My letter to CNN about their show on Dr. Churchill

[rpannier]

Sir,
I watched your program on the controversy surrounding Dr. Churchill's paper. While there are many points about Dr. Churchill's paper I have serious problems with, I have a larger problem with the way your program was presented.
First, I am an American living overseas -- Korea. I have traveled enough and have met enough people to know that the perception of America by people living around the world that Dr. Churchill presented is fairly extensive.
Your rebuttal invitee we were told lost his 26-year old nephew in the 9/11 murder. What you didn't tell us, and we wouldn't have known unless he told us, was that at one time he was a Senior Bush Administration official. That is dishonest and slanted journalism.
Your interview with him was like watching Oprah Winfrey. At no time did you challenge him on his assertion that Dr. Churchill's statements were racist. How were they racist. You just let it go. You practically held his hand. You referred to Dr. Churchill as "marginalized." It was a horribly weak piece of "journalism."
This was in contrast to the piece you showed by Paula Zahn where she attempted to savage Dr. Churchill and failed. She kept repeating over-and-over "How do food service workers, firemen and custodians qualify as complicit?" And Dr. Churchill repeated, "They don't. I said technocratic workers. Firemen, children, food service workers, passer-byes don't qualify."
The Bill Schneider piece was just as bad. No where did you point out to Mr. Schneider the number of people who are restricted from flying airplanes because of their anti-war activities. No where did you point out that in the Patriot Act the President can strip people of their citizenship. You just let Bill (I love Bush) Schneider go on.
Pretty weak show. You should be embarrassed.

Respectfully Yours,

American living and working in Seoul, Korea

[Eric J in MN]

1. That is a good letter. An easy way you can make

it even better is to add paragraph breaks after every sentence or two.

[rpannier]

2. Thanks

When I vent I tend to type what I think, do spell check and then send it.

[Eric J in MN]

4. What did Bill Schneider say? nt

nt

[rpannier]

7. He said

"America was attacked. To claim that American policy in anyway contributed to this travesty is outrageous. People believe in free-speech. This just crosses the line." He also claimed that there is no new McCarthyism in the United States. People are still free to dissent without any government punishment on them.

[Eric J in MN]

8. Is that an exact quote or paraphrase? nt

nt

[rpannier]

10. The part in quotations

are quotes he made to the best of my memory. The rest is paraphrased.

[Eric J in MN]

11. Bush said that we need to free countries from tyranny to

reduce terrorism (inauguration speech).

Why doesn't Bill Schneider attack Bush for implying a link between US foeign policy and terrorism?

Could it be that Bill Schneider is a whore-for-Bush, like most of the on-air people at CNN are whores-for-Bush?

[rpannier]

12. I think he is

But he couches it well. I have discovered from watching him on CNN-Asia that if you watch his face you can tell how he feels about an issue. The more serious he looks the angrier he is. The more his voice lilts and becomes breathy the more he is mocking something. He's subtle, but it's there.

[Dhalgren]

3. Good letter.

Thanks for posting it. We need more reasoned debate and considered analysis and less frenzied knee-jerking. Very good letter.

[kuozzman]

5. I think I may be the only one here that is on the same page with you.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/02/09/wines-050209.html

[Chescher]

6. Stunning how they're going after Churchill

They've even got the Gov (the bonehead) going after him (Churchill), by saying things like 'he shouldn't be working for Colorado'

I dunno... aren't we supposed to be teaching our kids to think with open minds and freely?! To understand others perspectives?!

I find it incredible that Professors are now targets.

[Eric J in MN]

9. Republicans control everything, so

they have to find their opponents where they can.