If the Dove Foundation calls you, and they will, I have suggestions on how to handle them. But first, here's what happened when I called Evan Bayh's office today.
Duck below the fold.
I have been sending e-mails to Bayh, but decided to call the local field office near where I live. I wanted to tell them that I 'm urging Bayh to support the Feingold resolution. I admit, I've had little faith in Bayh all along, and still don't have much. But I did receive good news from the pleasant woman who took my call.
When she answered, I gave my name and said "I'm urging the Senator to support the Feingold resolution on censure."
The woman said, "Alright, I'll make a note of that."
I went on to ask her if she was receiving many calls, and what was the pulse of the constituency on this issue?
She said, "Well this is a field office, so we don't get many calls. But today has been different. I've had five calls in just the last ten minutes."
I asked, "Has it been that way all morning?"
"Yes," she answered, and they've all been FOR the resolution."
I was gratified. Here in this bloody red state, I've learned not to expect much, but apparently more people than usual have been fired-up enough to call a lonely outpost of the Senator's offices. I hope that same thing is going on all over the country. Now if he'll just pay attention.
Now, about the Dove Foundation.
They have been calling my house incessantly. Early morning, late at night, 1 a.m., all hours. They hang up as soon as I drag myself to the phone to answer it. I've been so annoyed.
Last night, I finally got a recording, that sounded very much like a human, I must admit. I didn't know it was a recording at first, but I caught on soon enough. Here's how the call went.
"Don't hang up! This is not a solicitation. I want you to take a quick survey. It will take about 90 seconds."
"Okay," I said. I'm a research scientist and I know how hard it is to get people to respond to a questionnaire, so I felt some sympathy.
"Do you believe that offensive material in TV, Movies & the Internet is on the rise and do you feel helpless to change what is being produced?"
"That's two questions." I said. "I can't answer two questions with one answer."
"So, you agree that offensive material in TV, Movies & the Internet is on the rise and you feel helpless to change what is being produced."
"No. I don't agree."
VERY LONG PAUSE
"Say," I said, "I'm talking to a recording, aren't I."
VERY LONG PAUSE
WIERD CHUCKLE
"Do I sound that bad?"
"No, but your responses don't make any sense."
WIERD CHUCKLE
"Do you want to see more wholesome family entertainment made?"
"No. I like my entertainment dirty."
LONG PAUSE
"Can we share your information with a company called Feature Films For Families? We would like to have them contact you to quickly tell you what they are doing to clean up TV and the Movies for families and also how what they are doing can benefit your family directly."
"No. I smell right wing, republican bullshit." And I hung up.
I immediately looked up Dove Foundation on the internet and their webpage (in very teeny-weeny print) says they are affiliated with FOX.
Their mission is stated as "to provide faith and family-approved movies that everyone can enjoy." But my liberal nose smells the rat of censorship. How about yours?
Here is a list of their organization members:
http://www.dove.org/
THE OFFICERS:
Richard K. Rolfe - (Founder & Chairman) Vice President, Mastermedia International
Dar Vander Ark - (Secretary/Treasurer) Executive Director, MDAC
THE DIRECTORS:
Robert Bratt - Producer, Consultant
Keith Lang - Executive Director, Bibles for Missions Thrift Centers, Inc.
Ronald J. Lubbers - President, R.J. Lubbers & Co.
Janis Petrini - Co-owner, Express Personnel Services
Gordon Toering - Attorney, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP
THE ADVISORY BOARD:
Cindy Bond - President & COO, Promenade Pictures
Terry Botwick - CEO, Thunderpoint Studios
Robert J. Campbell, Jr. - Chairman, Alpha Omega Publications
George T. Cook - Senior V.P. Investments; Senior Institutional Consultant, Citigroup Consulting Group/Smith Barney
Leslie Dietzman - President, Berean Christian Stores
Bill Ewing - President, Every Tribe Entertainment
Dean Jones - Actor, Producer
William Kanaga - Chairman retired, Arthur Young & Co.; former Chairman, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Al Kasha - Two time Academy Award-winning composer; Broadway Tony nominee; Producer
Holly McClure - Radio Host; Film Critic
Michael Medved - Film Critic; Nationally Syndicated Radio Host
Dr. Laura Schlessinger - Author; Broadcaster
David Seibert - Director of New Ventures, LifeWay Christian Resources
Nancy Stafford - TV Actress; Author; Speaker
Kenneth Wales - Exec. Producer, TV series "Christy"; Exec. Producer "Amazing Grace: The Story of William Wilberforce"
Patricia A. Warner - Associate Hospital Director Univ. of Michigan Hospitals and Health Center
Rev. B.J. Weber - President, New York Fellowship
Lisa Whelchel - Actress; Author
Martha Williamson - Executive Producer, "Touched by an Angel."
Ralph Winter - Producer, "X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United"
THE STAFF:
Dave Lukens - Executive Director
Scott Rolfe - Communications Director
Donna Rolfe - Executive Assistant
Julie Kemme - Executive Assistant
Edwin J. Carpenter - Associate Editor
I'm sure you'll recognize some of those names. They're mostly far, right-wing, religious nuts. I get the feeling they're hell-bent on limiting our freedom of speech.
If they call you, immediately take down their number, they usually call from a Michigan number 616 363-3560. If you are on a do not call list, and find the call harrassing, then you might want to do the following:
If you think you can trust the FCC, write to donotcall@fcc.org
Give them the following information:
- your name
- your address
- time of day of the call
- a number where you can be reached in the day
- the circumstances of the call
You may also want to write to the Attorney General of Michigan and share the same information as above. miag@michigan.gov
Good luck. They are very hard to get rid of, once they start calling. I got another phone call this evening.
