Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Open Letter to the Today Show

The following email was sent by myself to the Today Show just a short time ago -

Subject line = Ignore those who stifle free speech. -

~~~Original follows~~~

I recieved the following email (see below) from Mediamatters.org asking me to tell you to not allow Ann Coulter or Bill O'Reilly on your Today program. -

I would prefer it if you allow people from both sides of the aisle/issues to be on your program because I believe most people are intelligent enough to decide for themselves who to believe or not. Those who call it 'hate speech' are simply mis-using political correctness for their own self centered reasons. They do this because they dislike what is being said. It hurts their side of issues.

Please ignore those who would like to stifle those in opposition to their viewpoints.
Continue having the great guest lineup from both sides - Thanks - Paul - prying1.blogspot.com -

~~~~~
Forwarded email follows
~~~~~


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Media Matters for America
Date: Jun 6, 2006 9:47 AM
Subject: Why is NBC's Today offering a platform for conservative hate?
To: XX~~~ZZ@gmail.com


June 6, 2006



NBC's Today has recently hosted a number of far-right ideologues. Just this morning, Ann Coulter was on and talked about her new book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism, which is rife with hate speech, including a section about the 9-11 widows in which she wrote: "These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles, reveling in their status as celebrities, and talked about by grief-arazzis. I have never seen people enjoying their husband's deaths so much."

Coulter has a long history of engaging in hateful rhetoric and misinformation, and yet Today still hosted her, giving her book free publicity and a degree of credibility it doesn't deserve. Indeed, this was the third time in eight months that Coulter has appeared on Today. Why?

Unfortunately, Coulter is not the only extremist recently appearing on Today. Earlier this year, Today hosted another right-wing ideologue, Bill O'Reilly, for the third time in just over three months despite the fact that, in his previous appearance on the show, he compared those who support withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq to Hitler appeasers before World War II.

We deserve better than this. Please click here to email Today's producers and urge them to stop giving a platform to radical right-wing ideologues like Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly. Ask them why Today repeatedly hosts such hateful, extremist pundits.

Email address for Today: today@nbc.com

Resources:
Conservative misinformation on Today
Conservative misinformation and inflammatory statements by Ann Coulter
Today hosted O'Reilly again despite smearing war opponents in last appearance
Today's All-Spin Zone: NBC gave O'Reilly forum to compare advocates of withdrawal from Iraq to Hitler appeasers
On NBC's Today show, O'Reilly joined the terrorists-for-Kerry chorus


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© 2006 Media Matters for America
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