Subject: Why are CBS and NBC Padlocking the Church's Open Door?

From: "FaithfulAmerica" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 06 Dec 2004 15:14:34 -0800

Why are CBS and NBC PADLOCKING the Church's Open Door?

The two networks have refused to air an ad by the United Church of Christ with its message of inclusiveness, claiming it is "too controversial." 

Go here to send a letter to the presidents of both networks and urge them to reverse their decision:  

http://www.faithfulamerica.kintera.org/uccadaction 

The 30 second spot, showing bouncers guarding a church door and turning some away while admitting others, carried this written message:  "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."   

CBS, in its refusal to air the spot said this:

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other
minority groups by other individuals and organizations, and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."

NBC also declared the spot "too controversial" and refused to air it.

What's going on here?  The National Council of Churches responded:   

"The for-profit keepers (of access to the public square)...  are all too willing to promulgate messages laced with sexual innuendo, greed, violence, and the politics of personal destruction, but a message of openness and welcome that merely says "church doors are open to all" is being silenced as too controversial...  Constitutional guarantees of religious liberty and freedom of speech, not to mention common fairness, beg for leadership by the FCC to assure that America's faith community has full and equal access to the nation's airwaves, to deliver positive messages that seek to build and enrich the quality of life."

Censorship of faith positions by National Television execs based on a proposed piece of legislation that President Bush favors? 

We don't think so.

And what does that have to do with the exercise of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and the historic American right to hold and express a diversity of opinions?"

Persons of faith -- from nearly every religious tradition -- are rightly outraged by this action.  Let the network gatekeepers know that you oppose this arbitrary and potentially damaging decision to padlock the public airwaves from sharing a simple message of inclusiveness.  

GO HERE (http://www.faithfulamerica.kintera.org/uccadaction) to send a letter to the Presidents of both networks.  Then forward this alert on to your friends and colleagues whom you feel need to know!  

We have provided some sample wording, but we encourage you to mention your own faith tradition if you wish. 

Thank you for taking timely and forthright action. YOU are the Faithful in FaithfulAmerica. 

Blessings,

Your FaithfulAmerica.org Team

P.S.:  Please FORWARD THIS E-MAIL to your friends or colleagues and help strengthen this effort.  Thanks.

 To VIEW the AD, GO HERE (http://www.stillspeaking.com)

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