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Textbook War


Mainstream (local) Media Exposed

By Karl Priest June 28, 2019 (revised 10-10-19

Note from Karl:

My explanatory remarks are in red.)

After recuperating from major surgery undertaken on March 25, 2019 I sent a “Press Release/News Tip to the following local media:

talkline@wvmetronews.com, jparsons@wvmetronews.com, haught@wvgazettemail.com, ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com, gmoore@wvgazettemail.com, ryan.quinn@wvgazettemail.com, maria.young@wvgazettemail.com, catherine.caudill@wvgazettemail.com, ericeyre@wvgazettemail.com, jake.zuckerman@wvgazettemail.com, news@herald-dispatch.com, lmcgill@herald-dispatch.com, rbledsoe@herald-dispatch.com, bnash@herald-dispatch.com, dan.klein@wsaz.com, tim.irr@wsaz.com, amanda.barren@wsaz.com, melanie.shafer@wsaz.com, rob.johnson@wsaz.com, taylor.eaton@wsaz.com, susan.nicholas@wsaz.com, news@wchstv.com, kbass@sbgtv.com, kbgunderson@sbgtv.com, gdmcclanahan@sbgtv.com, baaron@sbgtv.com, jmcandrews@sbgtv.com, kjcart@sbgtv.com, rlord@sbgtv.com, dbbenton@sbgtv.com, sdelancey@sbgtv.com, larubin@sbgtv.com, markmartin@sbgtv.com, news@wowktv.com, psimon@wowktv.com, mmcauliffe@wowktv.com, lbradley@wowktv.com, slitton@wowktv.com, tlopez@wowktv.com, iteamnews@wchstv.com, chwpr@ap.org

May 20, 2019

Dear Member of the Media:

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” John Adams

The fact is that you will either censor this Press Release/News Tip, report this Press Release/News Tip with a negative slant, or objectively report this Press Release/News Tip.

June marks the 45 th anniversary of a monumental historical event in West Virginia history. This event had national repercussions that effect the current Culture War.

Unfortunately, personal prejudices caused biased reporting and shoddy research that has defamed thousands of fine citizens of West Virginia.

This is your chance to set the record straight about the event known as the Kanawha County Textbook Protest.

On May 5 I sent the following request to the representative of the (October 4 & 5, 2019) West Virginia Book Festival:

There is a book (mine) that has been censored and suppressed for almost ten years.  Here is evidence to back up my claim.  Of particular interest to you should be item #5.  I did not note a memory of the day I had a begrudged booth at the "Festival" and unsuccessfully tried to get my book mentioned by the public address announcer who was plugging other books.

My request was declined with the excuse that the “applications for programming and marketplace were due in March.”

I replied:

Under the circumstances of the obvious censorship/suppression of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party and the previous actions regarding the book by the WV Book Festival, it would be appropriate for the acceptance of my application at this point. I have a PowerPoint presentation that exposes the media and academia fake news and propaganda propagation that has slurred thousands of innocent citizens of our state.

I will provide a copy of the complete email communication chain upon your request.

I urge you, Media Member, to see the evidence to back up my claim at http://www.insectman.us/testimony/banned-book.htm. PLEASE pay particular attention to item #5 regarding the West Virginia Book Festival.

So, Media Member, what facts will result from how you handle this Press Release/News Tip?

Respectfully,

Karl Priest
304-769-0217

There were zero responses so, a little over one month later, I sent the following to the same addresses.

FACTS

June 24, 2019

Dear Member of the Media:

The fact is that “freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.”

The fact is that you censored my May 20 Press Release/News Tip.

The fact is that objective truth seekers are not surprised at the censorship.

If you have any facts to dispute the facts above, please share them.

Sincerely,

Karl Priest

P.S.: I have new news related to Marshall University’s censorship of the Textbook Protest FACTS. If you want to see them, just ask.

Note from Karl: To date, there have been zero responses.

----------------------------------

Note from Karl: On the second mailing I got a “The e-mail address you entered couldn't be found” for dan.klein@wsaz.com

----------------------------------
----------------------------------

Chronology of May 2019 letter to the editor

Fri, May 31, 2019 11:07 am
From: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
To : opinion@wvgazettemail.com  
BCC: Multiple recipients interested in this subject
Subject: Letter   to the Editor

Dear Editor:

June marks the 45th anniversary of a major historical event in West Virginia history--the Kanawha County Textbook Protest.  That event had national repercussions that effect the current Culture War.

Thousands of fine West Virginia citizens have been maligned and slurred due to biased reporting and shoddy research.

I have prepared some web pages that document the FACTS that the Textbook Protesters were NOT NARROW-MINDED, NOT IGNORANT, NOT RELIGIOUS FANATICS, NOT CENSORS, NOT VIOLENT, and NOT RACISTS.

Anyone (especially the media and public school history teachers) who want to have their prejudices challenged can find those FACTS at  http://www.insectman.us/testimony/textbook-protester-truth/the-facts.htm.

Karl Priest
Poca, WV

----------------------------------

Tue, Jun 18, 2019 8:41 pm
From:
Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
To : gazette@wvgazettemail.com,  editor@dailymailwv.com,  opinion@wvgazettemail.com
Subject: Correct   Address

Hello:

Which is the correct address to use to send a Letter to the Editor?

gazette@wvgazettemail.com 
editor@dailymailwv.com
opinion@wvgazettemail.com

Thank you.

Karl Priest 

----------------------------------

Wed, Jun 19, 2019 8:55 am

From: GM News (news@wvgazettemail.com)
To: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
Subject: Correct   Address

Send it to news@wvgazettemail.com

----------------------------------

Wed, Jun 19, 2019 9:06 am
From: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
T0: news@wvgazettemail.com
Subject: Correct  Address

I sent the following letter to  opinion@wvgazettemail.com  on May 31.

Please print the letter ASAP.

Thank you.

Karl

Note from Karl: The original letter was placed here.

----------------------------------

Wed, Jun 19, 2019 11:36 am
From: news@wvgazettemail.com
To: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
Subject: Correct   Address

We received it.  opinion@wvgazettemail.com  works also.

----------------------------------

Wed, Jun 19, 2019 12:12 pm
From: editor@wvgazettemail.com
To: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
Subject: Correct  Address

opinion@wvgazettemail.com or ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com

----------------------------------

Wed, Jun 19, 2019 5:34 pm
To: editor@wvgazettemail.com
From: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
Subject: Correct  Address

Do you mean the May 31 letter?

Thank you.   Karl Priest 

Note from Karl: I did not receive a response.

----------------------------------

Wed, Jun 19, 2019 9:42 pm
From: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
To: editor@wvgazettemail.com Cc opinion opinion@wvgazettemail.com, ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com

Thank you for your reply.

I also received a reply from  news@wvgazettemail.com  who told me to use  news@wvgazettemail.com .

It is confusing.

On May 31 I sent the letter below to  opinion@wvgazettemail.com .

Did you receive it?

Thank you.

Karl

Here is the May 31 letter:

Note from Karl:

The original letter was placed here.

I did not receive a response.

----------------------------------

Sun, Jun 30, 2019 5:20 pm
From: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
To: news@wvgazettemail.com, opinion@wvgazettemail.com, ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com
BCC: Multiple recipients interested in this subject
Subject: My Letter to the Editor

June 30, 2019

Dear Editor:

I sincerely hope that I am wrong.  

I checked every day, through today, and did not see a letter I sent on May 31.  

On June 19 someone using  news@wvgazettemail.com  told me that  "We received it."

During June I did see:

>A June 13 letter "Impeach this lawless, narcissistic president"

>A June 14 letter "Anti WVU writer Chuck Landon is not welcome in the Gazette-Mail"

>and some other letters.

On June 17, your paper devoted prominent space for an article by the national and local teacher union AFT bullies.

On June 19 there was a very long op-ed by a WVU professor defending the right to strike by teachers

The Charleston Gazette-Mail devoted considerable space to pieces from the Washington Post.  I did not see anything from the Washington Times.

PLEASE tell me that it was printed and when.  Otherwise, it means that you censored my letter of May 31 (a copy is below my name).

Unless you point out that the letter was published and I missed it, that means that you do not want your readers to be exposed to facts that shatter the sham perpetuated by leftist media and academia regarding thousands of fine West Virginia citizens know as the Kanawha County Textbook Protesters.

I ask, who are the real censors?

Sincerely,

Karl Priest

The May 31 letter:

Note from Karl: The original letter was placed here.

