Stop Writing

Never underestimate the staying power of a wrong idea. Back in December 1974, two Californians filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission, asking it to stop issuing licenses to new educational TV or FM radio stations that planned to devote their air time exclusively to religious broadcasts. The petition struck a substantial number of people as a diabolical assault on religious freedom, and an avalanche of protest mail began rolling in.

Now, more than two years later, the letter campaign has picked up new momentum--so that the FCC has had to add two extra staffers to clear out its clogged mailroom. On an average working day, the postman now carts in some 7,500 antipetition letters--for a total of nearly 5 million pieces of mail so far.

What really miffs the FCC is that there is no reason for it. In August 1975, eight months after the petition was filed, the FCC summarily denied its requests. Thus the letter writers are flogging an issue that long since died aborning.

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