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Open Letter
to CNN and Glenn Beck: Ron Paul Supporters are Not Terrorists
Daily Paul | Nov. 15, 2007
Dear Sirs,
CNN and Glenn Beck recently aired an inflammatory and misleading
piece comparing Ron Paul supporters to terrorists. Mr. Beck’s
irresponsible association has already led to impassioned responses
from the large, peaceful and growing Ron Paul community, including
a
call to boycott CNN’s sponsors, and
an
eloquent response from a former US Marine.
I was heartened by the Marine’s response. I fully support and
encourage the boycott efforts. With this letter, I am also urging
everyone within the Ron Paul community
to write directly to CNN, requesting that your
network and Glenn Beck issue a retraction, clarification and an
apology to Ron Paul and the peaceful Ron Paul community
for your wrongful and damaging characterization.
On November 5th, nearly 40,000 hard working Americans donated an
average of $98 to Ron Paul’s campaign for president, resulting in
one of the biggest one-day online political fundraising events ever.
We did it because we are tired of mainstream networks such as yours
ignoring us. We did it with the intention of making a news splash so
large that you could no longer pretend we do not exist. Our efforts
succeeded beyond our wildest expectations, but Mr. Beck’s recent
piece has revealed your true colors.
You did something
shameful. You chose to portray 40,000 upstanding Americans as
terrorists. I find it tragically ironic that Glenn Beck chose a
segment called, “A Nation Divided” to compare the peaceful actions
of fellow American citizens to terrorists. Mr. Beck’s actions only
contribute to the division in this country. Calling this large group
of peaceful Americans terrorists is an absolute disgrace, especially
in a post-911 America when the Military Commissions Act allows the
president, at his sole discretion, to name any American an “enemy
combatant.” Your network and Glenn Beck may think it is funny to
play fast and loose with this kind of language, but I take this
very, very seriously. Nothing could be more divisive than to call
fellow law-abiding Americans “terrorists.” Is this how far your
network has sunk in its desperate grab for ratings? Shame on you.
Shame on you and your editors, for selling out the foundations of
our country so readily and so cheaply.
In his piece Mr. Beck erroneously stated that Dr. Paul’s November
5th fundraising was done “to commemorate Guy Fawkes.” What is your
source for this statement? This statement is factually incorrect,
and I hereby request that you produce your source, or retract it.
With this single incorrect fact, Beck goes on to spin an entire
piece that only amplifies and distorts his disinformation. Later in
the piece, CNN’s guest, David Horowitz, speaking of Ron Paul, says:
“I think it is very significant that he chose Guy Fawkes as an
image.” This so clearly misinformed that it would be laughable if
not for its seriousness. Is it your network's standing policy to
allow such woefully misinformed guests on all of your “news” shows?
How can you expect informed citizens to believe any of your future
program guests if you allow such egregious errors go unchecked and
uncorrected? Ron Paul and his official campaign had nothing to do
with the organization of this day, so it is impossible that Ron Paul
was the one to “choose Guy Fawkes as an image.” Please do not
assume that all Americans are complete idiots, nor that we will
stand by passively as you broadcast such lies.
Your poorly researched, factually incorrect, sensationalist opinion
is exactly what is dividing America and driving citizens from
networks such as yours to the unimpeachable honesty and integrity
exemplified by Dr. Ron Paul and his peaceful campaign for president.
I hereby request that you issue a retraction, clarification and
apology to Dr. Paul and his grassroots supporters. Without it, your
network will continue its accelerating slide towards the realm of
complete irrelevance in the minds of informed Americans.
Sincerely,
Michael Nystrom
Editor
www.dailypaul.com
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Readers, please contact CNN directly
using this form for the Glenn Beck show.
Be polite, but firmly ask for an apology, clarification and a
retraction. This is too serious to let stand. I will have more on
why this is so serious in the next few days. Thank you all for your
support.
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