I will be sending this letter/email to NBC Dateline at: [email protected]. I am posting it in the event some of you decide to do something similar: You can also mail this to:
NBC News - Dateline
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112:
Dear NBC Dateline:
Currently the national news is focusing considerable attention on the Roman Catholic Church regarding priests who have sexually molested children. From Boston to Los Angeles, and from Florida to Chicago, lawsuits are being filed against various Parishes and Diocese seeking monetary compensation for the damages caused by being sexually abused. These suits often contend that the Church concealed the problem by moving 'problem' priests to new churches.
Tonight, April 3, Larry King Live invited John Walsh of America's Most Wanted to discuss this topic. Mr. Walsh was very specific in noting how the Catholic Church never apologizes, never really condemns the problem, or reaches out to help the victims. He pointed out how the Church will make undisclosed settlements, but the priests are not removed from their office or defrocked. Instead they are moved around. He made the case that more than financial settlements are in order. In addition, these priests belong in jail as any other pedophile.
During this time of increased national attention on this issue, especially how religious organizations are failing to properly address this serious blight on our spiritual institutions, the same problem exists in certain other sects, namely the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses.
In the USA, it has been known for sometime among hundreds of thousands of current and former Jehovah's Witnesses that NBC Dateline has a program ready for airing, and has been ready for some time now. When other "Hot" issues surface to national attention, NBC has changed its schedule to accommodate these immediate concerns. Many of us have daily monitored Dateline's schedule and see how the line-up gets changed and pre-empted. Worldwide, there are about 2 million former JWs, many of these are likewise patiently waiting for the Dateline program.
We understand that as a major national and international network, NBC has to consider many factors in its schedule and bend as required to meet certain demands. The objective of this letter is to ask if those at NBC responsible for its Dateline schedule will seriously consider airing the show regarding this serious problem among Jehovah's Witnesses and how this relates to their organization, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York.
While Jehovah's Witnesses are considerably smaller than the Roman Catholic Church, and thereby have less overall influence on our national culture, they do enjoy a disproportionate share of public attention, known for going house to house as no other religious group. For nearly a century, the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses has taken every opportunity to air the dirty laundry of other religions, but by far and above all others, the Watchtower Society targets the Catholic Church as Babylon The Great, mother of all harlots and disgusting things on earth, according to their unique interpretation of Revelation, Chap. 18. The magazines and books published by the Watchtower Society are filled with allegations and condemnation of the Catholic Church.
No one can honestly minimize the serious guilt of the Catholic Church in their irresponsible role in covering over pedophile priests. However, should only the Catholic Church draw such large national attention regarding the issue of pedophiles? Is it not time to bring other groups who are equally guilty of serious irresponsibility, violating the trust of their religious office by covering over molestation of children?
The scope of this issue among Jehovah's Witnesses is very large, and I have no doubt that among the many hundreds of thousands of former Jehovah's Witnesses in the USA, at least ten times that many have been informed to be on watch for the NBC program. Likely, many of these have informed yet others ... the point is that there is an enormous viewing audience waiting for months to see what this program will reveal.
The timing could not be better than now, with such attention focused on religious officials ... to show that the scope of the problem reaches far beyond the Roman Catholic Church ... but into many other large non-Catholic groups ... and that maybe this problem is something that we, collectively as a nation, as mature responsible adults and citizens, must begin to examine closely, and come to understand that it is time something be done ...
Maybe a political solution is "not" needed to reign in religion, as this would wrongly affect our basic freedom. Therefore, the simple solution is vested in the powerful and valuable service you as a major news network perform ... to focus enough attention, and at the same time, so that a well informed public can be on guard, or seek legal help to redress grievances in civil actions. By arming the viewing public with quality information, members of these offending religions may cut funding to their respective religious institutions, thereby forcing them to change their conduct and policies, or fade away into the dustbin of history.
Most importantly, the victims need this attention. And just as important, potential future victims may be spared a life of hell if the public is given the information it needs ... certainly not all future victims will be spared ... but even if only one is protected from being a victim, we can all feel that much better. Not all current or past victims will ever receive justice, but with information and media exposure, more will find some sense of justice, closure, and healing.
Nothing is intended to imply that NBC Dateline, anymore than any other person or organization have any special obligation ... yet, the power is in your hands to make a huge difference in a very meaningful and uniquely potent way ... and that is why we hope that you will consider the "timeliness of the current media attention" on this and air your program as soon as possible.
The minute that the Dateline program schedule is posted on your web site, you can bet that hundreds of thousands of phone calls, email and letters will go out around the country to urge every friend and family member to watch, and this will likely be followed by millions. NBC Dateline will have our undivided attention. Thank you.