Tell CNN not to hire Bill Bennett

A few months ago, we demanded that right-wing talk show host Bill Bennett take responsibility and apologize for racist remarks he made on his national radio show. In September, he said the following:

I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down.

Bennett's words perpetuated the idea that Black people are part of a criminal class. Now, only a few months later, CNN is about to hire him. At the time of Bennett's remarks, we put pressure on the Salem Radio Network -- which distributes his show -- to fire Bennett unless he apologized. He has not apologized, and he has not addressed the racist logic at the core of what he said.

We need your help in putting pressure on CNN. They haven't yet confirmed their decision, and they need to know that hiring Bill Bennett would be wrong. Please join us in telling CNN that hiring Bill Bennett would be a huge mistake.

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Read the e-mail message that we sent to our members about this petition.

Here is the letter that we'll send to Jim Walton, President of CNN News. The letter will have your name on it.

Dear Jim Walton:

We are writing to express our shock and disappointment that you are preparing to hire Bill Bennett, and to ask you to reconsider that decision. Just a few months ago, Bennett made profoundly racist comments on his national radio show, which were condemned by the White House, 56 members of Congress, and thousands of citizens. Since then, he has not apologized, and he has not addressed the racist logic at the core of what he said.

Hiring Bill Bennett would continue to give a powerful voice to someone who has, in the past, used his voice to spread information which is racist, hateful, and false. We believe that Bill Bennett has a First Amendment right to think and say whatever he wants, but we believe that CNN, as a trusted national source of news, has a moral obligation to refrain from broadcasting opinions which promote racism and hate.

Bill Bennett has demonstrated his willingness to perpetuate racist notions based on false information, and hiring him would damage our trust in CNN as a source of news and information.

Bill Bennett has no place at a news organization like CNN - please do not hire him.

Sincerely,

The undersigned members of ColorOfChange.org