----------------------------------

Mon, Jul 1, 2019 10:26 am
From:
ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com
To: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
CC: gmoore@wvgazettemail.com
Subject: My Letter to the Editor

Karl, 

To answer a few of your questions, firstly, I was not even sure this was being submitted as a letter to the editor, as at one point you refer to it as a press release and news tip. Granted, it was being submitted to the opinion email address so I figured you meant it as some sort of opinion piece, but I was still a little unsure. You even called it that when you accused the Gazette-Mail of censoring you. Also, the letter/press release/news tip that appeared in recent emails omitted the previous lines:

Dear Member of the Media:

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” John Adams

The fact is that you will either censor this Press Release/News Tip, report this Press Release/News Tip with a negative slant, or objectively report this Press Release/News Tip.

This again makes it look like something you wanted covered in a news story. Perhaps this was a misunderstanding. If you meant to convey this as an "open letter" statement to the media, I can tell you we do not run open letters, which is something I've told writers of all stripes from across the state. If you meant it as a header to the content that followed, it was not stated very clearly. No one is censoring you. You're free to criticize us or other media all you want (If you read the recent letter in Saturday's paper from Chris Hamilton, you would realize we do not shy away from criticism and do not censor anyone unless it breaches certain guidelines.)  

We've run several op-eds and pieces in June that were not from a liberal perspective, and we ran at least three from out-of-state organizations that opposed the teacher unions. We do not run pieces from The Washington Times because we do not have syndication rights with that organization. We do, however, run multiple local and national conservative columnists, including George Will and Robert J. Samuelson from The Washington Post. 

I hope this answers your questions or at least clears up some of the confusion. I'd be happy to run what you've submitted as a letter (minus the "Dear members of the media" section) if that is what you intend. I realize the recent combining of pages and changing email addresses for submission has added some consternation. For the best results, you should contact me directly via the information provided below in the future. I do not know the nature of your relationship with previous opinion editors, but, I'm a blank slate, so starting off with accusations of censorship after a scathing email concerning events that I have little personal knowledge of (though I've been doing some research to try and better understand it) isn't the best way to go. That's just a suggestion, but one thing you really need to do is clarify whether you intend something as a letter to the editor or op-ed. If part of that isn't intended for publication, please be clear on that as well. 

Take care, 

Ben Fields 
Gazette-Mail Opinion Editor 
304-348-5129 
ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com 
Twitter: @BenFieldsWV ot

----------------------------------

Mon, Jul 1, 2019 12:04 pm
From: Karl Priest (kcpriest@aol.com)
To: ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com
Subject: My Letter to the Editor

Ben:

Thank you for replying.

My email was not a personal attack on you.  It was simply a statement of facts.  I used "censorship" because the great West Virginians, known as the Kanawha County Textbook Protesters, have been slurred with that term for over 45 years.  Frankly, it irks me and I want to get the attention of the hypocrites (certainly you would not be included) who have used that slur against those folks.

I sent the Members of the Media item on May 20.  It was clearly labeled "News Release/News Tip."  The subject was the censorship exhibited by the WV Book Festival.  On June 24, I sent an email regrading the lack of response (to the May 20 email) and added that I have information about censorship by Marshall University.  Even if the Gazette-Mail disagrees, my claim is certainly newsworthy.

I sent the letter on May 31 and it was clearly labeled "Letter to the Editor."  The subject was the 45th anniversary of the Textbook Protest.  Again, even if the Gazette-Mail disagrees, that date is a historical fact.

The ball is in your court.

Respectfully,

Karl

Note from Karl:

I neglected to include a copy to Mr. Moore (Executive editor) and forwarded the above to him on Tue, Jul 2, 2019 4:48 pm. I did not correct the typo of regarding (regarding).

Posted July 5, 2019: If a response occurs it will be posted here.

----------------------------------
My letter was published on July 20.

Sat, Jul 20, 2019 12:16 pm
From: Karl Priest  (kcpriest@aol.com)
To: ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com
Subject:  Letter   to the Editor

Mr. Fields:

Thank you for running my letter in the July 20 edition.

Sincerely,

Karl

I sent the following to my email lists:

My May 31 letter was finally published.

It was among a page of liberal rubbish, but it was there in the July 7 edition of the  Charleston-Gazette Mail  (page 4A) .  The usual procedure (from past experience) is that there will be responses attacking me and the paper will not give me a chance to respond.

PTL anyhow!

Let's pray that the website clicks will lead folks to the Exodus Mandate page, or much more importantly, to the Get Saved page.

