I guess you've probably surmised I would not be a Lou Dobbs fan, but now Paula's starting to come across as a hack. Now Bill's gone from American Morning, the only one left to like is Soledad, and I think she should get her tail back to the networks or PBS.
Anyway, here's a copy of the e-mail I sent to Paula Zahn and her "producers" about...well, it speaks for itself, really.
It's unlikely I'll get a response because my experience with conglomerates (in my case, MCI and American Express) is that they ignore letters of complaint in hopes the pest will go away and they can then continue with their corp. objective of making tons and tons of money. However, in the event CNN responds, I'll be sure to share.
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Dear Paula, et al
My name is Damian McNicholl and I'm the author of A SON CALLED GABRIEL, which is a semi-autobiographical novel and deals in large part with a young boy struggling with his sexuality in a very conservative environment.
It's taken me until today to decide to write about a recent episode of 'Paula Zahn Now', an episode in which you presented the case of two youths being sent to a camp called Love in Action for 'curing.' The reason for my delay was the unexpected onset of a temporary emotional hangover.
Why a temporary emotional hangover, you might ask? Well, it came into being when I noted how carelessly you reported on this painful subject. I feel you abdicated your responsibility as a journalist in this instance, and I have admired your work greatly. However, this piece was poorly reseached, if at all researched, and you completely disregarded both the opinion of the AMA and APA in your zeal to present a spurious organization claiming to 'cure' its charges of the affliction of homosexuality.
As a seasoned and responsible reporter, it is your duty to present all sides of an issue, and you and CNN have failed terribly. Where is the empirical data from this institution claiming successful conversions? I am not talking of one case or two. I am asking, what is the statistically meaningful number of persons they have 'cured', and where is their data?
Where is the presentation of AMA and APA opinions that there is no problem, that there is nothing to 'fix' or 'cure' when someone is homosexual. Where are the counterbalancing viewpoints from people such as me, people who have grown up in conservative homes and communities, who have struggled with our sexuality, and who are now well-adjusted, successful and happy the Supreme Being or God chose to make us homosexual?
Without posing these vital questions and presenting a balance, your presentation came across as amateurish at best. May I suggest you go to the library and obtain a copy of my novel, and also check out other works like it, and do meticulous research, and then redeem yourself by presenting a fair and balanced program on this subject. I would also like you to take some time out and reflect on the great pain and anguish you will have caused the young people whose parents, as a result of your inaccurate reporting, will now doom their child to spend time in this camp. That experience will endure far longer in their lives than my emotional hangover, of that you can be certain.
Sincerely
Damian McNicholl
[technorati: Paula Zahn, CNN, Soledad O'Brien,Love in Action]
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