Straight Shooting - Issue #75
by Fritz Capp
Exclusively For PWBTS.com
July 17, 2000
PREFACE : If you are interested in finding out the latest work/shoot going across the Internet concerning Kevin Nash then please, this is not the place for you. If you are trying to find out if Hulk Hogan is going to stay in WCW or start up his own company for FOX, again this is not the place. If you are looking for the latest ECW/XPW fallout you need to look elsewhere. But if you are looking for researched and sourced information on the PTC, L.Brent Bozell, Townhall.com, The Heritage Foundation and their ties to the Rev.Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church, his affiliates and who the real people are that are trying to affect your wrestling viewing read on. Also included is the Better Business Bureau's accounting of business practices of the MRC which includes L.Brent Bozell's salary and the money made and spent by MRC.
Would you like information about donating stock to the PTC or including the organization in your will?
In a world filled with many social and economic problems I am sure that the last thing you are thinking about is whether or not you want to leave all your worldly possessions to the Parents Television Council. But this is the exact question they have on their site when you go to sign up for their newsletter. Now far be it from me to exact any form of judgement on the PTC where this is concerned but isn't this the same kind of thing that the Reverend Sun Myung Moon wanted from all of his devotees of his Unification Church? In fact, what he extracted from his followers has been likened to a pyramid scheme wherein he slowly but surely deleted his followers belongings and finances and made them part of his empire.
It is no secret to those who have been around and read the news during the course of the last twenty years that Rev. Moon has done some very questionable things. One thing that a lot of people do not know or realize is that Media Research founder L. Brent Bozell has been associated with the Rev. Moon and is currently doing things along the same vein as Rev. Moon has been shown to have done in the past, maybe still to this day.
The opening question is just one of the similarities.
L.Brent Bozell is a very intelligent man. Over the course of his life he has learned the secrets of how to make money while enjoying tax free status for his organization. But to fully understand Bozell and his practices one must go to the places where he may have learned some of his philosophies. Let us start with Rev. Moon.
Sun Myung Moon is a religious zealot who preys on the weak minded people he encounters. Many of his followers were unadjusted to everyday living with a large part of them being habitual drug users. Others were just trying to find meaning in the everyday drudgery that we call life. Moon realized many years ago that these are the people he would target for his "religious following".
The following excerpts/quotes are from http://www.sonic.net/sentinel/1earth4.html
"Moon teaches that Jesus was the most important Adam between the original one and Moon, attaining spiritual perfection but a "flawed" Messiah. Moon is the reincarnation of Jesus only more perfect."
"Moon teaches that Jesus was a child of adultery, not immaculate conception. "Mary was impregnated by Zachariah (John the Baptist's father). Jesus had an unhappy home life because Joseph was jealous of Zachariah and resented Jesus."
"Moon teaches that when Jesus grew up he failed as a leader because he was unable to love his disciples enough to motivate them to kill for him or die in his place." Moon says that his love is not weak, like he portrays Jesus. "Since Jesus was incapable of perfect love, owing to his unwholesome upbringing, he was also unable to marry as intended by God."
"Moon states that the reason why Jesus died was because he couldn't have a bride. Because there was no preparation of a bride to receive Jesus, that was the cause of his death."
"Moon sees Christian churches as furthering Satan's power. According to Moon, Israel was God's chosen nation, but the Jews, falling prey to Satan's power, rejected Jesus. God punished them with centuries of suffering, and finally cleansed them by killing six million in World War II. But the Jews had missed their chance. God had to find a new Messiah and a new Adam nation because it is God's principle not to use the same people and the same territory twice," Moon teaches. "Korea was ideally suited for several reasons. It is a peninsula, physically resembling the male sex organ."
Do I really need to go any further with this? It is plain to see that the Rev. Sun Myung Moon is more than a bit off the beaten path. He vilifies the Jewish people, almost giving his blessing to all of their suffering and the holocaust, he preaches that Jesus Christ was born of an adulterous relationship and that he was killed because he was a "flawed" messiah that could not attain "perfect love". He also teaches that he is Jesus reincarnated today.