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Note from Karl: In September 2019 I began a strategy of exposing both Marshall and the Mainstream Media.

Fri, Sep 13, 2019 9:39 am
From: Karl

To: (no bcc) talkline@wvmetronews.com, jparsons@wvmetronews.com, haught@wvgazettemail.com, ben.fields@wvgazettemail.com, gmoore@wvgazettemail.com, ryan.quinn@wvgazettemail.com, maria.young@wvgazettemail.com, catherine.caudill@wvgazettemail.com, ericeyre@wvgazettemail.com, jake.zuckerman@wvgazettemail.com, news@herald-dispatch.com, lmcgill@herald-dispatch.com, rbledsoe@herald-dispatch.com, bnash@herald-dispatch.com, dan.klein@wsaz.com, tim.irr@wsaz.com, amanda.barren@wsaz.com, melanie.shafer@wsaz.com, rob.johnson@wsaz.com, taylor.eaton@wsaz.com, susan.nicholas@wsaz.com, news@wchstv.com, kbass@sbgtv.com, kbgunderson@sbgtv.com, gdmcclanahan@sbgtv.com, baaron@sbgtv.com, jmcandrews@sbgtv.com, kjcart@sbgtv.com, rlord@sbgtv.com, dbbenton@sbgtv.com, sdelancey@sbgtv.com, larubin@sbgtv.com, markmartin@sbgtv.com, news@wowktv.com, psimon@wowktv.com, mmcauliffe@wowktv.com, lbradley@wowktv.com, slitton@wowktv.com, tlopez@wowktv.com , iteamnews@wchstv.com, chwpr@ap.org

Dear Mainstream Media:

The first media representative that contacts me will get the exclusive story.  Also, I will provide a separate news tip about a West Virginia lady who has published a book that likely will be stealthy censored by liberal gate-keepers.

There is no doubt that the following information is news worthy, even if only to display me as a book burner that will not go away.

Thank you for reading.

Karl Priest

On September 10, the following email was sent to contacts listed for the Marshall University student newspaper.  As of now, not reply has been received.

parthenon@marshall.edu, penningto131@marshall.edu, larch15@marshall.edu, harding26@marshall.edu, ingram51@marshall.edu, rittenden2@marshall.edu

Challenge to Marshall University Student Journalists

10 September 2019

Dear Parthenon Staff:

Congratulations on Marshall being “recognized as top-tier university in the U.S.”

I am going to expose you to a negative part of your university and challenge you to fix it.

In 2015 Marshall University Libraries and the American Civil Liberties Union had a sham program to observe “Banned Books Week.” The event was a vicious attack on a group of West Virginia citizens known as the Kanawha County Textbook Protesters.  See “Marshall Exposed."

Will you, as journalists, investigate this matter and work to set it right?

Respectfully,

Karl Priest

Fri, Sep 13, 2019 11:00 am
From: Tim Irr (Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com)

To: Karl He copied it to 40 others.)


(Note from Karl: This was an animation of two cowboys and a little girl blinking.)

Sent from my iPhone

Fri, Sep 13, 2019 11:07 am
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr + 70 more 

You blinked.

September 20, 2019
From: Karl
To: The group from the September 13

Dear Mainstream Media Representative:

Other than Mr. Irr’s attempt at humor (or mockery) none of you has responded to my offer.

This year is the 45 th anniversary of the Kanawha County Textbook Protest which was an event of national historical impact. Thousands of fine citizens who were “protesters” have been slurred and shamed for way too long.

As we approach another sham “Banned Book Week” at Marshall (and nationally) I, as a former high school and college umpire, have to call it as I see it.

The Mainstream Media stepped up to the plate in 1974.

STRIKE ONE! For Fake News (then).
STRIKE TWO! For Slanted News (over the years).
STRIKE THREE! for No News (now).
The Mainstream Media struck out.

If any of you have journalistic integrity, I suggest you take a look Between the Covers to see facts that will challenge you about “banned books”.

If there is an objective journalist with the courage to contact me, I have two more news tips.

Sincerely (and sadly),

Karl Priest

Sep 20, 2019 11:58 am
From: jake.zuckerman@wvgazettemail.com
To: Karl (CC The group from the September 13)

In Mr. Irr's defense, I laughed. 

