On October 13, the Guardian introduced a letter-writing campaign, encouraging its readers to write to undecided American voters and express their opinions (either way) about the upcoming election.

Within hours, an otherwise-noble idea was shot to hell, as responses from the level-headed emailers this side of the pond slid rapidly from relatively civil...

"Go back to sipping your tea and leave our people alone."

...to not so civil...

"Consider this: stay out of American electoral politics. Unless you would like a company of US Navy Seals - Republican to a man - to descend upon the offices of the Guardian, bag the lot of you, and transport you to Guantanamo Bay, where you can share quarters with some lonely Taliban shepherd boys."

...to humorously cynical...

"My dear, beloved Brits,

I understand the Guardian is sponsoring a service where British citizens write to Americans to advise them on how to vote. Thank heavens! I was adrift in a sea of confusion and you are my beacon of hope!

Feel free to respond to this email with your advice. Please keep in mind that I am something of an anglophile, so this is not confrontational. Please remember, too, that I am merely an American. That means I am not very bright. It means I have no culture or sense of history. It also means that I am barely literate, so please don't use big, fancy words.

Set me straight, folks!"

...to downright stupid...

"Please be advised that I have forwarded this to the CIA and FBI."

Makes you wish you were Canadian, doesn't it?