an excerpt of which is "Dear Mr. Useless Babboon's Bottom, It might interest you to know that down our way, you're about as popular as Judas Iscariot at a disciple reunion." It is also implied that she uses the word "dickhead" (or "dick-head, as she's unsure if there's a hyphen.]]
169	* This was a standard response by Sir Humphrey of ''Series/YesMinister'' fame to diplomatic niggles, on one occasion saying it had not yet been sent because they had not secured an agreement from the people they were sending it to on how strongly worded it would be.
170	** Used in ''Series/YesPrimeMinister'' when discussing how to deal with the leader of a local council.
171	--->'''Sir Humphrey:''' Have you considered a strongly worded letter?\
172	'''Jim Hacker:''' And get an even more strongly worded letter back? Copied to all the newspapers? I think not, Humphrey.
173	* Parodied in one instance on ''Series/TheYoungOnes'':
174	-->'''Rik:''' I'm going to write to my MP!\
175	'''Neil:''' You don't have an MP, Rik. You're an anarchist.\
176	'''Rik:''' Well, then I'm going to write to the lead singer of Music/EchoAndTheBunnymen!
177	[[/folder]]
178
179	[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
180	* When ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' writes the governor to complain about prison overcrowding, the governor sends a convicted murderer to live with him for "thirty or forty years."
181	-->'''Dilbert:''' Ooh! I am so tempted to [[ComicallyMissingThePoint fire off another letter]] over this!!\
182	'''Dogbert:''' [[SarcasmMode Yeah! "Postage due" this time!]]
183	[[/folder]]
184
185	[[folder:Radio]]
186	* Characters on ''Radio/TheGoonShow'' would often threaten to write an angry letter to ''The Times'' when being robbed, kidnapped, having their country invaded, being hit by a batter pudding, etc. This being ''The Goon Show'', this is often treated as actually being a credible threat. On one occasion, when Neddie Seagoon tried to write a letter to the papers complaining about his hands being tied behind his back, Grytpype-Thynne attempts to throw them off the scent by substituting a "Dear sir, today I heard the first cuckoo" letter.
187	* ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'': The letters from Mrs. Trellis of North Wales would sometimes veer into this territory; not helped by the fact that she was often unaware of exactly what programme she was writing to.
188	* ''Radio/TheKevinAndBeanShow'': Much comedy fodder is made out of Bean's habit of writing strongly worded letters to various people and institutions for trivial grievances. He's also carried this over into social media, where he'll tweet at people for such crimes as getting the name of Daylight Saving Time wrong.
189	* ''Radio/TheMarkSteelSolution'' had a recurring character, [[GrumpyOldMan Mr. Cul-de-sac]], who was constantly writing absurd letters of complaint to anyone and everyone. He would always end by reading one he'd started, that went "Why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why..." before admitting that "That's as far as I've got with that one, but it's coming along, don't you think!?"
190	* On ''Radio/TheNewsQuiz'', Sandi sometimes reacts to controversial gags with "Oh, there'll be letters!"
191	[[/folder]]
192
193	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
194	* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'': the player characters' godlike powers are such that if they do this right, ''[[BrownNote it can actually kill people.]]'' Which is actually [[SerialEscalation at the low end of the scale]]. The lore mentions a letter that [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu that made a primordial god have an emotional breakdown that lasted a hundred years,]] completely destroying its ability to take part in the fighting.
195	* ''[[TabletopGame/MageTheAscension Sorcerer]]'' mentions this as a potential way of delivering a curse; strongly-worded ''emails'' are an option for the more [[MagicPoweredPseudoscience tech-savvy sorcerer]].
196	[[/folder]]
197
198	[[folder:Video Games]]
199	* In ''VideoGame/{{Anachronox}}'', the rulers of Planet Democratus respond this way to an alien invasion.
200	* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn'' has an implicit subversion in the backstory: take a look at the entry for the UN under real life, then realize that in the ''Tiberian'' continuity, the UN for years appeared to be exactly as in real life while secretly having (and ''using'') a black-ops team to "solve problems."
