October 13, 2004
Moon and Sinclair: How long did you think it would take?
As a child of the 80s, I was a big fan of 3-2-1 Contact, an educational program on PBS. One of the songs from that show was about the properties of the number 9, namely that any number multiplied by 9 would create a new number the digits of which could be added together to make 9 or another number the digits of which would add up to 9. Try it some time.
Anyway, the ditty went like this:
Nine, nine, nine
Fantastic number nine
Take any number you can find
it all comes back to nine.
The tune is useful still, not just in math. I propose the following update:
Moon, Moon, Moon
The fascist Reverend Moon
Take any unhinged right-wing loon
It all comes back to Moon.
So when you find that the right-wing propaganda Sinclair Broadcasting Co. intends to interrupt affiliates' programming with right before the election has a Moon connection, don't be surprised, since "It all comes back to Moon."
Here's how it works.
The guy behind the "documentary," Carlton Sherwood, is a former employee of the Washington Times, a money-losing newspaper that Moon has funded for two decades to spread his theocratic conservative views to the few people curious or stupid enough to read it.
But that's not where the connection ends. Sherwood claims to have written Inquisition, an "expose" of the Moonies for Regnery, a right-wing imprint that also published the Swift Boat Vets book. But leading Moonie debunker John Gorenfeld found that it wasn't much of a fair fight at all, according to a 1992 investigation:
"The week after talking to Regnery, FRONTLINE obtained a copy of a letter addressed to Sun Myung Moon. The letter was written by James Gavin, a Moon aide. Gavin tells Moon he reviewed the "overall tone and factual contents" of Inquisition before publication and suggested revisions. Gavin adds that the author "Mr. Sherwood has assured me that all this will be done when the manuscript is sent to the publisher." Gavin concludes by telling Moon, "When all of our suggestions have been incorporated, the book will be complete and in my opinion will make a significant impact.... In addition to silencing our critics now, the book should be invaluable in persuading others of our legitimacy for many years to come."
Yep. He's an insane cult leader with dreams of world domination and he approved that message.
Angry? Good. You can do something to stop Sinclair from using the public's airwaves to spread distortions. The Hunt Valley-based company owns two stations in nearby Baltimore, WBFF and WNUV. Many of the advertisers on these stations have operations in the D.C. area as well. Go to this page, select Baltimore, and call these companies (especially the local ones, since they're small) to tell them you are boycotting their product or service until they yank their ads from Sinclair stations.
I'd start with Empire Today, since you probably already know their number - 800-588-2300. Tell them that you're willing to stick with your existing nasty, grungy carpet until they end their support for the partisans at Sinclair. But really, you should call any of the companies on the list if you use their products.
Posted by rj3 at October 13, 2004 11:25 AM
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Comments
I LOVED 3-2-1 Contact. Thanks for the link...
Posted by: John Gorenfeld at October 15, 2004 12:06 PM