Open Letter to CNN and Glenn Beck: Ron Paul Supporters are Not Terrorists

Michael Nystrom

Editor

www.dailypaul.com

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 apologyto 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.