201	* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', a [[BloodMagic blood mage]] who assisted in taking over the Circle of Magi tries to justify her actions by saying Andraste, the prophet of the game's main religion, changed the world through violent rebellion against the Tevinter Imperium. "She didn't write them a strongly-worded letter," the mage says.
202	* Played straight in ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptunia'', where Neptune and her friends send a series of threatening letters as a tactic to lure out [[spoiler:Arfoire,]] Overlord Momus' messenger and separate her from a group of extremists she's leading. The plan actually works, but for a reason none of them expected - because Neptune [[AccidentalMisnaming misspelled Momus' name as "Overlord Moron"]].
203	* In ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', the gun-toting rebels of Lungfishopolis plan to fight against their tyrannical monster overlord by distributing pamphlets. Not precisely a letter, but equally unimpressive.
204	* In ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'', this is Sam's reaction to discovering that his office is located a few doors down from the ''gateway to hell''.
205	-->Our condo association is going to be receiving a letter about ''this''.
206	[[/folder]]
207
208	[[folder:Webcomics]]
209	* [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=180 "I'm writing this note to your mother, telling her everything!"]] Part of ''Webcomic/HarkAVagrant'''s on-going fun with Canadian stereotypes.
210	* In ''WebComic/Level30Psychiatry'' Gardevoir and Slippy get attacked by head crabs in the middle of a session. Gardevoir's response:
211	-->'''Gardevoir:''' ''Black Mesa is going to receive another strongly worded letter about this.''
212	* Aram in ''Webcomic/MenInHats'': [[http://www.meninhats.com/d/20030815.html "Don't worry, I'll show him who's boss... THROUGH E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE!"]]
213	* In the ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' prequel-book ''Start Of Darkness'', Redcloak vows to fire off one these to the Inter-Humanoid Council after his carefully-planned raid is preempted by some Lizard-people. On-going events ''probably'' cause him to drop the idea, but this ''is'' Redcloak we're talking about here.
214	* In ''Webcomic/{{Polandball}}'', this is the UN's most common reaction to atrocities (well, other than complete indifference). It is occasionally done by other countries and multinational organisations as well.
215	* A MundaneMadeAwesome version of this occurred in ''Webcomic/ProblemSleuth'', where the titular character uses a [[{{BFG}} mystical automatic rifle]] that turns into a typewriter to author a strongly-worded letter to the final boss... and then ''fires'' it out of the gun for massive damage. It's an [[RunningGag "Unpleasant Note"]], to be exact. Complete with grammatical errors, name-calling, and a nasty sketch. This is the culmination of Problem Sleuth's series-long gag of AggressiveNegotiations, where typical diplomatic solutions for him are a DeadlyEuphemism for shooting something to gibs.
216	* Completely inverted in ''Webcomic/RoguesOfClwydRhan'', where grown men would commit suicide rather than receive a strongly-worded letter from Queen Elspeth.
217	* Subverted in ''Webcomic/SandraAndWoo'' by Yuna [[http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2013/06/20/0492-yuna-has-the-atom-bomb/ here.]] When a teacher during a 'Bullying Prevention Day' lesson asks her how she'd deal with incessant chicanery, and Yuna replies that she'd get out her pencil, the teacher immediately assumes that she would send a Strongly Worded Letter to a teacher or maybe the principal. Nope. Yuna's the daughter of an ex-Special Forces operative and a former south-east Asian [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized rebel]], who named their kids after characters from ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' and gave them combat training to match. [[Film/TheDarkKnight How 'bout a magic trick?]] [[EyeScream I'm gonna make this pencil disappear...]]
