Offensive Commercial

Yep. I'm SO sure that people are going to cancel a service they
probably really enjoy based on your say so.

Here's a tip for you. Not everyone sees things as you do. The fact
that you personally do not agree with Sheen's POV doesn't mean he's
wrong.

Not saying he's right, but I'm not saying you are, either.

While I absolutely support your right to elect not to get DirecTV
service on the basis of *anything at all* that the company has done or
is doing or might do in the future, and while I also think you should
let them know why you're doing it so that your actions can have an
impact, I also believe that Charlie Sheen has the right to form
whatever conclusions he comes to about 9/11 and to publicize them.
I'm not getting DirecTV in the first place, but if I were considering
doing it, then the presence of Sheens or Berrigans or whoever would
not affect my decision. (Now, if they said something offensive *in
the commercial* I might feel differently.)

This is an age of conspiracy theories so it's not at all surprising to
me that there are people who believe that the federal government was
behind the airplane attacks, but I also think that this
administration, which in my opinion strongly prefers secrecy to
openness even when there is nothing to hide, is doing a fine job of
creating conditions in which even more people suspect that the
government is secretly causing bad things.

And I do not believe that having a son in the armed forces means
having access to secret information about 9/11 that the rest of us
don't have. I do not believe that having a son in the armed forces
means that you get to dictate what constitutes anti-Americanism to
everybody else. Different people express all sorts of loyalties in
different ways, and there's nothing wrong with that. Nor do I
appreciate that you aren't explaining *why* you disagree with Charlie
Sheen about what happened and *why* his actions are reprehensible, but
rather trying to induce emotions by bringing your son into a business
matter that has nothing to do with him.

After all, the people who read your letter are more likely to be
convinced if you explain to them exactly why you object to Charlie
Sheen's presence in the commercial than if you just attempt to arouse
strong emotions in them and then announce that you do object to it.

If you rewrite this letter I hope that you will mention how many
friends and family will be hearing about this, how many of those
people have DirecTV, and how many of them have already indicated that
they're going to start using cable instead. Because if you aren't
planning on making an argument for why they shouldn't have used
Charlie Sheen, you should at least make an argument that it is in
their best interest, economically speaking, to pull the ad.

Mel Gibson recently was involved in a DUI incident where he made
numerous anti-Semetic and sexist remarks to state troopers arresting
him. His father is a Holocaust denier.

How many channels are pulling his movies from their line-up?

If you disagree with a person's beliefs, that really shouldn't stop
him from doing a commericial. I won't say if I think he's right or
wrong, but really, why let it bother you that much?

Is it the one where he is dressed in a Cleveland Indians uniform
playing baseball and talking about DirectTV HD?


I may be wrong but I thought that it was Charlie Sheens father Martin
Sheen that made the remarks and holds the beliefs of which you speak?
I really don't have an opinion one way or the other.

Humm I didn't know that about Charlie Sheen but then I don't care much
for him anyway. I wouldn't let that sway my purchase though.