Dear Crystal Faulkner and Tom Cooney:

On a recent episode of your program, BusinessWise, you interviewed Mary Russell of the Character Council of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.  During the interview, you allowed the Character Council to use your platform to spread its propaganda—and I was wondering if you had done any research into the nature of this organization before airing the segment.  Did you know, for example, that these “Character Councils” are the secular front for the Bill Gothard evangelical cult?

In the interview, Mary Russell mentions “49 character qualities.” Just check Bill Gothard’s web page, and you can see these come from his fringe beliefs about the ”49 General Commands of Christ.” Bill Gothard’s empire stretches from the religious front into the secular front through the International Association of Character Cities, and Character First!—and collectively these Gothard organizations have been linked to the oppression of women and child abuse.

Just read Silja Talvi’s recent article from In These Times entitled ”Cult of Character.” Or, check out this WISH-TV I-Team investigation from Indianapolis.

Or, check out this story about Arizona’s David Petersen—once a poster-child for “character,” now an icon for the criminal activity possible in this organization.

Even the establishment of the Cincinnati Character Council seems to have occurred under questionable circumstances.

I am wondering, therefore, if you intend to run any follow-up to your recent interview with the area Character Council—giving your listeners a more balanced perspective about what kind of work is really going on with that organization.

I am eager to study your response.

Thank you, in advance, for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

The Dean of Cincinnati

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1. research? says:
   16 Jun 2006  at  08:30 am | #

   What, do you expect everyone to do hard-core research about EVERYTHING?

2. anon says:
   16 Jun 2006  at  11:17 am | #

   What, do you expect everyone to do hard-core research about EVERYTHING?

   Hard core research? Listen to the interview. WNKU’s Crystal Faulkner just dumbly listens and agrees with everything Mary Russell from the Character Council spouts, including the nonsense about the “49 Character Traits.” The entire idea of “character training” is bizarre and idiotic, but Faulkner just lets it all roll over her. She seems like a real airhead. (So it goes. WNKU gets a show with unpaid hosts and Crystal and her co-host get to plug their firm a couple times every show and be a micro-celebrity at cocktail parties.)

   Also, Russell claims all kinds of wonderful results for those who have taken their “character training” programs. An intelligent reporter might initiate some line of inquiry about the “Character Council” and exactly what real results they have to show.

   Hey Dean, that would make a great follow-up. Get Mary Russell to back up her claims with some hard data. If she doesn’t have the goods, you’ve got more ammunition for an update from WNKU.

3. Peter Deane says:
   16 Jun 2006  at  12:04 pm | #

   Keep up the good work, Dean.  This Gothard thing is certainly a concern to many including my family.  You would think that a station like WNKU would had got deeper into the mind bending workings of Character first organizations!

   Like I said “thanks” for keeping us aware on organizations such as these.

4. Peter Deane says:
   16 Jun 2006  at  12:15 pm | #

   P.S. Funny how there is no Sell everything that you own and follow Jesus… They say… “Bring in the Poor” but never do they say that they must become poor themselves.  It’s a feel good cult that amounts to imperfect judgements against all others… in the end after all their lying is over they are the ones that like to say… “Happy are those that help themselves and if your not saved you’re going to fry in hell!” It’s all a look at how happy we are and now come and join our paramid scheme religion.  Did you also notice that in their list they don’t mention that you can’t be a hypocrite.  These are the people that Jesus spoke about with that subject in mind.

5. Peter Again says:
   16 Jun 2006  at  12:23 pm | #

   P.S. P.S. Sorry Dean I can’t help myself… one more for the road for the Gothards of Cincinnati… they know who they are…

   Hypocrisy is derived from the Greek word hypokrisis, which meant playing a part on the stage, or putting on a mask to misrepresent reality. In the ancient Greek theater, actors were known as hypocrites, without any negative connotation. In the real world however, being a hypocrite, pretending to be something while actually being something else, was and is definitely viewed as wrong. In matters of religion, it’s downright evil.

   And I’ll leave with a verse from the bible on this one…

   “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

   Matthew 7-9

6. f says:
   22 Jun 2006  at  10:37 pm | #

   Just check Bill Gothard’s web page, and you can see these come from his fringe beliefs about the ”49 General Commands of Christ.”

   just out of curiosity which of the 49 things on teh list are “fringe beliefs”

7. Phil Heimlich's Corrupt Crony says:
   22 Jun 2006  at  10:49 pm | #

   f is for f inney......

8. says:
   23 Jun 2006  at  06:29 am | #

   It is “fringe” to assemble them all together under than banner.

9. f says:
   23 Jun 2006  at  12:59 pm | #

   It is “fringe” to assemble them all together under than banner.

   So do you have a problem with the beliefs themselves or the fact that gothard is behind the program?  I am failing to see a lot different in those belief points and most organized religions.