218	* Occurs multiple times in ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary''
219	** Once [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20060115.html the Fleetmind starts interfering in governments:]]
220	--->'''President Mancala:''' I'll send you the full report. This kind of opportunistic militarism cannot be tolerated. The United Nations of Sol and allied planetary Governments will not stand idly by while sovereign galactic powers are overthrown, crushed, or assimilated by the Fleetmind.\
221	'''Ambassador Breya:''' What's our plan, Mister President? Do I need to deliver a declaration of war, and then withdraw the embassy?\
222	'''President Mancala:''' Don't be ridiculous. Your job is to lodge a protest, using the strongest possible diplomatic language.\
223	'''Ambassador Breya:''' Ah. And how is that different from "standing idly by?"\
224	'''President Mancala:''' If we were standing idly by, we would not be lodging a protest.\
225	'''Ambassador Breya:''' Wow. We are fearsome.
226	** And just to rub it in:
227	--->'''Note:''' The League of Galactics is a millennia-old body of diplomats and other ne'er-do-wells representing almost two hundred thousand different governments throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. It has a rich and varied history, liberally garnished with back-patting tales of heroic diplomacy -- studies conducted, sanctions administered, statements released, and reprimands served.\
228	\
229	It has about as much effect on key galactic events as central Asian rainfall has on the mean high tide in the Gulf of Mexico. Brandishing a reprimand from the League of Galactics is only marginally worse than threatening to cut off one's access to the Ron Popeil Shopping Channel.
230	** [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20060129.html ''I'm here to lodge a protest. I'll let you read it yourself. The formal document uses some of the strongest words you can write in Galstandard West without violating grammatical checksum.'']]
231	** As far as Schlock himself is concerned, the words "temporary restraining order" mean [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2009-08-01 "come back with guns."]]
232	** {{Subverted\|Trope}} on one occasion, however.
233	--->'''Ennesby:''' Fine. I've forwarded [the nasty-gram I sent to Xinchub] to you for your expert critique.\
234	''Some time later:''\
235	'''Tagon:''' I see you've just been exposed to Ennesby's WeaponsGradeVocabulary.
236	* A ''Sev Trek'' cartoon spoofing ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'' asks why former Bajoran terrorist Major Kira never seemed to do any of the KickTheDog acts that real terrorists do like deliberately targeting civilians or moderate Bajorans. When asked how they managed to throw the Cardassians off their planet; "I wrote strongly worded letters of complaint!"
237	* In webcomic ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', demons were attempting to take over an alternate universe called "the dimension of lame". Who were so passive and friendly that they had no weapons to fight back with. When the demons had almost finished conquering the Western Hemisphere, the U.N. took action and declared that they would NUKE them. Turns out that NUKE is short for "[[FunWithAcronyms Notice of Unified Kindness Envelopes]]", as their missiles contained no explosives, but billions of letters kindly asking the demons to stop being so mean.
238	** The NUKE is still considered a WMD due to the high risk of paper cuts.
239	* In ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'', after a [[JerkAss guest on his radio show]] pushes Gaspar's BerserkButton a couple of times too many (insulting his daughter's heritage and sexuality) he decides to do the worst thing he can think of to the jerk; [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp01112012.shtml a stern letter.]]
240	[[/folder]]
241
242	[[folder:Web Original]]
243	* ''WebVideo/AskANinja'' had this question in Episode 17, "Ninja Omnibus".
244	-->'''Q:''' What is the best way to begin a strongly worded message to a retailer who has wronged you?\
245	'''A:''' "I'm a ninja."
246	* ''WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob'' alluded to this in his ''Film/Maniac1980'' review:
247	-->"I swear, if this turns out to be another story from the mannequin guy from ''Dr. Sex'', then I'm going to write my 34th angry letter to [[Film/GirlInGoldBoots Ted V. Mikels]]."
248	* ''WebVideo/DoorMonster'''s recurring deranged hobo character gives us a subversion in "Comical Road Trip": Apparently, filing a "strongly-worded complaint" consists of [[DeadAnimalWarning mailing them a dead bird.]]
249	* ''WebVideo/OutsideXbox'': Luke Westaway's survival plan for getting thrown off a ledge is to send one of these, then work up to the nuclear option of tutting.
250	-->'''Ellen Rose:''' ([[FauxHorrific cowers]])
251	* Subverted in ''[[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/428847 Smash Kingdom Melee]]'' (a parody of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' by the creators of ''WebAnimation/BowsersKingdom''). Several characters are upset that they haven't been announced as playable characters for ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''. [[VideoGame/{{Metroid}} Ridley]] suggests that they should send a letter complaining about their exclusion:
252	-->'''Ridley:''' We should write a letter.\
253	'''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG Geno]]:''' Good idea. I'll start. ''(camera zooms in on Geno's face as he begins talking)'' Dear Masahiro Sakurai: ''(camera zooms out to show [[spoiler: Geno in space, holding a large energy ball]])'' '''''[[spoiler: [[PrecisionFStrike FUCK YOU!]]]]''''' ''([[spoiler:Geno releases the ball, which [[CallBack completely destroys Japan]]]])''\
254	'''Mega Man:''' ''[[spoiler:(flies over to Geno, using Rush as a rocket)]]'' Uh, you know, [[spoiler: they haven't finished making the game yet.]]\
255	'''Geno:''' Seriously?! [[OhCrap Oh shit!]]
256	* In ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'', when Sugou announces his intention to marry a currently-comatose Asuna at the start of the second season:
257	-->'''Kirito:''' No. I... I will ''not'' let this stand! If you thought I fought tooth and nail for ''two years'' just so I could kowtow to some ''assclown'' like you, then you're in for a rude awakening! Prepare to reap the FUCKING whirlwind that is the UNBRIDLED FURY OF ''THE HERO OF AINCRAD!!!''\
258	(''[[DescriptionCut cut to Kirito in his room, on the computer]]'')\
259	'''Kirito's [[Website/{{Twitter}} tweet]]:''' Some rich scumbag named [=@NobuyukiSugou=] is trying to buy/marry my wife! WHO IS IN A COMA BY THE WAY!!!!!! [=#whereisthejustice #youknowwhattodo=]\
260	'''Kirito:''' Yeah, take ''that!'' "Sugou?" More like... "Su-go-fuck-yourself!"
261	* While not exactly a letter, ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' has something in the same spirit.
262	-->'''Seto Kaiba:''' I don't take kindly to kidnapping and attempted murder, but you do have a god card, so I guess I'll let it slide. However, try anything funny and I'll issue you a stern warning and wag my finger at you. Then you'll be sorry.
263	[[/folder]]
264
265	[[folder:Western Animation]]
266	* In ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'', Frylock writes an angry letter to the city for a [[RefugeInAudacity radioactive black man]] putting the bite on Master Shake. Shake stands near Frylock, helping him to make the letter even angrier.
267	* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand'', Zurg attacks the planet of Tangea and kidnaps their king. The Tangean response? To immediately form a committee to evaluate the situation. The "committee" is later seen preparing a letter to send to Zurg and one of them asks if "displeasure" is too harsh a word.
268	-->'''Buzz:''' Your people really are capable of defending themselves in ways "[[IronicEcho my crude mind can't hope to grasp]]".
269	* In ''WesternAnimation/CentralPark'', Season 1 "[[Recap/CentralParkS1E8HotOven Hot Oven]]", Owen and Paige don't write an angry letter to Bitsy, they write ''on'' her angry letter. After reading the smear letter Bitsy puts in the newspaper trashing Central Park and its management, Owen and Paige's response is to doodle over Bitsy's picture in the letter. They don't even show the doodle to Bitsy and she isn't even aware of it.
270	-->'''Paige:''' Cause when you mess with us, this is what happens!\
271	'''Molly:''' You end up with a drawing of a fart cloud coming out of your butt?\
272	'''Paige:''' The fart cloud is just the beginning!
273	* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', a particularly stupid alien plays this trope, claiming he will write an angry letter. He then proceeds to write a [[VisualPun large red letter Q]] on a piece of paper and demand that someone mail it. The other high-caliber response he has to the situation is... pouting.
