JetBlue's Stupid Response to My Sinclair Letter - Just Duck the Issue

[TomClash]

Thank you for your email expressing your feelings. JetBlue is one of several sponsors, along with America's Charities, Anheuser-Busch Companies, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Sheldon S. Cohen -
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, Continental Airlines, Discovery Channel, EDS, and The Kovler Fund to sponsor the presidential debates through the commission on presidential debates.

The following information comes from the website of the commission itself: "The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) was established in 1987 to ensure that debates, as a permanent part of
every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners. Its primary purpose is to sponsor and produce debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential candidates and to undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates. The organization, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation, sponsored all the presidential debates in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000.

To meet its ongoing goal of educating voters, the CPD is engaged in various activities beyond producing and sponsoring the presidential debates. Its staff prepares educational materials and conducts research to improve the quality of debates. Further, the CPD provides technical assistance to emerging democracies and others interested in establishing debate traditions in their countries.
In recent years, the staff worked with groups from Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan and the Ukraine, among others. Finally, the CPD
coordinates post-debate symposia and research after each of its presidential forums (1996 Post-Debate Symposium, 1992 Post-Debate Research, 1988 Post-Debate Symposium)."

JetBlue does not endorse any one specific candidate but is pleased to be able to assist endeavors that promote free speech though education and public debates.

Sincerely,

Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways


My letter:

I understand that Jet Blue will sponsor "Stolen Honor," a McCarthyite
smear against John Kerry's service in Vietnam and his record of dissent at home. This is being done in an attempt to influence the election outcome in favor George W. Bush. I was not aware that Jet Blue supported George W. Bush - if you do indeed support Bush, you should inform your customers of that fact. If you are neutral, as a Jet Blue customer, I ask you to reconsider your sponsorship of this hideous program.

[yardwork]

1. Their form letter doesn't respond to the Sinclair plans

The form letter is about the debates, not the Sinclair show. Morans.

[nostamj]

2. well, they have ONE point...

Stolen Honor is being shown WITHOUT commercials....

only Sinclalir is SPONSORING it....

feedback needs to be about doing business with SINCLAIR, not 'sponsoring' the smear.

[candy]

3. Typical bullshit corporate response. n/t

[funky_bug]

4. Better than my bullshit response from PapaJohn's

"Papa John's thanks you for your comments."

[henslee]

5. Got same lame response but undaunted, I FIRED RIGHT BACK!!!

First off,I had no idea JetBlue was also Presidential debate sponsors! Here's my letter followed by theirs. Unlike this post, my letter had some boldfaced text.

Joni Geurts
Supervisor Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways

Ms. Guerts,

Thanks for your reply regarding Sinclair Broadcasting. I'm disappointed but not surprised it. My feelings are probably similar to those experienced by the thousands of other emailers, snail-mailers and faxers who have flooding "Sinclair" sponsors with protest letters and who have also received polite but disappointing responses. With due respect, your reply just seems like lip service and here's why.

Skip to the part of your reply (below) that reads "JetBlue does not endorse any one specific candidate but is pleased to be able to assist endeavors that promote free speech though education and public debates". If JetBlue is as ethically minded as you claim, they would immediately add the line:"JetBlue will not doing business with those that stifle free speech" to this statement. And they would also immediately pull all advertising dollars from Sinclair. Why? Because stifling free speech is exactly what Sinclair doing by ordering affiliates to air an anti-Kerry smear documentary right before the election. And by permitting the flow of its advertising dollars to Sinclair, JetBlue is not only supporting one candidate over another but they are, at least symbolically, an accomplice.

Though Sinclair may not have been charged yet, some experts are calling this act criminal. The DNC has already filed a suit with the FEC. FCC commissioner Michael Copps issued statement in which he called Sinclair's actions "an abuse of the public trust". "And it is proof positive of media consolidation run amok when one owner can use the public airwaves to blanket the country with its political ideology -- whether liberal or conservative."

Furthermore, the fact that JetBlue is actually a corporate sponsor of these Presidential debates makes their flow of advertising dollars to Sinclair Broadcasting seem totally hypocritical. How many other debate sponsors are also Sinclair advertisers?

I realize JetBlue didn't ask to be in the middle of this unprecedented controversy -- one that seems to change daily. But like it or not, they are smack in the middle of it. And as they deal with it, I hope they consider some things that never change daily. Fairness, Integrity, Public Trust, Community and Accountability. And I really don't blame JetBlue for their inaction. This is unchartered territory for all of us.

One last thing. Do you realize what a public relations coup it would be to be the first major Sinclair advertiser to take a firm ethical stand on this issue? Hundreds of thousands of Americans and citizens of the world would embrace your your company's willingness to stand up for fairness -- to stand up for what is right. The media exposure e would be huge. I hope you guys step up to the plate. Democracy could use a friend.

Thanks again for this chance my thoughts with you.

Yours Truly,

XXXXXXX
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear JetBlue <[e-mail]> wrote:

Hello XXXXXX,

Thank you for your email expressing your feelings. JetBlue is one of several sponsors, along with America's Charities, Anheuser-Busch Companies, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Sheldon S. Cohen -Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, Continental Airlines, Discovery Channel, EDS, and The Kovler Fund to
sponsor the presidential debates through the commission on presidential debates.

The following information comes from the website of the commission itself: "The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) was established in 1987 to ensure that debates, as a permanent part of every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners. Its primary purpose is to sponsor and produce debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential
candidates and to undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates. The organization, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation, sponsored all the presidential debatesin 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000.

To meet its ongoing goal of educating voters, the CPD is engaged in various activities beyond producing and sponsoring the presidential debates. Its staff prepares educational materials and conducts research to improve the quality of debates. Further, the CPD provides technical assistance to emerging democracies and others interested in establishing debate traditions in their countries.

In recent years, the staff worked with groups from Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Namibia,Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan and the Ukraine, among others. Finally, the CPD coordinates post-debate symposia and research after each of its presidential forums (1996 Post-Debate Symposium, 1992 Post-Debate Research, 1988 Post-Debate Symposium)."

JetBlue does not endorse any one specific candidate but is pleased to be able to assist endeavors that promote free speech though education and public debates.

Sincerely,

Joni Geurts
Supervisor Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways