Octo's continuing efforts to pull the plug on Glenn Beck includes the following letter to Roger Ailes. Readers are encouraged to steal it, and copy and paste it under their own letterhead. Of course you may want to write a letter using your own words; just use the name and address Octo has provided. Nothing could be simpler.
I'm just old-fashioned enough that I took the liberty of adding "Mr." before Ailes' name in the address field.
Octo is following up in a few days with a list of advertisers. This is where the power of the consumer comes in. If enough people boycott these advertisers, and write letters telling them why, and urge others to do likewise, it can't help but carry a strong message via their pocketbooks. And afterall, if advertisers listen to anything, it is the almighty dollar.
Octo: "As part of an ongoing effort to pressure Fox News into pulling the plug on the Glenn Beck Show, here is a standard petition letter addressed to Fox News CEO Roger Ailes. Please feel free to copy the text of this letter and paste it into your letterhead - adjusting type size and font style as needed (11 or 12 points should suffice):"
Mr. Roger Ailes
Chairman and CEO, Fox News Channel
News Corporation
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
(Date)
Dear Mr. Ailes:
After the shooting rampage in Tucson that left six people dead and thirteen injured, you offered this appeal for civility: “I told all of our guys, shut up, tone it down, make your argument intellectually. You don’t have to do it with bombast.”
Weeks after Tucson, nothing has changed. Glenn Beck has turned up the volume on partisan hate speech. The poisoned atmosphere unleashed by Glenn Beck means any citizen - Democrat, Independent, or Republican - can be defamed in public and targeted for persecution. Beck’s messages provoke unstable persons to act on impulse, and events have shown that violent rhetoric leads to violent acts:
Prison Term for Man Who Threatened Speaker Pelosi:
Mother of Accused Man Blames Fox News
Renowned Professor Terrorized After Glenn Beck Broadcasts
League of Women Voters Targeted by Glenn Beck Fans
Two California Highway Patrolmen Shot by Glenn Beck Fan
Three Pittsburgh Policemen Killed by Glenn Beck Follower
There is no plausible deniability that can wipe the blood off Beck’s hands or absolve the Fox News Channel of responsibility for reckless incitement. Shooting sprees, murder, malicious defamations and infamous provocations … these have no place in a free society. When toxic television threatens public safety, all citizens of all persuasions have grounds for alarm.
Glenn Beck has crossed boundaries that should never be crossed. It is time to pull the plug on the Glenn Beck Show before more people are terrorized, injured and killed.
Sincerely yours,
(name and signature)
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE
Got to get this posted, too! Many thanks to Octo. And to you today!
ReplyDeleteBeck's violent rhetoric combines with his wacked-out persona to trigger other mentally ill folks to act out his malicious ravings.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
I've been supporting the derailment of Beck and Fox for some time and when Octo sent me the letter to Roger Ailes email, I sent the letter ASAP. These alleged humanoids need to be stopped!
ReplyDeleteI've told this story before but it applies here as well. The Houston KKK used to publish a newsletter called, "Rats Today, Cat Food Tomorrow." It was a list of names, with addresses and phone numbers, of people who supported integration, taught black history or literature, who protested the VN War, etc. The so-called leadership didn't directly call for harrassing or harming anyone on the list but of course members knew a call to action when they saw it. They even paid me a visit about 2 AM one morning. I think we're seeing the same kind of thing here.
ReplyDeleteConsider this a hypothetical possibility. Suppose Fox News starts to perceive Beck as a liability. As the letter points out, suppose Fox News is concerned about one more crazed lunatic incident bringing in the FCC or the DOJ, or perhaps lawsuits from injured victims and the adverse publicity that would forever sully their reputation.
ReplyDeleteIf you buy any of these assumptions, then Glenn Beck is vulnerable, and Fox News is more likely to pull the plug. Then right-wingers can hardly blame liberals since it would be Fox News divesting itself of a major liability.
At least that is logic as I see it. Nevertheless, a letter to advertisers will increase pressure on the network.
As much as I want to see Beck gone from the airwaves, he's likely got enough misguided followers to keep on going in one way or another even if he does get fired from Fox. And boy, won't he have his martyr hat on then!
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line, imvho, is that to remain silent is as irresponsible as Beck's rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteOh, true!
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for Octo to go back to the original plan to contact advertisers. I have emailed Ailes, but frankly, I don't think he gives a damn.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I think you're right, TC. I'm sure contating the advertisers will have a stronger effect and so many have already stopped already. Octo's List should be popping up any day.
ReplyDeleteBrief digression (stop). The Republican war on women needed attention yesterday (stop). The Wisconsin war on labor unions needed attention today (stop). New letter in progress (stop). Just need a few more days (stop).
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, Octo. I have a feeling that this is a pretty monumental task. We'll be here and no doubt, so will Beck.
ReplyDeleteAbout the "Pull-the-Plug-on-Glenn-Beck" letter to Roger Ailes, I sent mine certified/return receipt, details as follows:
ReplyDeleteLabel/Receipt Number: 7010 0780 0001 1418 8408
Expected Delivery Date: February 25, 2011
Class: First-Class Mail®
Service(s): Certified Mail™ Return Receipt
Status: Arrival at Unit
Detailed Results:
Arrival at Unit, February 28, 2011, 2:29 am, NEW YORK, NY 10036
Reason why I sent it this way: To underscore my concerns and to serve notice that the public is determined to hold Fox News accountable.