SwiftVets.com

[caughtintheact]

If you can read this article without puking, note that it comes from a newspaper associated with Sinclair SBGI.
http://baltimorechronicle.com/101304FAIR.shtml
I made the following comments to them, but they have not responded:
"First, you claim that Stolen Honor offers unsubstantiated claims by alleged Vietnam POWs .

[Alleged POWs!!!!!]

You are supposed to be journalists. If you can prove that any of the former POWs who are speaking in Stolen Honor are lying, go prove it. You know you cannot because they are former POWs.

You say they are making unsubstantiated claims. Prove it. They were there. They are saying the same thing. Interview the North Vietnamese. Then try to claim that they are lying.

You want equal time? Then why did you fail to mention that Sinclair is on record offering Kerry a chance to rebut? Why did you fail to mention that Kerry refused? And why did you fail to speculate on the reasons he might have refused.....he refused because he knows that the former POWs are telling the truth.

Why don't you mention that John Kerry met with the enemy in time of war while still under oath as a commissioned officer (the U.S. Constitution still calls it treason)

There are a lot of things you should have done instead of trying to make unsubstantiated allegations against former POWs who more than paid their dues to preserve your well being.

What a sad excuse for a "news"paper"
_________________
Cheers/Caught

[shadowy]

[ranch hand]

Just sent this e-mail

Sirs:

Just read the article "Sinclair's Partisan Ploy Cries Out for Equal Time" and was struck by the phrase "alleged Vietnam POWs".

Usually the press uses the word "alleged" in a story if a crime has taken place and they do not want to falsely accuse someone or they cannot verify a fact.

Am I to assume that you have not been able to verify these men were Vietnam POWs and therefore think one or more of these men are imposters?

Please respond.

Richard H. Evans
rhevans@usa.net

[bhlewis]

This report comes from FAIR(Fair & Accuracy in Reporting). Its run by its ran by liberal hacks.

http://www.fair.org/activism/sinclair-stolen-honor.html

[cipher]

I wonder if Colonel Day's Medal of Honor is also "alleged"....
_________________
USMC 69-72, 7th Comm, 3rd MarDiv, FMFPAC
US Army 75-79, 97th Sig, SHAPE, NATO
Arkansas National Guard 79
Defense contractor for US Navy, SSPO, SP-20, SP-24, OP-12 84-92

[cipher]

Or perhaps the alleged Senator McCain of the alleged state of Arizona who was an alleged warrior allegedly incarcerated in the alleged Hanoi Hilton with the alleged Colonel Day during the alleged Vietnam alleged war is also an alleged POW?
_________________
USMC 69-72, 7th Comm, 3rd MarDiv, FMFPAC
US Army 75-79, 97th Sig, SHAPE, NATO
Arkansas National Guard 79
Defense contractor for US Navy, SSPO, SP-20, SP-24, OP-12 84-92

[ranch hand]

Maybe it was written by an "alleged" reporter.

[mach9]

Allegedly.

[ranch hand]

Haven't received a reply to my e-mail yet.

Perhaps I sent it to an alleged e-mail address.

[azTrish]

Mark Hyman's Recommended Readings

a link underTthe Point menu
http://www.wtta38.com/thepoint/editorial.shtml


Of Course Unfit for Command is there!!

[azTrish]

I wanted to add and forgot if you were in the market for any good books.

Those are affilliate links so he or at least his organization would see the traffic and sales and can see support in that small way at least..

[azTrish]

I detest the mantra stole the election.. why because the Reps didn't shoot it down each and every time it was used as a shrill..
So I am on a campaign to shoot every discredited Swiftvet article, post or mention with this type of response, comment or rant.

Nicely though, so maybe some of these peeps will think before re-acting. Fair.org we especially want to hear of bias.. sheesh


MEDIA ACTION ALERT:
Sinclair's Partisan Ploy Cries Out for Equal Time

Source: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)

...Sinclair's obvious attempt to affect the election by broadcasting the film is exactly the sort of use of public airwaves to promote station owners' private political agendas that [now discarded] federal regulations have always been designed to prevent.
October 12, 2004--In an unprecedented move, the Republican-friendly Sinclair Broadcasting company has ordered its 62 television stations to preempt regular prime-time broadcasting to air the anti-John Kerry documentary "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal" just two weeks before the election. The film is to be shown in several swing states, including Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.

