August 2002 Personal Letter

Dear Friends:

America has been hit hard in recent weeks with a wave of corruption that has led many citizens to think twice about our nation’s largest institutions in the private sector. The so-called financial boom of the Clinton years has been revealed to be little more than a façade of success built on inflated earnings reports motivated by executive greed resulting in financial ruin for thousands of workers and many more investors.

“Cooked books” (perhaps literally in the case of Martha Stewart’s empire), is the usual headline in today’s news. The dotcoms of the 90s, sold to venture capitalists as groundbreaking, sure bets and easy moneymakers, have one by one dropped off the planet as mere hollow dreams of 20-something technology upstarts who believed they could make a quick buck with other people’s hard-earned money. And many did. Corporate executives have walked away with hundreds of millions in personal fortunes, often without regard for the victims of their greed.

But there’s one industry in the private sector that routinely victimizes its customers with impunity: the media.

Accusations of the media have nothing to do with its accounting department, but rather its news department. It’s an information scandal, and those responsible for it hide behind the motto “a free press” and claim immunity from prosecution for presenting lies and half-truths to millions of viewers around the world. Unlike the corporations or politicians the media hounds for reform and reparations, the press refuses to reform itself in any substantial way. Case in point: CNN. The news about this scandal has progressed since our Levitt Letter report and we want to give you an update.

Begun by the anti-Semite Ted Turner, CNN’s popularity began with 24/7 reporting of news around the world. Great concept, but meaningless when that reporting reeks of liberal and prejudiced bias. This was once again brought to world attention recently when Turner publicly accused the Israelis of terrorism. A flurry of outrage from the Israelis resulted in the call for boycotts against CNN in Israel, as well as the promotion of Fox News on Israel’s cable networks.

CNN quickly attempted to pacify the Israelis by offering a new series of programs highlighting the victims of homicide bombers. Most Israelis are not impressed, though, because CNN has maintained an anti-Israel bias during its 22 years in the country. The network, says Israeli communications minister Reuven Rivlin, is “evil, biased and unbalanced.” The Jerusalem Post published an opinion article which stated that CNN Jerusalem reporter Sheila MacVicar is “the woman who refilled the toilet paper in the Goebbels’ commode.”

I’ve been telling you for years that when it comes to covering Israel, CNN is the network of the Arab world. At the same time Turner was mouthing off ignorantly about terrorism, his network in Israel was giving prime time to the families of homicide bombers who had just killed more than 30 innocent Israelis. The fact that CNN announces a new series to show the victims of Palestinian terror leaves many to believe that the network is just out to calm the storm of protest against their bias.

“The question here is whether the changes are cosmetic for this week, or is CNN really going to take a different editorial line,” said one Israeli critic of CNN.

“We’ll continue to cover the story fairly from all viewpoints,” boasted CNN chairman Walter Isaacson. The key words are “continue” and “fairly,” both of which have never happened before in CNN’s coverage of Israel.

It’s time for the media to pay up, beginning with CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News and all the others who seem to think there is a perpetual open season on Israel. Now or later, these organs of the “free press” will fall, perhaps not in our lifetime, perhaps not in the way we would like, but they will fall because God loves His people, Israel, and will mete out judgment on those who curse them.

There’s another powerful corporation that has recently crossed the line of scandal, though you’ve not heard about it in the news: American Airlines. By now you’ve heard me report on TV and through our Levitt Letter that American Airlines stepped into a political minefield when they referred to Jerusalem as a city in some place called the “Held Territories.” We’re not making this up.

Our friend Dr. Gerald Schroeder, who lives in Jerusalem and is a customer of American Airlines, sent me a copy of his mileage statement. In place of the country “Israel” were these two words: Held Territories. Phone calls and letters to American Airlines Customer Relations has produced the following results:

• An apology was offered for their mistake.
• Their mistake was termed a “computer glitch.”
• The mistake was also termed a “misprint.”
• The words “Held Territories” were found in an internal country-code list.
• Their glitch was said to have been corrected.
• Their correction was said to be permanent.
• Jerusalem would now be located in the country of Israel.
• But now “glitch” is a “misstatement,” says American.
• American is not entirely certain from where “Held Territories” originated.
• American is not entirely certain that “Israel” is the best term to use — they’re trying to find a “globally recognized” source for their country information.
• Viewers and readers are telling us that some American Airlines staff are claiming that it’s the fault of the U.S. Postal Service, or that we simply don’t know what we’re talking about.

We’ve been entirely courteous to American Airlines to this point in an attempt to discover how such a convenient mistake was allowed to happen. Computer errors can happen, but someone — a human — had to have typed in those very condemning words “Held Territories.” Some human being had to have made the decision to ignore the globally recognized fact that Jerusalem is the official capital of Israel and that there is no such country called “Held Territories.” A decision like this, even for internal data, is a politically-slanted decision. We’ve been trying to find out why the airline would go down this road, and who made this decision. So far, we’re only told that no one at American knows, it’s an old entry, blah, blah, blah.

One of our readers called American and asked if they were really an Arab-American airline! “Certainly not!” the representative replied. “And of course Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” she insisted.

What we’re getting now are a number of different explanations from American Airlines staff. But what is most disturbing to me, after all their apologies, is this latest statement:

In answer to your question about future written references to Jerusalem addresses, we certainly understand the argument for the standard use of Israel. However, in view of what has happened, we want to be very accurate in this regard and we are attempting to identify a globally recognized source to use to update our database.

“…we understand the argument….” There is no argument. Israel has been, is and will remain the capital of the globally recognized sovereign nation called “Israel.”

“…we want to be very accurate….” Accuracy is based on the facts, not on political correctness.

“…we are attempting to identify a globally recognized source….” Interesting. You would think that the American government would be considered a “globally recognized” source of information for an American business. The American State Department lists Israel as the nation whose capital is Jerusalem. The American embassy in Israel lists their consulate’s address in Jerusalem as located in the country called “Israel.” Even the anti-Israel body called the United Nations does not list any country called “Held Territories” or “Palestine.”

This backtracking by American Airlines on “future references to Jerusalem” indicates they are continuing to walk dangerously in the minefield of global political correctness. And this, unfortunately, is just one more slap in the face to Israel.

At this point, we can only guess as to the motive behind the continued hedging on the part of American Airlines when it comes to recognizing the nation of Israel. Is it once again the influence of Arab petro-dollars? That’s a lot of jet fuel they use every day. Or is it simply another signal to us of the truth spoken by Asaph in Psalm 83:1-4:

Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

Here’s an interesting fact: American Airlines refers to Taipei as the capital city of the country called “Taiwan” or “Republic of China.” Nowhere on its website does the airline state that Taiwan is part of Communist China’s “territory being held by those democratic rebels who fled for their lives from Mao more than 50 years ago.” I’m sure Beijing would applaud the airline if they would speak in those terms, just as the Arab world undoubtedly applauds them (or any business) for using any term other than “Israel” for the only democracy in the Middle East.

Think of the Native Americans who populated this land “from sea to shining sea” years before the intruders from abroad (that means our forefathers) came in and pushed these original inhabitants down in the dust, wiping out many and eventually forcing them to live on what we call government land. If we followed the logic of American Airlines or CNN or the United Nations or the European Union or the Arab world, all of us would have to change our addresses to “Held Territories.” The white and the black and the Asian are all intruders in the “fruited plains” and as such we now occupy the land of the Native Americans. The Israelis, too, inhabitants in their land for thousands of years, have been invaded countless times by armies seeking to destroy them and take their land. Now American Airlines is trying to take their land with this poisoned terminology.

If you’re as astounded and perplexed as I am in this sad state of corporate affairs in our land, then call American Airlines for yourselves (1-800-433-7300). Or, if you want to write, I suppose you could address your letters to: American Airlines, Fort Worth, Held Territories, because a long time ago that city was home to the Native Americans and is now being held by immigrants and their airlines in Fort Worth!

I cannot help but go back to an ancient, but timeless truth when I see this kind of “information terrorism” against the Chosen People: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee…” (Gen. 12:3).

God always keeps His promises, and one day the Ted Turners of this world will kneel in humiliation before the King of the Jews — the very one Turner curses today — while the Lord audits their books, as it were, particularly in those areas where they’ve cursed the Lord’s own people. Amen.

One way you can bless the Chosen People is by visiting them in the Promised Land. In spite of the Intifada, which seems to have dissipated at this point, our tours to the Holy Land continue uninterrupted and without incident. In fact, this fall the Israeli government will recognize our faithfulness in coming to Israel as they present us with an award for our 75th consecutive tour. We’re pulling out all the stops and planning special events for all of our passengers. And in celebration of this occasion, we’re offering a 7.5% discount to those of you who register with your deposit before the Feast of Trumpets (Friday, September 6). The dates for our Deluxe Fall Tour are October 22 to November 1. Or add a 7-day Mediterranean cruise and tour in Greece and/or a fascinating excursion to the famed city of Petra. Choose from five different itineraries. Call Tony for complete details and a full-color brochure at (214) 696-9760 or 1-800-WONDERS anytime.

We’ve changed our “Bless Israel—Solidarity Tour” in Dallas to Saturday, November 16. Just $49 per person for an entire day of worship, teaching, and touring at the Biblical Arts Center and the “Miracle at Pentecost” light and sound show.

For those interested in our popular Holy Land Experience tours, we’ve secured the following dates for this destination in Orlando, Florida:

• November 29–December 1
• December 6–8
• December 27–29

Make plans to spend your holidays with us in sunny Florida, experiencing America’s best Biblical theme park. Let Tony know your preference of weekends.

We all ought to be mindful of the “audit” God will perform on our lives when we meet Him face to face. Our Lord instructed us to place our priorities in life on the things above rather than on things of this world. Making an eternal, spiritual impact through our families, our work and our individual testimonies is what He’s looking to reward us for. May God help us all to represent Him well in this endeavor!

Your Messenger,

P.S. Check out our website www.levitt.com for an exciting new multimedia presentation prepared by Udi Ohana of Kfar-Saba, Israel. Scroll down the first page and click on the link “The History of Israel in a Nutshell.”