Sean Hannity
Posted on 06/19/2003 10:23:26 PM PDT by Utah Girl
PROVO — Organizers of the Stadium of Fire say they hand-picked Sean Hannity to host this year's Independence Day bash because of his courage and patriotism.
Sean Hannity |
But some think the political commentator is the wrong man to host the major event of America's Freedom Festival at Provo, saying his radical comments do not reflect a Christian community.
In recent weeks, the Deseret Morning News has received a slew of letters both supporting and decrying Hannity's scheduled appearance at the annual concert and fireworks show at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
And in separate letters to the editor published in the Deseret Morning News, Salt Lake Tribune and Daily Herald in Provo, a group of 24 people wrote that Hannity's appearance at the Freedom Festival will be an embarrassment to Provo and Utah. "I think he's very radical," said Maxine Bounous, a resident of Provo who signed the letter but says she doesn't listen to Hannity very often because he irritates her.
"I've heard him say that all liberals are evil," she said. "I think that is terrible, accusing a whole group of people that he doesn't know of being evil."
Letters printed in the Salt Lake Tribune and the Daily Herald claimed that Hannity recently denounced all Muslims as "sick" during one of his radio shows, a claim Hannity said he never uttered.
"I personally feel it is actionable when you purposefully misquote somebody," Hannity said in a interview Wednesday with the Deseret Morning News. "I never ever, ever said anything like that. They quote me as saying something directly, which was never, ever said, and it's frankly actionable."
Hannity said he has hired an attorney to look into the matter. He said the Tribune and Daily Herald should have never published the letters because they carried inaccurate information.
"My disappointment with the newspapers is that nobody called me . . . and asked, 'Did you say it?' It shouldn't have been printed," Hannity said.
Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Page Editor Vern Anderson declined to comment directly on the issue but said his paper does its best to verify that all letters are factual. Don Meyers, opinion page editor at the Daily Herald, said his paper verifies the author of each letter to the editor that it publishes.
Michael Perkins, chairman of Brigham Young University's communications department, said court cases regarding letters to the editor tend to go in favor of the newspaper.
Perkins, a media-law expert who earned a law degree at the University of Utah, said courts recognize how important letters to the editor are as a public forum for the exchange of ideas.
"Even if it is found to be defamation, I would guess newspapers have a strong defense by saying this is a public comment," said Perkins. "Hearing these letter writers' opinions is more important to society than the justice of him (Hannity) protecting his reputation that might have been marginally damaged."
The controversy was the hot topic of Hannity's radio show on Wednesday. He read several letters to the editor from the Utah newspapers.
In all three publications, the writers claimed Hannity has built a career by speaking in a tone of insult and sarcasm, a voice they claim Gordon B. Hinckley, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has counseled people to avoid.
Nearly 90 percent of residents in Utah County, home to the Freedom Festival, are members of the LDS Church. The majority of Utahns also are church members.
"My Christianity is the most important part of my life," Hannity said. "I've been a Christian my whole life. I don't think it is very Christian to bear false witness, if we're going to question people's Christian credentials."
Springville resident Louis Pope said he signed the letters because he thinks Hannity is a "ridiculous choice" to host the festival. But Pope said he signed the letter without reading it in full, attaching his name to comments he didn't necessarily agree with.
"I think the letter was a little over the top," Pope said. "I read the letter after it was published and would not probably have agreed on the Muslim thing."
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lawrence Lee said he welcomes Hannity to Provo — and applauds the host for defending his values. Lawrence is also an active letter-writer.
"There is nothing we have ever heard Sean Hannity say that would be in any material disagreement with the teachings of the LDS Church," said Lee, an Orem resident. "Most people here believe (Hannity) has been a fighter for the best values of Christianity and Western civilization."
Hannity said he believes his ratings in Utah show that the majority support him.
"I think what is happening here is that you have like four people that are trying to demonize me with a flood of letters to newspapers and frankly telling just outrageous lies," Hannity said.
Freedom Festival chiefs remain firm in the decision to have Hannity host the Stadium of Fire. "We're concerned, but we stand by the choice," said Reid Robison, 2003 festival president. "We're very disappointed that people are upset by this.
"Our aim is to celebrate freedom and make this an evening of celebration, and we would hope people would look to Sean Hannity's strengths rather than some controversial shows he may have had beforehand."
CNN talk show host Larry King, who is generally viewed as politically liberal, hosted the Stadium of Fire last year.
Freedom Festival Executive Director Carl Bacon said he finds it ironic there were no complaints about King's participation, especially because Utah County is known for its conservative bent.
"Larry King was a liberal on radio for years, and Larry King hosted it last year, so I guess only liberals can host it," Hannity joked.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent FoxFan list.
Who needs Hannity?
The appearance of Sean Hannity at the Freedom Festival will be an embarrassment to our city and state. How does his radical, hate-filled diatribe fit with the image of a Christian community? Certainly his type of "communication" does not mirror the thoughts of President Gordon B. Hinckley. In a recent speech, President Hinckley said, "We must look deeper for good and still our voices of insult and sarcasm." Sean Hannity has created a career with his voice of insult and sarcasm.