Sep 20, 2019 3:10 pm
From: Karl (CC The group from the September 13)
To: jake.zuckerman@wvgazettemail.com

Dear Mr. Zuckerman:

Me too.

Now, are you laughing about the media's strike out?

Karl

Sep 20, 2019 3:49 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com
To: Karl (CC The group from the September 13)

Mr. Priest,

I only had a brief stint in the public relations field… but this may not be the best approach at garnering coverage. Might I suggest a softer, more thoughtful and less aggressive tone.

The anniversary of the Kanawha County textbook controversy is indeed worthy of coverage. But I do not believe a pre-emptive strike on your behalf will accomplish anything positive.

Just my humble opinion.

Sincerely,

Tim Irr

Sep 20, 2019 4:11 pm
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com (CC The group from the September 13)

Dear Mr. Irr:

I have come close to meeting your standard for tone for 45 years.  The propaganda has not diminished. 

I am now 71 and can qualify as an old grouch.

Also, I grew up in Orchard Manor and I know how to call out cowardly bullies.  In this case, that is what I am calling the mainstream media.  

Sincerely,

Karl

Note from Karl: Mr. Haught changed the subject line from “News Tip” to “Fundamentalist Holy War.”

Sep 20, 2019 12:25 pm
From: haught@wvgazettemail.com
To: Karl
(CC The group from the September 13)

Fundamentalist Holy War

By James A. Haught

Millionaire evangelists like Pat Robertson call for America’s 50 million fundamentalists to become a mighty political force and reshape society to their liking. Well, we’d better pray that their effort doesn’t turn out like a famous West Virginia example – the 1974 evangelical war against “godless textbooks.”

Rock-throwing mobs forced schools to close. Two schools and the board office were bombed. Two people were shot. Coal miners struck to support the religious protest. Ku Klux Klansmen and right-wing kooks flocked to Charleston. Some residents tried to form a separate county. A preacher and his followers discussed murdering families who wouldn’t join a school boycott. The minister finally went to prison.

During this nightmare, my city of Charleston acquired a national image somewhat like Dayton, Tenn., home of the “Scopes monkey trial,” the 1925 clash over evolution.

Ironically, the whole 1974 insurrection was pointless, because the school books were just routine texts. Their sins existed only in the fevered imagination of the zealots.

The upheaval was rooted in the period when religious conservatives rebelled against liberal excesses of the 1960s. The first to jump into the limelight was the Rev. Charles Meadows, who went before the Legislature to demand a return of the death penalty. He testified that he would “be glad to pull the switch myself” at executions.

Then he attacked sex education in public schools. He rented an arena and invited “Bible-believing Christians” to a rally against the “pornography” of sex education. Committees were formed. A movement grew.

Alice Moore, wife of an evangelical pastor, became the movement’s candidate for the school board in 1970. She said sex education was part of a “humanistic, atheistic attack on God.” Church groups poured money into her campaign. She won and became the board’s ayatollah, supporting Bibles for students and expulsion of pregnant girls.

Moore’s moralizing had minor effect until 1974, when new textbooks were up for adoption. She denounced the books as irreligious, and a protest grew. A group of 27 born-again clergymen called the texts “immoral and indecent.” (Rascals like me hunted for indecency in the books, but found only ordinary school topics.)

On the night of the adoption vote, 1,000 protesters surrounded the board office. Despite this menace, members voted 3-2 for the books. Afterward, a group called Christian American Parents picketed a store chain because its president, a board member, had voted yes.

When school opened, evangelists urged “true Christians” to keep their children home. Attendance fell 20 percent – moreso in the poor end of the county. The Rev. Marvin Horan led a rally of 2,000 protesters. Mobs surrounded schools and blockaded school bus garages. Teachers were threatened. So were families who didn’t join the boycott.

About 3,500 coal miners went on strike against the texts, and began picketing Charleston industries. Flying rocks, screams nd danger were constant.

Frightened people began carrying pistols. Many school buses couldn’t run – and then textbook pickets halted city buses, leaving 11,000 low-income people without transportation.

Pickets surrounded a truck terminal, and a terminal janitor fired a shot which wounded one. Other pickets beat the janitor savagely. The next day, an armed man panicked when pickets surged toward him. He fired a shot that wounded a bystander. Two book protesters were jailed for smashing windshields.

The school board got a court injunction against disrupters, but it didn’t help. Finally the superintendent closed schools, saying the safety of children couldn’t be guaranteed. Schools also closed in nearby counties.

