Dear All:
In the interest of defending our son John's public reputation, we're writing to ask if you would be willing to assist by writing a letter to the editor of the NAVY TIMES (navylet@atpco.com) in response to the article they published on their website last Friday evening (See article below).
Incredibly, the article included a statement from Jim Brantley, a Navy spokesman , clearly stating that John is violating Navy regulations which prohibit "supremacist" activity: “Evidently he’s affiliated with an anti-Semitic group , and that's illegal in the U.S. Navy ." Brantley cited Navy Regulation 1167, which states, "No person in the Naval Service shall participate in any organization that espouses supremacist causes."
Brantley made the leap from mere accusations of anti-Semitism, to (1) it being EVIDENT that John's associated with an anti-Semitic group . (It certainly is NOT evident; the investigation has hardly begun yet .) And that (2) , it being equivalent to "supremacist" activity (says who?) and (3) this is evidence of a violation of Navy Regulations. Brantley's statement has John guilty of "supremacist activity" without qualification.
We ask that you request that the editor publish a correction of the record and/or a retraction that at least gives John the benefit of the doubt while the investigation is underway. The other point concerns the NAVY TIMES urging people to “Read what the Southern Poverty Law Center had to say about Sharpe.” Where’s the fairness here? How about a recommendation that people also hear John’s side of the story? Just because the SPLC makes an allegation does that make it fact? This should pointed out to the NAVY TIMES editor.
FYI, and for use or not as you see fit, here’s an example of SPLC’s "unbiased" reporting. In their “Intelligence Report,” which is the basis for the charges against John, they refer to the Neo-CONNED! books published by IHS Press as containing “several articles by racists and anti-Semites.” Of course they don’t identify these articles or their authors. Moreover, they fail to point out that the books contain several articles by well-known Jewish authors such as Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Paul Gottfried, Immanuel Wallerstein, and Jeff Steinberg. So much for balanced reporting.
We appreciate your time and efforts on John's behalf. And please, a second request, keep him and his family in your prayers.
Thank you and God bless you,
Judith and John Sharpe
PS Here's a link to our local newspaper where a similar article ran on the front page Saturday morning. The Virginian-Pilot article is slightly fairer than the NAVY TIMES article, but leaves way too much unreported. If you wish to write to them also, please, be our guest.
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