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Swift-truthing ABC

Evidently, ABC-TV executives are beginning to feel the heat following their decision to air the deeply flawed “docudrama”, Path to 9-11, this Sunday and Monday on the fifth anniversary of the attacks. There have been some 40,000 e-mail messages sent to them in just the last two days. Here is a copy of our contribution; it is a letter to George Mitchell, the current Chairman of Disney, ABC’s parent company.

Dear Mr. Mitchell,

By now you are well aware that many Americans have serious concerns about how events related to the attacks on 9-11 will be portrayed on the ABC program “Path to 9-11” slated to air this Sunday and Monday evenings. That attack has been seared into the collective consciousness of all Americans, and so any depiction of events leading up to that fateful day is a delicate subject to say the least.

Apparently, your colleagues at ABC have chosen to fictionalize some of this “path” and fabricate key elements of the story line for either dramatic effect, or more nefarious purposes. In any event my concern is that, because of these fabrications, significant historical inaccuracies may be introduced into the national conversation – inaccuracies that may well lead to further polarization in an already polarized nation.

Mr. Mitchell, like all Americans I have a personal stake in making sure that this history is writ well and writ large. And as I have followed your career since you left the Senate, I am sure you have personal experience in mediating between parties who have vastly different views on their shared histories. We in America can ill afford to go down that path in these particularly troubling times.

I urge you to heed President Clinton’s request that you insist that the inaccuracies be corrected, or withdraw the film until it can be revised to portray an honest and unbiased narrative about a national tragedy.

If you feel compelled to add your comments (and we hope you do), here is the path to ThinkProgress.org with all the contact information you might need. Please remember, though, that Mr. Mitchell is usually on the side of the angels. Be nice, but be direct. This film must be re-edited, or pulled.