Posted on 10/03/2001 8:25:16 AM PDT by white trash redneck
***Media Research Center CyberAlert***
Wednesday October 3, 2001 (Vol. Six; No. 157)
The 1,155th CyberAlert. Tracking Media Bias Since 1996
2) WB and TNT simulcast on Tuesday "an all-star concert dedicated to New York City and its people." But instead of just raising money for charities helping terrorist attack victims the event collected money for liberal gun control groups. The broadcast of "Come Together: A Night of John Lennon's Words and Music," pointed viewers to a Web page which provided donation links for gun control groups, such as the Million Mom March.
> 2) "Live from Radio City Music Hall, an all-star concert dedicated to New York City and its people" to raise money for charities helping the victims of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. And, the producers did not advertise, to raise money for liberal gun control groups.
Only a discerning viewer could tell the event had any secondary agenda, but Tuesday night's two-hour simulcast on WB and TNT of a special concert titled, "Come Together: A Night of John Lennon's Words and Music," directed viewers to a Web site which, in a page created to collect donations generated by the televised concert, provided contribution links for three gun control groups, including the Million Mom March.
Perusing Robert Bianco's "Critic's Corner" box at the top of Tuesday's USA Today TV listings page, I caught this sentence: "Cousin companies WB and TNT join for a simulcast of Come Together: A Night of John Lennon's Words and Music (tonight, 8 ET/PT), an all-star benefit for New York City relief efforts and gun control organizations."
"Come Together" by uniting a nation to fight terrorism, but subtlety use the outpouring of support to direct money to an ideological political cause on an issue which splits the nation?
Indeed, that is what the producers of the concert pulled off with the assistance of AOL Time Warner, owners not only of the two networks which carried the concert of singers performing Lennon songs, but also of the Web site which collected donations, helping.org.
A full page ad in Tuesday's USA Today offered no hint of any liberal gun regulation agenda. "Tonight -- Live from Radio City Music Hall" the ad proclaimed, "An All-Star Concert Dedicated to New York City and Its People."
At the top of the show, however, host Kevin Spacey, who wore a flag lapel pin, exposed the original agenda for the program: "‘Come Together.' That was the name for this night when it was first planned over a year ago. This was to have been not only a chance to honor the words and music of John Lennon, but also to give the good fight for gun control, non-violence and to help give peace a chance."
In an October 2 story, USA Today's Elysa Gardner explained:
"Earlier this year, when [Lennon widow] Ono and producer Ken Ehrlich began putting together a concert saluting her late husband, John Lennon, they were motivated in part by concern about youth violence. Ono wanted Lennon's songs and legacy to help ‘teach children that the violent way isn't the right way.' But on Sept. 11, nine days before the show's scheduled date, a terrorist attack on the city that Lennon considered his adopted home -- and where he was murdered nearly 21 years ago -- forced the postponement of the Lennon tribute, even as it reinforced its purpose."
Gardner, however, failed to note how the show would still financially boost gun control groups as she listed only victims groups as beneficiaries: "Come Together will benefit various relief organizations, among them the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the September 11th Fund and the Twin Towers Fund."
The liberal political agenda may not have been promoted by the producers, but TNT did acknowledge it on its Web site. See the end of this excerpt from the TNT Web site's summary of the special:
"Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey will host the spectacular event, which will feature some of today's best musical talents -- Dave Matthews, Moby, Stone Temple Pilots, Nelly Furtado, Shelby Lynne, Alanis Morissette, Cyndi Lauper, Lou Reed, Marc Anthony, Yolanda Adams, Billy Preston, Craig David, Natalie Merchant, Rufus Wainwright, Sean Lennon and more -- in unique performances of Lennon's most beloved songs. Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Edie Falco, James Gandolfini, Julia Stiles, Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth will be special segment presenters...
"Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit New York City relief organizations including the American Red Cross, September 11th Fund, International Association of Fire Fighters, New York Fraternal Order of Police WTC Fund, The National Organization for Victim Assistance, and The Twin Towers Fund in addition to the Violence Policy Center, The Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March. For donations and more information, go to www.helping.org."
To view this page online, go to: http://www.tnt.tv/Title/Display/0,5918,341134,00.html
Other than Spacey's opening comment, the show did avoid any promotion of the gun control agenda. Before each commercial break viewers saw an 800 number and the www.helping.org Web address for donations. At three breaks video vignettes promoted specific charities, all related to the attacks: the September 11th Fund, New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and the New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund.