Again the following information is sourced from http://www.sonic.net/sentinel/1earth4.html :
"But there is a side to Rev. Moon that he tries to bury. Moon has been accused in a 447 page Congressional report with bribery, bank fraud, illegal kickbacks and illegal sale of arms. He was also accused of attempting to secretly build nuclear weapons for Korea. A Congressional report also indicated that Rev. Moon's Unification Church was founded by a director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, Kim Chong Pil, as a political tool in 1961."
According to Harry V. Martin and David Caul of the Napa Sentinal, the House report states, "Kim Chong Pil organized the Unification Church while he was director of the ROK (Republic of Korea) Central Intelligence Agency, and has been using the church, which has a membership of 27,000, as a political tool." Kim was among the inner core of Army officers who led the coup that brought President Park Chung Hee to power in 1961."
Moon doesn't stop there though as he has done everything he can do build a political base in the United States.
Again according to Harry V. Martin and David Caul of the Napa Sentinal, "In 1977 Congressman Donald Frazer launched an investigation into Moon's background. The House Committee report states that it uncovered evidence that the Moon organization had systematically violated U.S. tax, immigration, banking, currency and foreign agent registration laws. The report indicates that Moon was paid by the Korean CIA to stage demonstrations at the United Nations and run pro-South Korean propaganda efforts. The investigator for the report commented, "We determined that their primary interest, at least in the U.S. at that time, was not religious at all, but was political, it was an attempt to gain power, influence and authority." But after the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan all investigations were halted. Moon was Vice President George Bush's guest at the inauguration and was a major financial contributor to the Washington conservative establishment."
A most interesting revelation. Rev. Moon was determined to not have religious aspirations but was doing what he could to attain a conservative political stronghold in the United States. The question is did he succeed in his quest?
One only has to look to the formation of The Washington Times. Moon was quoted as saying, "Washington is the most important single city in the world. If you can achieve influence, if you can achieve visibility, if you can achieve a measure of respect in Washington, then you fairly automatically are going to achieve these things in the rest of the world. There is no better agency or instrument that I know of for achieving power here or almost anywhere else than a newspaper."
Here Moon states that he believes in his heart that if you can get a newspaper or publication going in Washington and receive credibility.
But Moon's reach for political clout did not stop at newspapers. Here is a piece from Reuters :
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The owner of the Washington Times newspaper, a company linked to the Unification Church, has acquired the United Press International wire service, which broke the news of President Kennedy's assassination but has since fallen on hard times, the agency said Monday.
UPI said in an article Monday that News World Communications, established by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, head of the Unification Church, "plans to maintain UPI as an independent news-gathering operation while upgrading its capacity with new technologies and distribution practices."
Since it was established by Moon in 1982, The Washington Times has provided a consistently conservative editorial voice in the nation's capital. Moon also lists on his Internet site newspapers in Seoul, Tokyo, Montevideo, Athens, Los Angeles and New York."
The date on the above newswire story is 5-16-2000. This shows that Moon and his associates are still digging into the media aspect of this country. But where does L. Brent Bozell tie in with all of this?
The following is a quote from Chey Simonton, a guest on the EFF BAKER PROGRAM with guest host Kelleigh Nelson :
"Now, what people need to remember is that the American Freedom Coalition was funded with over 5 million dollars of Sun Myung Moon money. Most of the members that are listed here also belong to something that is always referred to as a "conservative educational group promoting Judeo-Christian values" called the Council for National Policy. Included on this Moon-funded group are Dr. Ben Armstrong of the National Religious Broadcasters Association; Rev. James Bevel who now, or was a few years ago, associated with the LaRouche organization; Brent Bozell III; Dr. Joseph Churuba; Don DeFore, the actor from Hazel, and on his resume with the Council for National Policy he had listed himself as a 33rd degree mason; Colonel Doner who originated Christian Voice, a Moon-controlled precursor to.... it was after the Moral Majority but before the Christian Coalition, there was an organization called Christian Voice that was under the domination of Unification Church members and they had Christians going out being the public relations speakers but they were controlled and financed by Unification Church organizations. Colonel Doner, in an article I have here somewhere, laughingly explained to the report that he coined the term "traditional values" that the Christian Right loves and that "traditional values" means absolutely nothing. It means whatever anybody thinks it means. And that has been the battle cry of the Christian Right, that we must have "traditional values". He laughed about that."
Let's do a little checking on the Council for National Policy. According to The Council For National Policy Unofficial Information Website, located at http://www.berkshire.net/~ifas/cnp/, here is what they have on their site as their opening page :
"Clothed in secrecy since its founding in 1981, the Council for National Policy is a virtual who's who of the Hard Right. Its membership comprises the Right's Washington operatives and politicians, its financiers, and its hard-core religious arm.
The Hard Right utilizes the CNP's three-times-a-year secret meetings to plan its strategy for implementing the radical right agenda. It is here that the organizers and activists meet with the financial backers who put up the money to carry out their agenda.
Because CNP rules state that "meetings are closed to the media and the general public" and "our membership list is strictly confidential and should not be shared outside the Council," the mainstream press knows very little about the CNP. Through this site, and the Freedom Writer, the Institute for First Amendment Studies is, for the first time, revealing the activities and current membership of the Council for National Policy."
Listed in the CNP's member's directory is one L.Brent Bozell.
In a quote from Phyllis Schlafly of the Eagle Forum one of the few women members of the council said, "I was a charter member of the Council for National Policy, and it is a great organization. It has all the best people in it."
Former U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese, said, "Council encourages it's members to be activists. And, that is not just to learn something about the issues, but do something about it. It is so important to get involved."
I think that one of the scariest quotes comes from Pat Robertson from the Christian Coalition, "If you want to be in the know about the real scoop, that you don't read about in the newspapers, this is the organization to be part of.
Oliver North, known more for the Iran Conta scandal than anything else he has ever done had this to say, "The kind of people that are involved in this organization reflect the best of what America really is."
Another very interesting part of this organization are their "rules" in which some of them are :
"Council meetings are closed to the media and the general public. The media should not know when or where we meet or who takes part in our programs, before or after a meeting."
"Speakers' remarks at Council meetings are off the record and not for circulation later, except with special permission."
"Our membership list is strictly confidential and should not be shared outside the Council."
Quite a little group that Mr. Bozell belongs to wouldn't you agree? Now take this knowledge and put this in with the fact that Mr. Bozell is always ranting about "censorship" in media. Here Mr. Bozell belongs to what can be rationalized as a "secret society" that no one is supposed to know who the members are or what they meet about or even when they meet but yet voices strong opinion about censorship in the media, while at the same time hiding under a veil of morality while trying to censor television programming. The quote, "Oh what a tangled web we weave" is starting to play itself over and over in my mind.
Now on a recent radio show, The Michael Reagan Show, L.Brent Bozell was the guest host and was asked about his affiliations with the Unification Church. His reply was of course that he was not affiliated with the church and that in fact that could be considered a slanderous statement. He stated that he never received a check from the Unification Church.
Bozell went further by stating that the reason he is so steadfast against pro wrestling today is because there are over 3,000,000 children who watch the programming each week. I would like to know where he gets those demographics from. Is it done by a poll? Is it done by a ratings system such as Nielsen? Here is what Mr. Bozell has to say about polls, "First of all, take it from an old political hack like me: Polls can say anything you want them to say. Nielsen ratings and others like them are also very flawed. They take a small section of the people and by their viewing habits make the numbers to cover the country. How can a minority speak so well for so many? Mr. Bozell claimed that children from the ages of 2 - 11 are watching WWF programming and thus being affected by it.
Bozell went on to state that it is the parents that are allowing their children to watch it without realizing what they are doing. Where does this man get his unmitigated gall to pass judgement on parents like that? Is he is every home knowing what each parent is thinking? Or is he insinuating that today's parents just cannot do what is right by their children and therefore there is a need for organizations such as his to police our airwaves and tell us what is right and wrong to watch.
Bozell made it a point to state that it is not our "right" to have freedom of choice, that it is not guaranteed in the constitution. This is a quick paraphrase as for some strange reason the Michael Reagan show website, located at http://www.reaganradio.com/, is down at the moment so I cannot access the archives of the show to get the quote Mr. Bozell spit out of his mouth. But I do understand exactly the sentiment I had when he said about us not having the right to view what we want. You can go to the site at a later date to try to get the quote yourself at the link I have listed.
Let's get back to some more researched information.
A 1987 Seattle Times article explained "How Rev. Moon Got Ensconced with the New Right" via Paul Weyrich's network:
"Ron Godwin, an influential former vice president of Falwell's Moral Majority, is one of several who experienced a conversion.
"In 1984 Godwin attacked another fundamentalist leader for taking Moonie money. 'It strikes me as peculiar,' observed Godwin, himself an evangelical Christian, 'that (he) should accept financial support from a church whose founder believes he's divine . . . It's a little like the Jewish National Fund accepting money from (PLO leader Yasir) Arafat.'
"Eighteen months later, Godwin joined the Moonie - owned Washington Times as a senior vice president, where he also serves as emissary to conservative Christian leaders.
"Then there's Richard Viguerie, until recently more than $1.5 million in debt, according to Fairfax, Va., court records. They indicate that in mid-October the U.S. Property Development Corp. paid $10.06 million to 7777 Associates for the suburban Virginia office building including Viguerie's headquarters. Viguerie owned 72 percent of 7777 Associates, according to Virginia records, and U.S. Property's president is Moon's right-hand man, Bo Hi Pak.
"Viguerie now serves with Abernathy on the five-man board of the Moonie-dominated American Freedom Coalition. The coalition, which claims a 'house list' of more than 300,000 member-contributors, is also Viguerie's biggest new direct-mail client.
One of L.Brent Bozell's biggest claims of his websites is the fact that they are a member of Townhall.com which lists itself as conservative news and information website. In fact Media Research is listed on their "citizens" page. Another very interesting listing on the "citizens" page is the "Heritage Foundation". This is what they say they "Heritage Foundation" is about :
"Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Heritage's products include publications, articles, lectures, conferences, and meetings."
There's that term, "traditional family values" again.
According to http://watch.pair.com/heritage.html, a 1975 Congressional investigation of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) activities in the U.S. noted a connection between Heritage and the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Edwin J. Feulner, Jr. was recruited in 1977 by Richard Scaife to become Heritage president.
"The report of the investigation noted, 'In 1975, Ed Feulner ... was introduced to KCIA station chief Kim Yung Hwan by Neil Salonen and Dan Feffernan of the Freedom Leadership foundation.' Salonen was head of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church in the United States. The Freedom Leadership Foundation (FLF), a political arm of Moon's Unification network was linked to the World Anti-Communist League (WACL). The FLF was described as 'an organization to be used to achieve KCIA objectives' by the Congressional report, which was based on a KCIA document that discussed FLF."
While The Wall Street Journal of August 1995 does not mention Sun Myung Moon, it references the Korea Foundation, one of Heritage's largest donors and an affiliate of the South Korean government. The article clearly states that Heritage Foundation promotes and actually writes pro-Korean legislation:
"Heritage scholars, for example, have drafted specific language for legislation that would help South Korea by encouraging the U.S. to include Seoul more directly in U.S. dealings with North Korea. Meantime, one of Heritage's largest donors, the Korea Foundation, is an affiliate of the South Korean government, according to Yoo Lee, a spokesman for South Korea's embassy here. Heritage's President Edwin Feulner says he isn't aware that the Korea Foundation is an arm of their government...
"While Heritage has gotten most of its attention on domestic issues, it also has been an active proponent for an array of trade and other policies supported by South Korea and Taiwan. Such efforts, it says, reflects "the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific community." In December, Heritage scholar Daryl Plunk provided language for a draft resolution, essentially calling for the administration to adopt a U.S. policy more in line with the wishes of South Korea, to Colorado GOP Rep. Scott McInnis. Rep McInnis, who last year was escorted on a trip to South Korea by Mr. Plunk, introduced a provision in Congress containing similar language.
"Heritage's Mr. Feulner himself has taken an active role in promoting South Korean issues in Congress through actions such as testifying before committees to promote the think tank's pro-South Korea positions. Meantime, one in six of Heritage's 24 known major donors last year -- gifts of $100,000 or more -- were Taiwanese or South Korean concerns. Over the past three years, Heritage has received nearly $1 million from the Korea Foundation which is funded by South Korea's Foreign Ministry, says the embassy's Mr. Lee."
Another very interesting thing I found on the Townhall.com website was the now notorious "Marketplace" where they have affiliate programs that help support their cause. While most people feel that they have done a good job at getting sponsors to drop the PTC, they have not touched this area. Some of the merchants listed are CBS Sportsline (which runs Wrestleline), ToysRUs (which sells WWF merchandise), FultonStreet.com, AllHerb.com, Wicks End and others that supposedly pulled their support from the PTC but yet backs the very same type of organization in TownHall.com.
In a chat that L.Brent Bozell had, located at http://www.conservativenews.org/indepth/chattrans.html, Mr. Bozell is quoted as saying, "One of the realities of the world today is the utter ignorance of the American public. I don't mean to sound condescending, but it's true: We as a people just don't bother to learn the facts.
In my estimation of that quote, Mr. Bozell has underestimated the American public as far as "bothering to learn the facts" is concerned. We want the facts, not the spin doctoring that people like Bozell and his associates are so used to putting out as truth, as is evidenced by the plethora of articles that has been recently written about his politics, beliefs and associations/affiliations. It could be said that Mr. Bozell's own "ignorance" could yet be his undoing as with each passing week more and more is unearthed concerning Mr. Bozell and his real "family values".
The following is a report that I think everyone should see. You will learn not only how profitable running a tax free organization can be but also see that the MRC and PTC may not be all they claim to be. It is from the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER(PARENT TELEVISION COUNC
General Information Company Address: 113 S WEST STREET SUITE 200
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314
Business Classification: charity - national
Telephone #: (703) 683-9733
Company Management
MR MARK HONIG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BBB Customer Experience Record
The Better Business Bureau opened its file on this company in April 01, 2000.
Media Research Center does not meet the voluntary Better Business Bureau's Standards calling for:
Soliciting organizations to provide on request an annual report that includes information about the soliciting organization's purposes, current activities, governance, finances and tax-exempt status.
Soliciting organizations' financial statement to present adequate information to serve as a basis for informed decisions.
In addition, PAS is unable to verify Media Research Center's compliance with two standards regarding fund raising practices and governance.
The BBB's Philanthropic Advisory service reports on national charities and determines if they meet 23 voluntary standards on matters such as charity finances, appeals, and governance. PAS does not evaluate the worthiness of a charitable program.
A full written report on this organization is available, free, on request.
ae, 10/25/99 Year, State Incorporated: 1987, Virginia Affiliates: None Stated Purpose: "to bring political balance to the nation's news media and responsibility to the entertainment media."
EVALUATION CONCLUSIONS
Media Research Center (MRC) does not meet the following 2 CBBB Standards for Charitable Solicitations:
A1 - Soliciting organizations shall provide on request an annual report. The annual report, an annually updated written account, shall present the organization's purposes; descriptions of overall programs, activities, and accomplishments; eligibility to receive deductible contributions; information about the governing body and structure; and information about the financial activities and financial position. MRC's 1998 annual report included all the above information except for the organization's financial position (end of year net assets).
A3-Soliciting organizations' financial statements shall present adequate information to serve as a basis for informed decisions. Information needed as a basis for informed decisions generally includes, but is not limited to, a detailed schedule of expenses by natural classification (e.g., salaries, employee benefits, postage, utilities, etc.) presenting the natural expenses incurred for each major program and supporting activity. MRC's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1998, did not include a detailed schedule of expenses by natural classification (i.e., salaries, postage, etc.) presenting the natural expenses incurred for each major program and supporting activity (i.e., fund raising and administration).
In addition, PAS requested, but did not receive, complete information on MRC's governance and fund raising practices and, therefore, is unable to verify MRC's compliance with the following CBBB Standards for Charitable Solicitations (see back of this page for description of Standards): D1, E2.
Media Research Center meets the remaining 19 CBBB Standards for Charitable Solicitations.
PROGRAMS
MRC operates four program divisions, the News Division, Free Market Project, Parents Television Council, and Conservative Communications Center. MRC disseminates information concerning political aspects of news reporting through several publications, such as Media Watch and Media Nomics. MRC analyzes and documents news footage from all major television news programs, as well as major print media. MRC's Parents Television Council analyzes and documents the entertainment industry's programming in prime time television. MRC maintains four internet web sites to disseminate this and other information to concerned Americans. Some ($1,693, 219 or 42%) of MRC's program expenses are conducted in conjunction with fund raising appeals
For the year ended December 31, 1998 MRC's program expenses were:
Parents television council $1,503,093 Conservative communications center 1,136,526 News division 1,038,048 Free market project 316,533 Total program expenses $3,994,200
GOVERNANCE
Chief Executive Officer: Douglas C. Mills, Executive Director 1998 Compensation*: $118,475
Highest Paid Executive: L. Brent Bozell III, Chairman 1998 Compensation*: $199,135
Chair of the Board: L. Brent Bozell III
Board Size: 5 members
Paid Staff Size: 42 employees (37 full-time, 5 part-time)
* Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
FUND RAISING
Method(s) Used: Direct mail, membership appeals and print media advertising.
Fund raising costs were 16% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $6,890,178, are donations received as a direct result of fund raising activities.)
MRC incurred joint costs of $2,822,033 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising appeals. Of these costs, $1,693,219 was allocated to programs expenses and $1,128,814 was allocated to fund raising expenses.
TAX STATUS
Media Research Center is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL
The following information is based on MRC's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31,1998:
Sources of Funds
Contributions $6,827,796 Rental and other 68,623 Subscriptions 62,382 Investment income (11,320) Total income $6,947,481
Uses of Funds as a % of Total Income
Programs 58% Administrative 6% Fund raising 16% Increase in net assets 20%
Total income $6,947,481 Program expenses $3,994,200 Fund raising expenses 1,128,814 Administration expenses 448,700 Total expenses (5,571,714) Income in excess of expenses 1,375,767 Beginning net assets 2,620,525 Ending net assets 3,996,292 Total liabilities 387,193 Total assets $4,383,485
Detailed information, including MRC's audited financial statements, is on file with PAS. An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. Donors must decide for themselves the significance of any variation from the CBBB Standards, taking into account the relative importance of the practice in question in the context of the organization's total performance.
ae, 10/25/99 Copyright 1999, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
And with that I am outta here. Remember wrestling is nothing more than it appears to be. It is a shame everything isn't like that.
Sources
http://www.sonic.net/sentinel/1earth4.html
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/namibia/538/
http://www.watch.pair.com/moon.html
http://watch.pair.com/heritage.html
Council of Better Business Bureaus
http://www.conservativenews.org/indepth/chattrans.html
http://www.berkshire.net/~ifas/cnp/
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