"Stolen Honor"-- much like the discredited Swift Boat Veterans ads-- offers unsubstantiated claims by alleged Vietnam POWs that their Vietnamese captors used Kerry's anti-war statements against them. In fact, the organization that paid for "Stolen Honor"-- called POWs for Truth-- recently merged with the Swift Boat Vets, forming a combined group called Swift Vets and POWS for Truth (Talking Points Memo, 10/11/04).

The film was made by Carlton Sherwood, a consultant to the Bush administration's Department of Homeland Security and a personal friend of the department's head, Tom Ridge. A former reporter for Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Washington Times, Sherwood also wrote a book about Moon, Inquisition, that the self-proclaimed messiah was allowed to see before publication. After reviewing the book and giving Sherwood a list of changes, Moon aide James Gavin wrote to Moon: "In addition to silencing our critics now, the book should be invaluable in persuading others of our legitimacy for many years to come." Moon reportedly ordered 100,000 advance copies of the book from the publisher, a subsidiary of the conservative imprint Regnery (Frontline, 1/21/92).

Sinclair's ties to the right are no less strong. According to the Los Angeles Times (10/9/04), in the 2004 political cycle, 97 percent of contributions made by Sinclair executives went to Republicans. Sinclair has a record of allowing its conservative agenda to influence its programming decisions. For instance, in April, Sinclair ordered seven of its ABC-affiliated stations not to air an episode of Nightline that featured the names of American soldiers killed in Iraq, saying, "We do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content."

However, soon after the September 11 attacks, Sinclair stations were required to air editorial statements in support of the Bush administration (Extra!, 11-12/01). And most Sinclair stations are also required to air commentaries from the company's vice president, Mark E. Hyman, during their newscasts. Hyman's conservative commentaries routinely include harsh attacks on Kerry, who Hyman accuses of "a lifetime of supporting Communist forces opposed to the U.S." (The Point, 9/22/04).

Questions have been raised about whether the extraordinary decision to force stations to carry the film violates FCC requirements that broadcasts provide equal time for electoral candidates. The rule does not apply to coverage of legitimate news stories, and Hyman appeared on CNN (10/12/04) to claim that "Stolen Honor" fell in this category:

"This is news. I can't change the fact that these people decided to come forward today. The networks had this opportunity over a month ago to speak with these people. They chose to suppress them. They chose to ignore them. They are acting like Holocaust deniers, pretending these men don't exist."

Hyman's bizarre analogy aside, Sinclair's obvious attempt to affect the election by broadcasting the film is exactly the sort of use of public airwaves to promote station owners' private political agendas that federal regulations have always been designed to prevent. "American thought and American politics will be largely at the mercy of those who operate these stations," Rep. Luther Johnson warned at the time of the passage of the Radio Act of 1927.

With growing numbers of stations controlled by chains like Sinclair-- which controls more television licenses than any other operator-- these concerns are more relevant than ever. As former FCC chairman Reed Hundt wrote to Sinclair (Talking Points Memo, 10/11/04):

"How can it be part of a broadcaster's public interest obligation to aspire to alter the perceptions of the audience about a presidential candidate by showing biased content that in no way reflects either breaking news or even-handed treatment of the issues? Why should a broadcaster keep its licenses if it behaves in this manner?"

If Sinclair wants to give more exposure to "Stolen Honor," it can do so fairly by providing equal time for an examination of the same subject from an opposing perspective. The documentary "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry," a positive account of Kerry's service in Vietnam and his anti-war activism upon his return, would seem to be an ideal candidate. The Chicago Tribune (10/1/04) called it "almost essential viewing... that anyone who intends to vote this November should make every effort to see."

ACTION: Please call Sinclair Broadcasting and tell them that if it airs a partisan documentary attacking a presidential candidate just before the election, then it should give equal time to a documentary from an opposing perspective, like "Going Upriver."

CONTACT:
Sinclair Broadcasting
Phone: 410-568-1500
comments@sbgi.net

As always, please remember that your comments are taken more seriously if you maintain a polite tone. Please cc fair@fair.org with your correspondence.

For more information about activist campaigns regarding Sinclair, see: sinclairwatch.org

I did the opposite wrote and sent it to Fair.org and cc to comments@sbgi.net


Dear PHart,

"Fair" ?

Stolen Honor"-- much like the discredited Swift Boat Veterans ads-- offers unsubstantiated claims by alleged Vietnam POWs that their Vietnamese captors used Kerry's anti-war statements against them. In fact, the organization that paid for "Stolen Honor"-- called POWs for Truth-- recently merged with the Swift Boat Vets, forming a combined group called Swift Vets and POWS for Truth.

You have these groups confused with Senator John Kerry, who's record of his wartime experiences are alleged by three who allegedly served with him. Because Senator Kerrry refuses access to full disclosure of HIS service records and refuses to sign the required release to anyone, his record is alleged by him. There has been no discredit to the Swiftvets claims that I have found to date. Rather we do indeed have admissions of error and corrections to the in-accuracy of Senator Kerry's claims. Simply corrected and added to his websites. I also do not have any record to exhibit of the Senator or his campaign publishing or offering these corrections and admissions of error for broadcast through any media outlet, in print or aired. So perhaps you have not kept up with events, for that you are excused. I look forward to your re-phrasing and crediting the Swiftvets for helping Senator Kerry to set these records straight.

Senator Kerrry has been offered air time through several venues, along with Sinclair Broadcasting to address the documented reports and official action reports by everyone else who served with him. The general assumption is Senator Kerry cannot answer these conflicting records for fear of incriminating himself, that was the reason his lawyers and the DNC attempted to intiminate Unfit for Command's Publishers and demanded no further publishing of the book.

Senator Kerry, the DNC and their lawyers, demanded and attempted to intiminate news publishers and broadcast media to remove the ads which were produced by the afore-mentioned documents and action reports in direct conflict with Senator Kerry's alleged service record.

Senator Kerry is yet again attempting to further intiminate a media outlet Sinclair Broadcasting with unfounded claims as his organization is confused about the whether the document offers the merits of a news and information document. This time Senator Kerry and his campaign have over stepped their bounds and have allowed an explicit threat against Sinclair Broadcasting to go un-answered and failed to denounce the threat in a direct and timely fashion. The silence borders on extortion if left standing as it directly states the Sinclair Broadcasting Company will regret their actions if he is elected as President.

A personal aside. How can you on one hand claim to support a War hero and then denigrate other War heros, simply because they offer an opposing view. I realize it is a very unflattering view of Senator Kerry, but if the man is what he claims he could very simply offer a full release and we can all understand more of what happened and why so much has festered all these years. If you have ever felt unfairly treated and wanted someone to address your grievance would you want the world to appear to simple dismiss you and instead attempt to discredit you. Senator Kerry has had his version of events stand all these years, because he is been very effective in hiding the truth and keeping it under wraps. Its time to open the records and allow the wounds to heal.

Did you know the Veterans that are speaking out are of all political bents? This is personal for them and I feel confident in adding to all Americans too. This issue brings out all the pain, suffering and disgrace we Americans have lived in silence with, the pain from losing our loved ones. The suffering of what they went through, there and here. The disgrace of America seeming to the world to denigrate our service people. They had no parades, they had no welcome home banners that were put up by their towns and cities. They were simply doing a job and what a payback.

So to be perfectly "Fair" you need to research more and avoid DNC talking points, and begin to be fair and truthful.

Regards,

[[Complete name and address]]

I retain the full rights to this letter. You are however welcome to post it.


anyone can edit add or summarize and create a statement but anytime you come across the discredited or whatever is used to insinuate the swiftvets are not credible .. post it ... get them at every instance you come across.

[azTrish]

OPPS I only meant from

ACTION

not the whole thing, sorry

Trish

[shawa]

Quote:

If Sinclair wants to give more exposure to "Stolen Honor," it can do so fairly by providing equal time for an examination of the same subject from an opposing perspective. The documentary "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry," a positive account of Kerry's service in Vietnam and his anti-war activism upon his return, would seem to be an ideal candidate. The Chicago Tribune (10/1/04) called it "almost essential viewing... that anyone who intends to vote this November should make every effort to see."

ACTION: Please call Sinclair Broadcasting and tell them that if it airs a partisan documentary attacking a presidential candidate just before the election, then it should give equal time to a documentary from an opposing perspective, like "Going Upriver."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair.org requires FAIRNESS of Sinclair by broadcasting "Going Upriver"
as equal time against the "Stolen Honor" broadcast.

To be consistent, shouldn't they require FAIRNESS of ABC to broadcast
"Stolen Honor" as equal time against Nightline's visit to the Vietnam village piece.

I mean Fair.org requires FAIRNESS, right!!!

Let's have SOME CONSISTENCY here!!!!!