wfn.org | Before quitting, Dobbs misleads CNN viewers about UCC-supported media coalition

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Before quitting, Dobbs misleads CNN viewers about UCC-supported media  coalition

> Written by Staff Reports
> November 12, 2009

CNN commentator Lou Dobbs abruptly announced that he was quitting the
news network last night, but not before he included misleading
information about the United Church of Christ and its support for the
interfaith media justice coalition, So We Might See. In October,
through its website, the coalition asked individuals to sign onto a
letter to the Federal Communications Commission calling for a public
hearing into the effects of anti-immigrant hate speech in the media.

On his final show, Dobbs ? whose anti-immigration diatribes had become
commonplace ? interviewed the American Spectator's Jeffrey Lord, a UCC
member, who has written lengthy unsubstantiated opinion pieces over
the past five weeks critical of the involvement of the United Church
of Christ's Office of Communication, Inc. (OC, Inc.) in the So We
Might See coalition. OC, Inc. is the UCC's historic and independently
incorporated media justice organization.

Lord's mischaracterizations of the UCC, OC Inc. and the coalition's
work were refuted in an Oct. 28 statement by the Rev. J. Bennett
Guess, the UCC's director of communication, who also serves as
executive director of OC Inc.

The So We Might See Coalition was launched in July of this year to
promote interfaith awareness of shared media-related issues and
concerns. At the invitation of the UCC's OC Inc., several interfaith
partners joined the coalition, including the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops, Islamic Society of North America, the National
Council of Churches Communications Commission, Presbyterian News
Service, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Disciples
Justice Action Network. United Methodist Communications initially
joined but later sought more time to seek its board members' approval.

"So We Might See is a new, but strong coalition committed to shedding
light on important issues of media justice ranging from broadband
internet access to junk food advertising targeting our kids," Guess
said. "As one of our many issues of concern, our 2009 Media Violence
Fast in October sought to encourage conversation and exploration into
the effects of anti-immigrant hate speech on TV and radio."

The UCC's work to raise awareness about anti-immigrant hate speech has
received support from others in the Hispanic community.

At its annual meeting, the UCC's Council for Hispanic Ministries voted
to endorse OC Inc.'s "work in these efforts and against all hate
media," according to the Rev. Marilyn Pagan-Banks, CHM chair.

On November 5, interfaith partners of the So We Might See Coalition
received a letter of appreciation from the National Hispanic Media
Coalition, commending the October's campaign against anti-immigrant
hate speech.  The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Members of the So We Might See Coalition:

We are writing to thank you for taking a stand against anti-immigrant
hate speech in your recent campaign, the Media Violence Fast.  Your
efforts to educate your members about the harm caused by hate speech
was commendable.  We strongly appreciate your decision to take action
to combat the resulting violence by supporting the National Hispanic
Media Coalition's (NHMC's) efforts to ask the Federal Communications
Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Agency
to gather more information on hate speech and its connection to hate crimes.

As advocates for immigration reform, we must face every day the
detrimental effects of hate speech.  It is an important role for the
faith community to stand up and speak out in a moral voice against
hatred.  We understand that opponents of immigration reform and others
are often all too willing to engage in unfortunate tactics that are
meant to drive us apart and hinder our joint goals for justice and
peace for all residents of the U.S.  We hope that you will not be
deterred in your own fight for justice and we look forward to working
with you in the future.

Alex Nogales, President & CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition
Martin Castro, President & CEO, Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
Angelo Falcon, President, The National Institute for Latino Policy
Juan Andrade, President, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute