Here we go again with highlights of how our favorite self-appointed moral censor is at it again over the last two weeks...

First, L. Brent Bozell claimed two weeks ago that there were "companies that have pulled their advertising from WWF programming".. One problem with that statement": they again are again companies that never advertised on WWF programming in the first place.

This practice seems to be getting to be a habit with the PTC, since companies are starting to realize that Bozell is largely a bag of wind who represents no one, and are somewhat less ready to jump when he tells them to do so.

According to the PTC website, the two "new Good Guys" supposedly are Exxon/Mobil and Papa John's Pizza.

Now, if you've read the WFAC PTC Watches, you'll notice that these companies have never appeared on the list...for the simple reason that they have never advertised on the programming to begin with.

So the master of the Big Lie is at it again...

Take the time to contact these two companies, and ask them to provide you with written documentation regarding this matter.

For Exxon Mobil Corporation:
You can call 1-800-243-9966 or write to:

Exxon Mobil Corporation
Attn: Customer Assistance
P.O. Box 4712
Houston, TX 77210-4712

You can contact them online here

For Papa John's International, here is the contact information:

Papa John's International, Inc.
P.O. Box 99900
Louisville, KY 40269-9990
* Customer Opportunity Desk: (12 noon to 12 midnight, ET) (888) 777-7272
* Company Headquarters: (502) 261-7272
* Electronic feedback form: http://www.papajohns.com/feedback/ele_feed.htm

Then, there were the attempts by members of Congress to build a so-called "safe haven" for children-safe programming.

In this situation, Senator Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.) reintroduced legislation which would give the Federal Communications Commission the power to keep television violence off the air during the hours when children would most likely be watching television.

"The almighty allure of the advertising dollar continues to produce more violence on TV," Hollings said. "Violence sells and money talks. However, by directing the Federal Communications Commission to define both violent programming and the 'safe harbor' time period, this bill takes the first step toward protecting America's children from excessive and gratuitous violence on television."

The proposed legislation would direct the FCC to determine whether the TV industry's voluntary rating system and V-chip technology are doing their job.

Broadcasters, needless to say, disagreed. "We do not support a violence safe harbor," National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Dennis Wharton said. "We think the V-chip solution coupled with the ratings system is serving American parents well."

Readers can contact the sponsors of this legislation, and let them know what you think.

* Contact Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings at http://www.senate.gov/~hollings/webform.html

* Contact Senator Ted Stevens at http://www.senate.gov/~stevens/webform.html

* Contact Senator Daniel Inouye at http://www.senate.gov/~inouye/abtform.html

* Contact Senator Byron Dorgan at http://www.senate.gov/~dorgan/webmail.html

* Contact Senator Herb Kohl at mailto:senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov

* Contact Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson at senator@hutchison.senate.gov

If you want to contact your Representative, you can do so at
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

This service is provided to assist you in finding and contacting Members of the United States House of Representatives. Please note that the contact information accessible through this service is provided by each Member office. To identify and write your Representative:

* Select your State
* Enter the first 5 digits of your ZIP Code
* Click on the Submit button

In some cases, after submitting this information, you will receive a message asking for the additional 4 digits of the extended ZIP code. If you don't know your extended ZIP Code, you can use the ZIP+4 Lookup service provided by the United States Postal Service National Customer Support Center.

If, after entering the state and Zip Code, you are sent to a page with only a mailing address and/or phone number it means that your Representative does not use the Write Your Representative Service for E-Mail. Some Representatives choose to use methods other than E-Mail for communicating with their constituents. Alternate contact information is given.

This allows you to easily find the telephone number, postal address and e-mail address/webmail URL and send your thoughts to him or her.

You can look up the appropriate contact information for your own United States Senator at http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm.

Let him or her know that you don't want the United States Senate acting as a parent, and that you feel that such legislation is blatantly unconstitutional.

Then, we heard from the Reverend Jerry Falwell, who is apparently joining the Reverend Donald Wildmon and Rev. D. James Kennedy in making the WWF the new cause du jour for the religious right.

On Falwell's nationally syndicated TV show "Listen America", Falwell read a letter from a viewer who was upset that Falwell supported censorship of the WWF.

Falwell's response to the letter writer was that because television is public airwaves, that networks should suit programming for all ages. He praised that XFL ratings were dropping and he wished that WWF ratings would too.

This is far from Falwell's first attempt to deal with this issue, as you'll see from a WFAC PTC Watch in August 2000:

"Bozell lies again...this time on the Jerry Falwell show

Some highlights from a recent L. Brent Bozell appearance on Jerry Falwell's syndicated religious television program:

* Claims that four children have been killed from copying wrestling moves while watch Smackdown.

* Followed by a rehash of the usual claims aired on their website and e-Alerts

Then Bozell stated that over 40 companies have pulled their advertising from Smackdown, this after he publicly claimed that the number was 30 just a week ago. Mr. Bozell failed to mention that several companies have sent statements SPECIFICALLY STATING that they have no relationship with the Parents Television Council, most notably Coca-Cola.

Then Bozell showed his true desperation. He said something to the effect that Vince has gotten people to phone in bomb threats and death threats, and encouraged them to send computer viruses.

This, despite the fact that the two major anti-PTC websites, PTC Sucks.com and Wrestling Fans Against Censorship CLEARLY state that they do not advocate ANY form of illegal activity against the PTC, its members, or its website. Mr. Bozell is well aware of the fact, given that his organization monitors these sites.

Statements like these have advanced the situation to a point where Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Federation should seriously contemplate a lawsuit against Bozell and his organization for slander.

This dialogue should also remind readers of the connection between Rev. Falwell's Townhall.com and the Parents Television Council. The Media Research Council (the parent organization of the PTC acknowledges this connection on its website).

Let Jerry Falwell know what you think about such comments.

He can be written at
Jerry Falwell
Lynchburg, VA 24514

He (or far more likely, the Jerry Falwell Ministries) can be called at (804) 237-0770

His e-mail address of record is jerry@falwell.com.

Ask the Reverend Falwell that, since he so frequently makes a conspicuous point of waving the American flag, if he believes in the United States Constitution. Consequently, does he believe in all of it...or just the parts that suit his ideological agenda?

While you're at it, ask him if he sees any contradiction between being a professing Christian minister, and having accepted a considerable sum of money from L. Brent Bozell's friend, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon in order to have kept his Liberty University complex solvent?

Even better, ask the Reverend Falwell about the fact that his name is splashed all over one of the Unification Church sponsored websites. One example is an item about an Inaugural Prayer Luncheon where Falwell was a noted speaker, found here

So despite the fact that he seems to convincing less companies to go along with him, the fact is that others are still being convinced by L. Brent Bozell's "Big Lie"...including mainstream and wrestling media.

Despite the fact that Jerry Lawler's leaving the WWF announce booth might be more interesting reading this week in my column, the issue doesn't go away...and doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.

Until next time...

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