Network TV crews swarmed to Charleston. A cameraman was trounced by protesters at a rally. The Rev. Ezra Graley led a march on the state Capitol and filed a federal suit against the textbooks. Graley and other ministers were jailed for contempt f the court injunction.

Schools reopened. The boycott resumed. The Rev. Charles Quigley prayed for God to kill the board members who endorsed the books. A grade school was hit by a Molotov cocktail. Five shots hit a school bus. A dynamite blast damaged another grade school. A bigger blast damaged the school central office.

One violent evening, a group of fundamentalist men attended a school board meeting, sat at the front, then abruptly rose and beat school board members.

Near-riot conditions continued. Robert Dornan of California, a pornography foe, addressed a crowd of 3,000. He was sent to Charleston by Citizens for Decency Through Law, created by crooked savings-and-loan tycoon Charles Keating.

Protesters started born-again schools. A magistrate led an attempt to split a fundamentalist zone into a separate county.

Minister Horan and three of his followers were indicted for the bombings. Ku Klux Klan leaders led a Charleston rally to upport them. An imperial wizard from Georgia said the Kanawha textbooks contained “the most vulgar, vile and filthy words in print” – which was odd, since non-fundamentalists couldn’t find any obscenities in them.

During the trial in 1975, other followers said Horan had led the dynamite plot, telling them there was “a time to kill.” They said the plotters talked of wiring dynamite caps into the gas tanks of cars in which families were driving their children to school during the boycott. All four defendants went to federal prison.

Horan’s conviction ended the protest. Other leaders lost face. Minister Meadows left his church after admitting involvement with a woman religion teacher. Minister Graley’s wife left him and he sued to recover the luxury car she took. School board member Moore abruptly left the state.

Looking back, it was a season of madness – a frenzy over nothing, like the ferment among believers who thought the moon-and-stars logo on Procter & Gamble soap was a secret sign of Satan. The Kanawha chaos showed how zealots can turn trivia nto tragedy. It made the holy wars of India and elsewhere a bit more comprehensible.

(Haught is editor emeritus of West Virginia’s largest newspaper, The Charleston Gazette-Mail. This column appeared in his newspaper on Oct. 12, 1993, and was reprinted in his 2007 book, Honest Doubt.)

Note from Karl: Mr. Haught’s piece is the ultimate example of bias, inaccuracies, and untruths. For example, his claim that “ Rock-throwing mobs forced schools to close” is a blatant lie .  The only news reference to rock throwers was about seven people who were found innocent in a court of law of the charge of threatening a neighbor which included the accusation of rock throwing. ( Charleston Daily Mail 10-30-74). Many other examples refuting the “violent” slur hurled at the Protesters can be found at http://www.insectman.us/testimony/textbook-protester-truth/not-violent.htm.

Sep 20, 2019 3:32 pm
From: Karl
To: haught@wvgazettemail.com
(CC The group from the September 13)

Dear Mr. Haught:

Thank you for posting this perfect example of propaganda, fake news, and lies.

You have made my point.

regarding your objectivity, I see that Google still identifies you with the term "atheist" and that your Facebook page lists you as "a senior editor of Free Inquiry."  

I am sure you will look at  IF ANYONE CLAIMS THE PROTESTERS WERE ANYTHING OTHER THAN PLEASANT PEOPLE-- THE ACCUSER'S ACCUSATION IS A FABRICATION, EXAGGERATION, OR ABERRATION  and provide a rebuttal.

Sincerely,

Karl

Note from Karl: Mr. Bass replied to the subject line of Mr. Haught—“ Fundamentalist Holy War.”

Sep 20, 2019 9:52 pm
From: kbass@sbgtv.com
To: Karl
(CC The group from the September 13)

Did you guys hear the Patriots cut Antonio Brown?

Kennie Bass

News Anchor/Reporter
Lead iTeam Investigator
WCHS-TV8/WVAH-FOX11

Sep 20, 2019 10:02 pm
From: Karl
To: kbass@sbgtv.com (CC The group from the September 13)

Dear Mr. Bass:

I take this attempt at humor (or mockery) as an attempt to avoid facing the fact that the mainstream media has struck out.

Sincerely,

Karl

Note from Karl: Mr. Hughes replied to the subject line of Mr. Haught—“ Fundamentalist Holy War.”