274	* Played for laughs in a cutaway gag in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', where Mort Goldman is revealed to write these to different companies, demanding compensation for the most trivial things, such as the letter he's currently writing to Ritz Crackers just because some of the crackers in a box he bought were broken.
275	-->'''Mort:''' I am paying for fully formed crackers, NOT butter crumbles!
276	* On ''WesternAnimation/HerculesTheAnimatedSeries'', when school rivals pull a prank on Prometeus Academy, student body president Adonis plans to retaliate with a strongly worded letter, "with lots of verbs, action words!"
277	* At one point, Hank of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' is charged a ludicrous amount for a haircut by the US Army, and gets fed up to the point that he stands and declares that he is going to write to his Congressman. Naturally, he doesn't even know how to turn on the computer and writes his letter out by hand. Subverted, when it's revealed that the Congressman obviously never even read Hank's letter.
278	** It is actually a bit of a RunningGag with Hank, who will usually threaten someone with a letter of dis-satisfactory.
279	* Gretchen in ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' at one point takes action on behalf of her friend in the form of an "Angry E-Mail". The AI in her pocket computer (the episode was written before the days of smartphones) becomes very excited about the idea. Notable as the angry e-mail does achieve its objective, which is more than any of the pranks the gang pulls during the episode do.
280	* Used in the ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' parody of ''Film/Armageddon1998''.
281	-->'''Annoyed fan:''' That's awful! Steve Tyler's been clean for ''years''. I've got to write an angry letter. ''Dear ass-faces...''
282	* On ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'', [[BigBad Boris Badenov]] is working as a lion tamer under the alias "Claude Badly" at the Bumbling Brothers Circus when he deliberately lets the lion loose to run amuck. The Brothers warn him that if he does this again, they'll write him a nasty letter. [[UltimateJobSecurity This is because they don't know of any other lion tamers.]]
283	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
284	** From "Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part 1":
285	--->'''Mayor Quimby:''' We are all upset by Mr. Burns' plan to block out our sun. It is time for decisive action! I have here a polite but firm letter to Mr. Burns' underlings who, with some cajoling, will pass it along to him or at least give him the gist of it.
286	** From "Faith Off", featuring Homer's college nerd friends:
287	--->'''Benjamin:''' That Dean is going to get an indignant e-mail.\
288	'''Doug:''' You should do it with bold red letters.\
289	'''Gary:''' My computer has 512 shades of red.
290	** In "Blood Feud," this is [[SubvertedTrope surprisingly effective]]. Homer, angry at getting a thank-you note rather than a material reward after a blood transfusion from Bart saves Mr. Burns' life, sends him an insulting letter. After some [[MoralityPet cajoling by Smithers]], Burns [[PetTheDog decides that the Simpsons do deserve a reward]] and sends them an expensive (but useless for practical purposes, and presumably not easily re-sellable) Olmec totem. Which, it is pointed out, is still more than they'd have gotten without sending the letter.
291	** "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" features many of the EscalatingWar kind. Marge writes a somewhat condescending letter to Roger Meyers Jr about the violent nature of his cartoons. Meyers replies with an openly insulting one that makes clear he is not empathetic ("...and the horse I rode in on???"). Marge in turn encourages other parents to write to Meyers, resulting in the studio getting a truckload of hate mail bordering on death threats.
292	-->'''Meyers:''' ''[reading letter]'' "I will never watch your show, buy any of your products, or brake if I see you crossing the street?" Wow, that's cold!
293	* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Squidville", Squidward is chased by a mob of angry squids. When they corner him, the mob gives Squidward a well-thought-out grievance letter.
294	* So did the Resistance in Baron Underbite's country in the ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''. Their primary means of rebellion was sneaking hairs into his water. In a subversion, it actually really pissed him off.
295	* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'''s HeistEpisode "The Big Job" has Sylvia and Wander teaming up with an ''[[Series/TheATeam A-Team]]''-style CaperCrew called the Insurgent Generals to destroy a newly-developed piece of Hater Empire technology called the HT-125-F, otherwise known as [[spoiler:Lord Hater's hot tub. While Sylvia's less than impressed when the others inform her of the true nature of the mission, this is about as much as they dare to do.]]
