OK, you people, listen up.
I guess you could say this column is part 2 of a series on how you've
been duped, hoaxed and faked out into a false sense of complacency by
misinformation, disinformation and Internet fraud.
Advertisement - story continues below
Yesterday, I told you how many WorldNetDaily readers believe there is
no actual threat to tax the Internet because of a previous, widely
disseminated e-mail hoax.
Now I'm going to tell you how you've been fooled again. That's right.
Now I'm receiving dozens of letters from readers who insist the Federal
Communications Commission is not really about to regulate religious TV
programming -- that it's all the result of confusion surrounding a
20-year-old urban legend.
TRENDING: Prof rejects calls to resign after rebuking his 'woke' university
Once again, let's start at the beginning. There was an old hoax.
I'm one of the guys who told you about it.
And, yes, you may still receive an occasional e-mail even today claiming
that Madalyn Murray O'Hair has a petition before the FCC to end all
religious television programming.
FCC officials have reportedly received more letters about petition
No. 2493 by the atheist activist than any other real or imagined issue
that has ever come to the attention of the panel. There is absolutely no
basis in reality for the concern. O'Hair never petitioned the FCC for
such action. Yet, the Internet has provided new life to this rumor --
even though O'Hair herself is apparently dead.
Advertisement - story continues below
Now, let's get to the real threat before us today.
Yes, Virginia, there is an FCC effort to regulate religious TV
programming. In fact, unless it is challenged by Congress or an
outpouring of citizen outrage, it is a fait accompli -- a reality, a
done deal. Here are the facts -- not speculation, not rumors, not
conjecture.
The new regs, approved on a 3-2 commission vote, would have a
chilling effect on religious television programming promoting a specific
faith because they are not generally "educational."
In its decision to grant a transfer of licenses between Pittsburgh TV
stations Cornerstone TeleVision, WQED -- a PBS affiliate and member of
the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) -- and Paxson Communications,
the FCC singled out religious stations by establishing new, stringent
standards for the "educational" programming that non-commercial
educational TV stations must air to remain qualified to hold their
licenses.
The FCC wants to make a distinction between religious programming and
educational and cultural programming.
Advertisement - story continues below
"For example, programming primarily devoted to religious exhortation,
proselytizing, or statements of personally held religious views and
beliefs generally would not qualify as 'general educational'
programming," the FCC said. "Thus, church services generally will not
qualify as 'general education' programming under our rules," the agency
concluded.
FCC proponents claim there's nothing new about the new regulations.
Then why issue them? No explanation. In other words, the FCC majority
would have you believe we have never actually enjoyed our First
Amendment rights in America. We just didn't know we lived in a fascist
state, according to these guys.
In Paragraph 44 of the order, commissioners said the FCC would not
"disqualify any program simply because the subject matter of the
teaching or instruction is religious in nature." However, the
commissioners added, "We reiterate that the reserved television channels
are intended 'to serve the educational and cultural broadcast needs of
the entire community to which they are assigned,' and to be 'responsive
to the overall public as
opposed to the sway of particular political, economic, social or
religious interests.'"
The two dissenting members of the five-man commission said the new
rules bring the agency closer to "unacceptable content regulation." Do
you hear that skeptics? Even two members of the FCC say the threat is
real. Call it the revenge of Madalyn Murray O'Hair.
Advertisement - story continues below
Now what are you going to do about this? Are you going to sit back
quietly in your easy chair and say, "No worries"? Are you going to
dismiss this real threat as a phony? Are you going to say, "Well, I
don't like religious TV anyway, who cares?" Or, are you going to
recognize the threat this represents to all free speech and religious
freedom and take action?
I recommend you sound off today to your senators and representative
in Washington. It's easy to do electronically at WorldNetDaily's
Legislative Action Center.