Hannity is fond of calling himself a "patriot" and, in so doing, uses one of the most obvious of propaganda techniques: labeling. Anyone who disagrees with him is, by extension, not a patriot. The truth is, most Americans love their country.
We do not believe that Sean Hannity truly represents the values of Utah County. Many of us are appalled by his mean-spiritedness.
The festival committee could have chosen someone who would represent our common ideals in an intelligent and non-partisan way. How disappointing that they chose an extremist who knows only the techniques of propgandizing and character assassination.
Vern and Dawn Brimley
Gene and Dorothy Bramhall
Louis and Chris Pope
18 others
Provo
Readers come to the defense of Sean Hannity
The only reason the left is opposed to Sean Hannity's visit (to the Freedom Festival) is he speaks the truth. . . . If standing up for truth and right and standing up to those who oppose them is mean-spirited, then I guess I proudly stand with him, Rush and the rest of the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy." —Bill Both, Salt Lake City
Brimley, Bramhall, Pope and others condemn the appearance of Sean Hannity at the Stadium of Fire. This group of 24 is obviously out of touch with Utah County. Hannity is our voice and the voice of millions of other Americans. . . . Give the conservative majority a break and let us have one of our own every four or five years. — David Dixon, Provo
A recent contribution to the Readers' Forum opined that Sean Hannity was an inappropriate choice for the Freedom Festival. I can agree with that inasmuch as Hannity is an admitted political partisan, and the Freedom Festival should ideally set aside the ideological wars and let us celebrate freedom as one people. However, it's also true that virtually any choice for a host would be divisive in some sense. Mr. Hannity does not represent my political views, but he stands out among the talk show cohorts as being a very amiable and respectful host, whose passion does not obscure his recognition of the humanity of his guests. — Andy Piereder, Lehi
Although at times I find Mr. Hannity somewhat extreme and, on occasion, even a little obnoxious, I applaud his courage to stand up for what he believes and I admire his passion. . . I'm sure Mr. Hannity is intelligent enough to recognize the Freedom Festival for what it is and to appropriately use his time here to unite us in patriotism, not divide us in politics. — Dalene Rowley, Provo
We have been watching Sean Hannity for a very long time, and we have enjoyed his willingness to confront mush-headedness. God prosper friend Hannity for aggressively exposing the pap and self-serving, sell-out designs that are coming from the misnamed "liberals," their minions in the old-line media, their dupes in academia, the current R, X to XX-rated "popular" and all of their ilk. — Lawrence B. Lee, Provo
Let me get this straight. A group from Provo calls Sean Hannity a radical, hate-filled, insulting, sarcastic, mean-spirited, extremist, propagandizing character assassin, yet he is the one guilty of "labeling."
I have found Mr. Hannity's views to be intelligent, thought-provoking and logical. I have not always agreed with him, but I have never heard him use hate as the basis for his arguments. Let's not use "labeling" as the method for getting rid of it. — David A. White, Fruit Heights
I write in response to a June 14 editorial supposedly stamped on behalf of 24 individuals from Utah County. What most perturbed me was the fact that the letter's author tried distinguishing Hannity's philosophy from that of LDS prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley, pathetically trying to prove their ideology stems from opposite sides of the spectrum. — Morgan Vance, Provo
To those who are upset at the forthcoming appearance of Sean Hannity at Stadium of Fire, I have just one question — Can I have your tickets? — Tim Osborn, American Fork
That's the root of the problem. Once a liberal is in place he can only be replaced in kind.
It's not a political rally, for crying out loud. [That remark aimed not at you but at the idiots who wrote that stupid letter.]
Mr. Brimley is a professor at Brigham Young University, and an author of "Financing Education in a Climate of Change".
Louis Pope New Founder Louis Pope was recently named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Utah 1998, in manufacturing. His company, U.S. Synthetic, manufactures sintered polycrystalline diamond compacts for oil and gas drill bits. He founded U.S. Synthetic in 1978 and invited his father, Bill Pope to become the president of the company, while Louis served as General Manager and Executive Vice President. During 1985 he setup turnkey synthetic diamond plants in China and India. After designing, manufacturing and shipping each element of the plants, he spent several months establishing both facilities and training the employees in plant operation. Louis became President and CEO of U.S. Synthetic Corporation in 1992. Since that time, the company has been recognized among the top 100 fastest growing companies in Utah, ranking 30th in 1995, 16th in 1996 and 25th in 1997. Under Louis' direction, the company has become the leading manufacturer in the world of diamond cutters for the oil drilling industry, overtaking manufacturing giants like General Electric and DeBeers, his primary competitors. Louis Pope was born and raised in Provo, Utah. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from BYU. He considers his five children and four (soon-to-be seven) grandchildren his greatest achievements. He is active in community affairs, and has been appointed to several committees by the Provo City Mayor. He has served on the Government Review Council, and on the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and is currently a Commissioner of Public Housing in Provo. He can be reached by email at: lpope@ussynthetic.com
Hmmmmmm.
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