296	-->[[spoiler:'''Clipper:''' We don't want Hater mad at us. Have you seen that guy?]]\
297	[[spoiler:'''Outrage:''' He's scary!]]
298	[[/folder]]
299
300	[[folder:Real Life]]
301	* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-nasir The Complaint Tablet to Ea-nasir]] is considered the [[UrExample oldest known example of this]], dating to nearly four thousand years ago. It is a clay tablet from ancient Babylon written c. 1750 BC, containing a message from a noble named Nanni to a merchant named Ea-nasir regarding a transaction in which Nanni sent a servant to purchase a shipment of copper ingots. In the message, Nanni alleges that Ea-nasir was excessively rude to the servant and deliberately provided ingots of sub-par quality, due to a petty grudge over a small debt Nanni owed him. As such, Nanni demands a refund and swears to personally inspect any copper he buys from Ea-nasir in the future before paying for it. Even better, the tablet was only one of a small carefully preserved library of similar messages in the basement of what is believed to be Ea-nasir's own house; he was ''collecting'' them.
302	* Very much TruthInTelevision in England, the local stereotype being a [[BritishStuffiness middle-aged, middle-class, Middle England busybody]] writing to the editor of the Daily Telegraph, often signing off with something along the lines of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disgusted_of_Tunbridge_Wells "Disgusted, of Tunbridge Wells."]]
303	** Anthropologist Kate Fox describes English complaints as falling into three mostly ineffectual categories: griping to someone who's in the same boat as you, shouting abusively at someone who isn't really responsible, or going home and writing a strongly worded letter to whoever's in charge.
304	** American comedian Rich Hall in ''Series/LiveAtTheApollo'' once said of British people that when they are annoyed, their response is typically a tut followed by: "...I'm gonna write a letter."
305	** Even more so for ''Daily Mail'' readers (although their online forum has replaced the letters page). The difference being that said letters really ''will'' be strongly worded. Sometimes to the extent of bordering on bigotry or at least coming across as bigoted.
306	** Can be just as applicable to some left-wingers in the ''Guardian'' and ''Independent'' whose letters and comments can read like a [[PoesLaw parody]] of a stereotypical SoapboxSadie.
307	** And both right and left-leaning letter writers are very good at greeting dissent, whether gentle or unjustifiably harsh, with [[HypocrisyNod accusations that the other side are being boorish, racist, and vitriolic]].
308	** A particularly notable example comes around exactly every two years. The Royal Mail alternates its Christmas stamp designs between secular and religious and has done so for decades. Nevertheless, every time the new designs are released in a secular year the exact same letters are printed about the 'War on Christmas' with only the names of the authors being different.
309	** Parodied in ''Magazine/PrivateEye'', which often responds to a topical political issue by printing fake versions of the Telegraph (right-wing) and Guardian (left-wing) letters pages in parallel, with the same stereotypical right- and left-wing writers complaining in parallel about the same thing but for opposite reasons.
310	* Amnesty International got started this way. The key was that they wrote thousands of letters, so a government holding someone would stop and think "Wow, this guy's got friends" and let him out. They still do this, and sometimes it works.
311	** To nobody's surprise, Amnesty started in Britain.
312	* Creator/TheBBC has even made this a TV show, ''Series/PointsOfView''.
313	** Parodied mercilessly (along with online successors like 'Comment Is Free' and 'Have Your Say') by ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook''.
314	--->"You may not know anything about the issue, but I bet you ''reckon'' something. So why not tell us what you reckon?"
315	* In Finland, the stereotypical signoff is "kysynpä vaan " and/or "joukko huolestuneita äitejä" -- "just asking" and "a group of concerned mothers" respectively.
316	* In Sweden, the sign-off is "Vän av ordning", literally "friend of order".
