Apologize to Michael

Re: Ms. Diane Sawyer'sInjurious remarks regardingthe looks and pain of anautoimmune disorder onABC Primetime


The other night Ms. Sawyer showed utmost distaste and prejudice in her interview with Lisa Marie Presley.

She insulted many disabled and ill viewers when she deliberately panned an ugly face to the camera while asking Ms. Presley about her relationship with her ex-husband, Mr. Michael Jackson.

She let everyone know, including the obviously uncomfortable Ms. Presley, that she found Mr. Jackson's appearance repulsive and him guilty of sins never proven (indeed, to the contrary).

To try to influence viewers and Ms. Presley to be repulsed by someone with vitiligo, a verifiable autoimmune and skin disorder, was the utmost of prejudicial and outright mockery of those of us with such disorders. She mentioned "his looks" as if she had a bad taste in her mouth, implying no woman would find him attractive. (Yet millions have and still do!)

Furthermore, she implied that he was addicted to drugs, with the implication being illegal. She had just talked about Ms. Preseley's old drug addiction.

Ms. Sawyer clearly has no understanding of autoimmune disorders. They change a person's looks. They can cause terrible, excruciating pain. To someone who dances and is traveling with a very heavy schedule, Mr. Jackson surely experiences more than many of us with autoimmune disorders go through, and we often go through hell. The pain can be like one experiences when a tooth is bad; except, we feel it all over.

Doctors prescribe pain killers because life can be unbearable without them. THIS IS NOTHING LIKE TAKING ILLEGAL DRUGS. To make such an implied link is to deride all of those of us on prescribed medication. How dare she come close to purporting that those of us who are in extreme pain are drug abusers!

Ms. Sawyer has gone way too far with her own private agenda of slamming Mr. Jackson in any and all ways possible. Even non-Jackson-fans are the recipients of her jeering. Millions of people have horrible painful conditions which also alter their appearance. What gall for Ms. Sawyer to imply that we have lost our sex appeal because of our disorders! For the media to mock one who's skin was changing all over because of a disorder, thus causing him to take prescribed treatment for it, is showing that she really doesn't care about those of us with such disorders. Only a sadistic person would act as she. She needs to read up on the subject.

Some of us have life-threatening disorders. (The author of this petition has had a small stroke, with extreme inflammation all over, blood clotting which can't be stopped, etc.)

We are horrified by the physical changes we go through. We do what we can to try to return to "normal". She needs to sit with someone with an autoimmune disorder, seeing them face-to-face, with sweat pouring down all over from the fevers, while they writhe in agony just because the weather is changing. Ill people who are cut off from society go to the media for entertainment, and find insults.

Ms. Sawyer is no doctor and knows nothing about Mr. Jackson's physical condition. Who is she to judge? This has got to stop!!!We are requesting a public apology to Mr. Jackson, to those of us with autoimmune disorders, and to Mr. Jackson's millions of fans. And we demand that the Michael Jackson jokes and jibes immediately cease. We have begun boycotting your show and your sponsors' products, and will continue unless these requests are met. Time is of the essence; once this catches on, it will be like a wildfire out of control. Please see to it that this matter is dealt with immediately.



Judy Shoji
SuperSurvivors

Harry Call, President
Goody's Family Clothing, Inc.
400 Goody's Lane
Knoxville, TN 37922
[email protected] (c/oPam Williams)


Jerry Johnston
President and Chief Operating Officer
c/oLeigha Gevock
[email protected]
Executive Office
Clorox
Corporate Headquarters
1221 Broadway
Oakland C 94612


Joe R. Lee
Chairman & CEO,
Darden Restaurants
Red Lobster, Olive Garden,
Bahama Breeze and
Smokey Bones restaurants
Darden Restaurants
5900 Lake Ellenor Dr. - 6th Fl.
Orlando, Florida 32809
[email protected]


Pierre Gagnon
President
Mitsubishi Motors
MMCA
PO Box 6014
Cypress Ca 90630
[email protected]
also Ms. Lewis [email protected]