Sep 20, 2019 10:29 pm
From: BHughes@wowktv.com
To: Karl
(CC The group from the September 13)

Oh Jesus,

Give it up already.  None of us give a flying flip about your cause or what you’re peddling.  Lol.

Kenny, you’re right...Antonio should have never been hired by the Patriots.  Tim, she gave us all the side eye with the little gal.  Jake, you gave us executive realness.  We’re all pandering to your stupidity.  Anytime you use the phrase “mainstream media” we automatically tune you out.  NO ONE CARES.

So burn your books, burn your bras and lift up the drag queens and rejoice that RuPaul is the ultimate queen.  But really, just give it up and shut it down now.  I have more important things to do this weekend.  I have fireworks in Pomeroy Saturday night.  45 gallons of hydraulic fluid in a boat on Sunday and fall begins on Monday.

And there’s a damn burn ban in effect...so you can’t burn Marshall’s books.  We Are!  Marshall!

Good luck...but quit emailing us all...we don’t give a flying flip.

-BH

All Hale The Irr

Sep 21, 2019 11:20 am
From: Karl
To: BHughes@wowktv.com
(CC The group from the September 13)

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you for bringing your religion into this discussion.  Ultimately, it gets down to the worldview one holds.  You have expressed contempt for the name of Jesus who die for your sins.

Also, you solidify my point.  The mainstream media is not objective and, in fact, is full of hypocrites.

Sincerely,

Karl

Note from Karl: Mr. Irr and I exchanged emails that did not copy the group from September 13.)

Sep 20, 2019 3:28 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com
(In response to jake.zuckerman@wvgazettemail.com.)
To: Karl

Not an attempt at humor. More of a commentary as to who was going to go first.

I’m sure the anniversary will garner attention. To your point, it is definitely of historic local nature. Would you be available for an interview with one of our Charleston reporters?

Sep 20, 2019 3:42 pm
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com

Dear Mr. Irr:

Yes.

Thank you.

Karl

Fri, Sep 20, 2019 3:51 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com
To: Karl

Ok. Thanks!

Do you have a contact number I can share with one of our Charleston reporters? That would be much appreciated.

Sep 20, 2019 4:15 pm
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com

304-769-0217

Sep 20, 2019 11:10 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com
To: Karl

Thanks Karl.

I’ll keep pitching this story.

Sent from my iPhone

Sep 21, 2019 6:25 pm
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com

Dear Mr. Irr:

I had to smile at your use of "pitching."  Let's hope whomever you are "pitching" to does not continue whiffing.

On Monday morning I will give you a news tip that I am only sharing with one other person in the media.

What number should I call?

Thank you.

Karl

Sep 23, 2019 5:24 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com
To: Karl

Sorry! Just saw this now.

304-523-5333

Mon, Sep 23, 2019 5:38 pm
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com

Dear Mr. Irr:

I understand--the weekend and all.

I called the station this morning (when I arrived on campus) to give you the promised tip.

It is still a newsworthy event and I can come back down if necessary.

Below my name is what I presented to the two very nice Marshall librarians.  If you are interested, I will send you the email I sent to them after I returned home.
(Note from Karl: I decided to send this to him anyway. See Sep 24, 2019 11:16 am below.)

I sent it to you this morning on my way to Huntington.

Karl

MAKE IT RIGHT, MARSHALL!* (Note from Karl: See the * below.)

Mon, Sep 23, 2019 6:51 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com
To: Karl

Gracias!

I mentioned this to my boss and she thinks it would be best if a Charleston reporter did this story, for obvious reasons.

Do you have a home or cell I can share with the Charleston crew?

Mon, Sep 23, 2019 6:57 pm
From: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com

Oh, never mind.

I see your number in Brenda’s email from this morning.

Note from Karl: I had telephoned the station, to give Mr. Irr an exclusive tip, the morning I picketed the Banned Books Week display at Marshall. I spoke to Brenda who told me that Mr. Irr would not be in until the afternoon.

Sep 24, 2019 11:16 am
From: Karl
To: Timothy.Irr@wsaz.com

Dear Mr. Irr:

Mr. Bass, Mr. Haught, and Mr. Hughes could not contain their disdain, or hatred, for folks like the Kanawha County Textbook Protesters.  It is likely that there are others, of the about 40 media members that I originally contacted, who feel similarly to those three.  The rest are either unable to do anything due to fear or they just do not see the importance.  My "calling out" of the media for lazy (at best) or biased (most likely) reporting has been proven.