317	* The United States Congress has a tendency to send these, to the point that it's widely mocked in political circles. And it's only fair that they should send them, considering how many of their constituents write their ''own'' sternly-worded letters to their Congressmen. (That is, when they deign to send letters. More often they'll send in form emails--or worse, ''call'' their Congressman's office, giving the poor unpaid intern on the other end of the line an earful for something about which he/she can do nothing).
318	* The Declaration of Independence. [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution Although they did kinda back it up with an army]].
319	** This is a shoot-off of the old English tradition of writing Strongly Worded Letters, based on a similar letter called The Declaration of Right by the House of Commons in 1689. Later that year adopted by Parliament as the Bill of Rights Act 1689, and (with the similar Scottish Claim of Right Act 1689) helped pave the way for a constitutional monarchy in Britain. When written by the right people, Strongly Worded Letters do work.
320	*** A Declaration of Independence is a Strongly Worded Letter [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_language_is_a_dialect_with_an_army_and_navy with an army and a navy.]]
321	*** To quote [[Series/TheWestWing Sam Seaborne]] in the VerySpecialEpisode: "We jumped out from behind bushes while the British came down the road in their bright red jackets, but never has a war been so courteously declared. It was on parchment with calligraphy and 'Your Highness, we beseech you on this day in Philadelphia to bite me, if you please.'"
322	* The UsefulNotes/UnitedNations seems to be quite fond of sending angry letters. If you are funding terrorists, violating human rights, invading other nations, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking creating a fictional version of the UN for a]] [[Website/NationStates web game]], etc, then you can expect your very own Strongly Worded Letter from the UN. Also frequently a point of criticism is that the UN rarely takes any action beyond sending these letters. Note, however, that there is a reason for this -- namely, that sometimes, the only thing the UN is ''allowed'' to do is send a Strongly Worded Letter. To wit:
323	** The UN General Assembly -- the part of the UN that includes representatives of all member countries -- is forbidden by the UN Charter from issuing resolutions with binding effect (except for resolutions dealing with internal UN matters like the UN budget and nominations for UN bureaucrats), meaning that pretty much everything it does is a Strongly Worded Letter about something or other.
324	** The UN Security Council actually ''can'' order direct action, but it rarely does so, as the permanent members can veto any resolution, and if whoever is doing Bad Things is a friend of a permanent member (and that is very likely), the Council won't be able to pass any measure that requires action. That said, a lot of the time, what looks like a Strongly Worded Letter from the Security Council is actually the Council giving the countries that can spare the resources permission to take some kind of military action against the country doing the Bad Things, making it not so much a mere angry complaint as a court order (with the court being very politicized and the sheriff being a country).
325	** The Secretariat and other subordinate bodies of the UN bureaucracy can and do often condemn the Bad Things, but they cannot order it to stop; they merely manage the UN's innumerable agencies and other administrative responsibilities. That said, many of the UN agencies actually ''do'' something; they tend to supply or coordinate humanitarian aid, alleviating the suffering caused by the Bad Things. Everyone seems to forget about this part of the UN's business -- which is, truth be told, most of what they do -- when saying that the organization "doesn't do anything."
326	** Pretty much the exact same criticism was levied against the League of Nations in its time, and just as with the United Nations various associated agencies were actively involved in alleviating the suffering caused by Bad Things (in fact, several UN agencies originated as League agencies).
327	* The Zaporozhian Cossacks' letter to the Ottoman Sultan, the writing of which has been eternalized in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reply_of_the_Zaporozhian_Cossacks Ilya Repin's famous painting.]] To say it was strongly worded is [[ClusterFBomb to say nothing]].
328	* This is, of course, the weapon of choice for many lawyers. It's often a subversion, too, in that ignoring those letters will usually create a great deal of trouble for the recipient.
