Ron Levy (12/23):
The man you refer to in headline type as DISCREDITED AFRICAN LEADER is actually Laurent Gbagbo, President of Ivory Coast.
His election some years back was reported by The New York Times and thousands of other media worldwide--print, broadcast and online. The most recent election is still disputed.
President Gbagbo has in fact served for years as president. The heads and ambassadors of many countries have called him president vocally and in writing. He has signed documents as president, lived where Ivory Coast presidents live and has ridden in the presidential car.
You did not call President Bush a discredited American leader when it appeared after a disputed election that he might have fewer votes than Al Gore. You have never called President Lincoln a discredited American leader although the vast majority of History professors at our great universities agree that many more Americans voted against President Lincoln for President than voted for him. (Google it!)
Just as Presidents Bush and Lincoln had lawyers, so does President Gbagbo. You can see for yourself that one of America's most famous and
respected lawyers, well known to have represented a President of our United States, has announced he will present "substantial evidence that President Laurent Gbagbo is the duly elected president" of the Ivory Coast--and not just vocal evidence but documentary evidence.
Yet here you are a PR newsletter, you don't even claim to have seen the evidence or spoken to anyone who has seen it, you don't claim to know what the evidence is, but here you are saying that President Gbagbo is a "discredited African leader."
Can you believe that America's military involvement shows who is right and wrong? We invaded Granada, invaded Nicaragua and captured their president claiming he was a criminal (can you imagine Nicaragua, Russia or China invading Washington claiming our President is a criminal?), we invaded Canada, invaded Cuba, invaded Cambodia, invaded California which we took from its owner, Mexico, and more recently we invaded Iraq and Afghanistan.
After reading reports in your newsletter about Jews in Westhampton, Jews in Israel and now President Gbagbo of Ivory Coast, I think you should stick to reporting about PR instead of about Jews, Israel and the Ivory Coast.
Colleges teach it and who can deny it: Write what you know about.
Give readers the benefit of your newsletter's superior assets not available elsewhere--massive PR knowledge, access to insiders at top PR sources, plus brilliant PR columnists unmatched anywhere including Wes Pedersen, Joe Honick, Kevin Foley, professorial Fraser Seitel and others who delightfully hit PR nails not only on the head but sometimes elsewhere!
Your stories about Jews and President Gbagbo are like spray-painting vulgarities on a landmark building of value and beauty. Repent! Merry Christmas. Love thy neighbor. |