There are two separate topics:  1. The 45th anniversary of the Kanawha County Textbook Protest  2. The left's hypocrisy of "Banned Books Week.  Your boss will (if she does anything) assign a story on topic #1 that reports on the event and will be just more of the same that has been done over the years.  Some have been more balanced than others.

My appearance at Marshall was newsworthy and it is not too late to report it.  WSAZ has the exclusive.

Please, take a look at the photo below and read the email I sent to Marshall.

Unless you respond to this email I will not contact you again on this matter.

Sincerely,

Karl


 Drinko Library Banned Book Display

(Copy of Sep 23, 2019 9:12 pm email to Dr. Brooks and Mr. Titus)

October 2, 2019
From: Karl
To: Josie.Fletcher@wsaz.com

Hello:

Regarding the report about the WV Book Festival at 
https://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Susan-Nicholas-talks-WVa-Book-Festival--561993111.html .

Please see items 5 and 23 at 
http://www.insectman.us/testimony/banned-book.htm .

Thank you.

Karl Priest
Note from Karl: She did not reply.

Note from Karl:

On 10-6-2019 I made a “protest” appearance at the West Virginia Book Festival. I did not waste my time tipping off the blatantly biased media and afterwards, though I was tempted to taunt them, I did not inform them of the newsworthy event their liberal prejudices caused them to miss. It is reported near the bottom of “The West Virginia Book Festival/Fair is Unfair.”

Along with the links provided to the media, West Virginia School News proves that the Kanawha County Textbook Protesters were RIGHT!

The evidence is clear! The mainstream media is either too lazy or two biased to present the truth about the Kanawha County Textbook Protest. If Mr. Irr’s boss does anything on this subject, I will post a report here.

Also see “Marshall Exposed."

---------------------------------------------

* MAKE IT RIGHT, MARSHALL!

The theme for the 2019 Banned Books Week is “Censorship Leaves Us in the Dark-Keep the Light On.”  It is time to shine a light on censors from the left.

Are those who promote Banned Books Week truly concerned with protecting free speech, or is Banned Books Week just a ploy for the left to push their control over what is readily available for the public to read?

The Marshall website says, “ Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose and the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular, stressing the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them.”

Karl Priest wants to point out that censorship is done by the left.

Karl Priest was there, in 1974-1975 when a major national historical event occurred in West Virginia known as The Kanawha County Textbook Controversy.  Facts about that event, that do not fit the left’s view, have been censored for 45 years.

In 2015, Marshall University Libraries had a program to observe Banned Books Week.  The theme was The Kanawha County Textbook Controversy.  A similar program was done in 2009.  The events continued the slanted news and poor academics maintained by the left for 45 years. 

A reporter for the student newspaper, The Parthenon, reported (2015) that “The protest sparked the banning of books throughout the entire United States.” and, “These protests quickly became unruly and violent, many school buildings, school busses and homes of children still attending school were attacked with bombs, gunfire and even stoned.”  The student perpetuated the left’s propaganda.

A Marshall University library official (2015) stated, “One of the reasons we bring programs like this to Marshall is so that we can broaden people’s perspectives and enlighten students who might not be exposed to this information other wise.”  The panel discussion did not include anyone from the protester side.

Karl Priest has documented many reasons why his book, Protester Voices-The 1974 Textbook Tea Party, should qualify as a banned book.  See http://www.insectman.us/testimony/banned-book.htm.

This year makes 45 years that a large group of wonderful West Virginians have been defamed.  See  http://www.insectman.us/testimony/textbook-protester-truth/the-facts.htm  for proof that the Kanawha County textbook protesters were NOT NARROW-MINDED, NOT IGNORANT, NOT RELIGIOUS FANATICS, NOT CENSORS, NOT VIOLENT, and NOT RACIST.

Karl Priest wants a light to be shined on the truth of the  The Kanawha County Textbook Controversy  and calls for Marshall University to hold that light.

-----------------
Karl Priest is a retired teacher and principal who now serves as the West Virginia coordinator for Exodus Mandate ( http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/index.htm ).

Karl Priest may be reached at  kcpriest@aol.com

--------------------------------------

Also see “Marshall Exposed" and read how the book Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party  has been censored and suppressed.

TEXTBOOK WAR HOME