329	** Of particular note is the letter sent in the case of ''Arkell v. Pressdram''. Mr. Arkell had his lawyers send a stern warning to Pressdram (the publishers of ''Magazine/PrivateEye'') because they had accused him of taking bribes. Pressdram and their lawyers, meanwhile, were certain that their evidence was good, and sent a reply, quoted here in full: "We acknowledge your letter of 29th April referring to Mr. J. Arkell. We note that Mr. Arkell's attitude to damages will be governed by the nature of our reply and would therefore be grateful if you would inform us what his attitude to damages would be, were he to learn that the nature of our reply is as follows: [[PrecisionFStrike fuck]] [[SophisticatedAsHell off]]."
330	* "Open Letters" to one's personal bugbears have always been a popular means of spleen-venting on the internet. Unfortunately for those who create them, making authors feel a little bit better about themselves is about the only thing they ever really accomplish.
331	* The most famous open letter in history, "J'accuse...!" ("I accuse...!") by Creator/EmileZola did produce an effect, namely, blowing the antisemitism, incompetence, and cowardice that led to the Dreyfus Affair wide open and eventually resulted in Alfred Dreyfus getting a full pardon and a Légion d'honneur medal as an apology. The document is still considered required reading in many French schools.
332	* Creator/SeanPenn's response to ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' (which allegedly espoused political viewpoints he opposed) was to send Creator/TreyParkerAndMattStone an [[http://www.missourah.com/2005/04/25/sean-penns-letter-to-trey-parker-and-matt-stone/ angry letter]] telling them just how angry he was.
333	* Creator/AlanMoore wrote a [[https://slovobooks.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/last-alan-moore-interview/ 16,000 word letter]] that blew off steam at a list of things that offended him, the comics industry, Creator/GrantMorrison, comics fandom, Creator/GrantMorrison and finally, yes, Creator/GrantMorrison.
334	* UsefulNotes/TimurTheLame and the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I exchanged this kind of correspondence with each other until the Sultan was finally fed up and wrote a letter that opened with "Know, O ravening dog named Timur" and threatened to have him captured and [[ForcedToWatch forced him to see]] [[AndYourLittleDogToo his entire harem raped before his eyes]]. Bayezid would deeply regret that, as Timur replied by attacking him with a massive force and taking him captive.
335	* Pope Innocent III was infuriated about the Fourth Crusade's sacking of Constantinople, which effectively made the schism between the Western and Eastern Churches definitive, and he [[https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/1204innocent.asp wrote a letter to the papal legate]] to express his outrage. He also combines this with a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech directed to both the legate and the crusaders involved.
336	* [[UsefulNotes/JosipBrozTito Josip Broz "Tito"]] once sent [[UsefulNotes/JosefStalin Stalin]] a telegram which read:
337	-->"Stop sending people to kill me. We've already captured five of them, one of them with a bomb and another with a rifle... If you don't stop sending killers, [[ImpliedDeathThreat I'll send a very fast-working one to Moscow]] and [[BadassBoast I certainly won't have to send another]]."
338	* Notorious animator Creator/JohnKricfalusi, already infamous for his [[Blog/JohnKStuff rather hostile writings]], often employed letters like these as a desperate last measure to get network executives off his back. When production on ''[[WesternAnimation/BeanyAndCecil The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil]]'' was hindered by CreativeDifferences, he wrote to the producers, saying that "The time for diplomacy is over" before laying into them about how they were ruining the show. It got him fired. Later, when Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} came down on him for repeatedly missing deadlines and wasting the station's money on (often unnecessary) retakes on ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', he sent them a letter (through his lawyer) stating that the episodes would "cost what they cost and take as much time as they needed." That letter also got him fired.
339	* Creator/IsaacAsimov described a personal ritual for cooling off when he had a grievance with someone: write a nasty letter, put it in an envelope, address it, affix a stamp... and then tear it up (being sure to destroy the stamp in the process) and write a more reasonable letter. In his autobiography, he mentions that in one case the second letter came out even ''more'' harsh, so he gave up and mailed it.
340	* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_final_warning China's final warning]] is an old Soviet meme, referring to the People's Republic of China's habit of making very empty threats when America did something in territory they considered theirs.
341	[[/folder]]

Context Main / StronglyWordedLetter