Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Call to Action re: Amy Goodman's show on Bin Laden


From ny911truth.org

Hello all,

Yesterday Amy Goodman interviewed author Steve Coll on his new book about the Bin Laden family. The whole interview was skewed to present Bin Laden as responsible for 9/11. She touted how Coll is a Pulitzer prize-winning author. Unfortunately, key detail was left out which questions whether Bin Laden had been involved at all. As a journalist she must come to question how Bin Laden could have been accused and convicted for 9/11 within an hour of the attacks on all the major news stations without an investigation. Surely she must know that the Taliban offered to turn him over if the U.S. provided evidence of his guilt. This evidence never materialized. Now we must approach Amy and urge her to air alternative viewpoints. Let's urge her to have Kevin Barrett or Bin Laden expert Professor Bruce Lawrence, head of Duke University’s Religious Studies program.

Include any of these talking points:

It has been reported that Bin Laden actually denied involvement with 9/11. See http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/inv.binladen.denial/

On his web site Robert Fisk displays a page from the Pakistani newspaper Ummat in which Bin Laden stated, "I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children and other people. Such a practice is forbidden even in the course of a battle.

From a PBS timeline, on Sept. 16, 2001

Osama bin Laden denies any involvement in the 9/11 attacks in a statement to Al Jazeera television, saying, "I would like to assure the world that I did not plan the recent attacks, which seems to have been planned by people for personal reasons."

Project Censored 2008 article titled

"No Hard Evidence Connecting Bin Laden to 9/11"
http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/16-no-hard-evidence-connecting-bin-laden-to-9-11/

At the 7th anniversary of 9/11, we must urge Amy to provide a "fair & balanced" account of the facts. However, please be civil and respectful. Appeal to her professional position as a journalist, rather than berate her. THIS IS KEY! Please mail Amy today at mail@democracynow.org or producers@democracynow.org.

Please include some version of the following thought --- "I know you support a new investigation of 9/11. You had former Sen. Mike Gravel on to discuss the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative. They now have reached 30,000 petition signatures, which is a milestone. It's time for an update on Democracy Now. Please contact Les Jamieson at info@nyc911initiative.org to schedule an interview with him and one of the celebrity endorsers. The world deserves an authentic, comprehensive investigation. The NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative is the vehicle to accomplish this task."

Thanks to all for helping to get an opposing viewpoint on the most visible example of alternative media.

Towards truth,
Les Jamieson