But those who went to helping.org during the two-hour broadcast/cable simulcast saw "Donate Now" links for three gun control groups. The top of the right side of the helping.org home page featured a link to the Come Together page as it urged surfers to tune in at 8 ET/PT. Those who clicked this page, for which text is reprinted below in full. (I've added > to highlight the two section headings):
An All-Star Concert of John Lennon's Music Dedicated to NYC
John Lennon's music inspired a generation and continues to influence the world. COME TOGETHER: A NIGHT FOR JOHN LENNON'S WORDS & MUSIC is a special musical event of prayer and healing for New York City and its people. In light of the terrorists attacks that devastated New York city on September 11, 2001, the event spotlights charities working to help victims and their families and the city of New York rebuild. The event also focuses attention to charities working to stop gun violence.
Donations are desperately needed by the charities providing financial and emotional assistance as well as special recovery services. You can help by making a donation to any of the charities below.
> Disaster Relief Charities Working in New York
American Red Cross
September 11th Fund
New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund
Twin Towers Fund
Salvation Army
The New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund
WTC School Fund
Suffolk County SPCA
Gun Violence Charities
Violence Policy Center
The Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence
Million Mom March
To view this page, go to: http://www.helping.org/cometogether/
Clicking on the three groups brought you to these descriptions of them below a mailing address:
-- Violence Policy Center
Since 1960, more than a million Americans have died in firearm suicides, homicides, and unintentional shootings. In 1998 alone, more than 30,000 Americans died by gunfire. Today guns are outpaced only by motor vehicles as a cause of fatal injury stemming from a consumer product.
The Violence Policy Center (VPC) is at the forefront of those working to stem the tide of firearms violence. The VPC is a national 501(c)(3) educational organization working to move beyond the popular but narrow perception of firearms violence as solely a crime issue to place it in its proper perspective: a widespread public health problem of which crime is merely the most recognized aspect.
To see this page, go to: http://www.helping.org/cometogether/charities.adp?id=521571442
-- The Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence
As the largest national, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center are dedicated to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in their communities. The Brady Campaign and the Brady Center believe that a safer America can be achieved without banning all guns.
The Brady Campaign works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies through grassroots activism, electing pro-gun control public officials and increasing public awareness of gun violence.
The Brady Center works to reform the gun industry and educate the public about gun violence through litigation and grassroots mobilization, and works to enact and enforce sensible regulations to reduce gun violence including regulations governing the gun industry.
For this page: http://www.helping.org/cometogether/charities.adp?id=521285097
-- Million Mom March
The Million Mom March, a protest to promote the reduction of gun violence, was created in 2000. More than a million mothers participated nationwide demanding safer gun laws, including 750,000 on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
In 2001, the Million Mom March visited legislators in 33 State Capitols, staged a cybermarch, and conducted a letter-writing campaign to ask the mothers and wives of President Bush and congressional leaders to impress on their sons and husbands the importance of safer gun laws.
For this page: http://www.helping.org/cometogether/charities.adp?id=943326481
And who pays for helping.org, the site making all these contributions so easy: AOL Time Warner. From the "About Us" page:
"Helping.org is an easy-to-use, one-stop online resource designed to help people find volunteer and giving opportunities in their own communities and beyond. With customizable services and comprehensive information, it's never been easier -- or more secure -- to donate your time, services, or financial support.
"‘.org' means we are nonprofit. 100% of all transaction and administrative costs are covered by the AOL Time Warner Foundation. We take 0% cut or commission from online donations."
The evening concert was not free of politics since many of Lennon's lyrics expressed views and the show featured video clips of Lennon's "give peach a chance"-type comments. Presenter Ben Stiller even joked about the Beatles and Lennon's leftist viewpoint: "Lest we forget, they were also revolutionary wits. Somehow they combined the rock ‘n roll cool of Elvis Presley with the comedic genius of the Marx brothers -- though with John around you always wondered if, perhaps, Zeppo Marx had been replaced by Karl Marx."
Ha ha. While mourning the loss of thousands to mass murdering terrorists, actor Ben Stiller joked about the honoree's political congruence with the man behind the formation of communism, a political ideology responsible in the last century for the murder of more civilians than any other form of government.
Mislabel and deceive.
The Marxists have hijacked major league funding sources.
E, GOOD word!! Peace and love, George.
Bull. More like 40-60 thousand.
Watch the shows if you want - but boycott his sponsors, the corporations making him rich. The recession is our ally in this; in a recession, no consumer-products or consumer-service company can afford to alienate any significant group of potential customers.
This is what Ted Turner fears most.
Their numbers are dwindling.
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - yorktown
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