Please write to your representatives
The following is a sample which you may use
Senator John W. Warner
421 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Paul S. Trible, Jr.
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
I am very concerned about the nomination of Robert Bork to the United States Supreme Court. For a number of years our judicial system has been viewed by many minorities as their only means of protecting their rights against the tyranny of the majority. Blacks were able to use the courts to gain full educational rights in the case of Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. Women gained the right to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy through the case of Roe v. Wade. Now we are faced with a nominee who wishes to reverse many of the accomplishments of the last quarter century.
Mr. Bork, in a speech given at the Brookings Institution on September 22, 1985, stated that he believed, “Not much would be endangered if a case like Aguilar went the other way and public school teachers were permitted to teach remedial reading to that portion of educationally deprived children who attend religious schools.” Mr. Bork was referring to the United States Supreme court decision in the case of Aguilar v. Felton in which the Supreme court decided that the use of federal funds for the education of children attending religious schools violated the First Amendment prohibition against the establishment of religion. Mr. Bork, based upon his criticism of Aguilar and other decisions of the Supreme Court, is very likely to reverse many of the Supreme Court’s prior decisions including decisions concerning school prayer and the teaching of creationism in public schools.
Mr. Bork has decided that the fairness doctrine, which has been in existence since 1949, can be abolished at the whim of the Federal Communication Commission. The doctrine guaranteed that contrasting views on controversial issues were placed before the public for their decision. Without this doctrine many issues, including racial equality, busing, the Vietnam War, gay rights and the rights of the homeless may never have reached the public. A democratic society cannot remain democratic if the public is denied access to the information necessary to make an informed decision. It appears from Mr. Bork’s view about the fairness doctrine is not necessary to maintain an informed public but let us look at the facts as they now exist. For a number of years there have only been three major nationwide television networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC. Most of the other television stations are either very small local stations or a part of some large conglomerate of television, radio and newspaper companies. These conglomerates control most of the information presently received by the American public. How can the public develop an informed decision on controversial subjects if there is a lack of information concerning opposing views.
It is very important that you carefully analyze the true qualifications of Mr. Bork and the impact he will have upon America if his nomination to the United States Supreme court is confirmed. Once you have reviewed Mr. Bork’s qualifications and the ramification his confirmation will have upon America, I feel you will agree with me and vote to deny his confirmation.
Sincerely Yours,
David W. Pugh
