Letter to Sean Hannity of Fox News

I sent the following letter to Sean Hannity recently in response to his misrepresentation of what I said on his show regarding the Mumbai terrorist attacks. I have not received any response back from him. Today I read it aloud on my Sirius-XM radio program and am now making it public here as well.

Dear Sean,

I saw a report about last night's show that quotes you as follows:

"Hannity continued by saying, "We had Deepak Chopra on last night and he's blaming America! ...He was blaming America for the attacks in Mumbai and I challenged him on it and I'm like, 'Wait a minute. You've done so well in America. Why are you blaming us?' We protect 100% of the world's population. We're 4% of it."

I am really disappointed in you. Do you not remember your other guest when I was on, former Defense Secretary Bill Cohen? He made the same point I did about America's policy toward the jihadists: "Are we creating more terrorists than killing them?" Ironically, this question is attributed to Donald Rumsfeld.

It really doesn't matter to me personally whether you agree with me or not. Leaving our debate aside, your habit of taking statements out of context and playing the blaming game is sad. You have a powerful platform that influences many people. Why do you use your influence to monger fear, militancy, divisiveness, and jingoism?

I was hoping to come back on your show and have a reflective, intelligent dialogue, but perhaps the attack mode is the only way you know to make a living. The best excuse for your dishonest accusations against me is that you don't believe what you're saying. The far right has deflated, so you are there to pump it up with hot air. If you stop blowing, you'll be out of a job. I empathize.

Love,
Deepak

PS: No one expects the right wing to change, but for what it's worth, they have entered an era of reconstruction. They've lost both their power and their credibility. Instead of trying to educate me about being an American, you might want to re-educate yourselves about dirty pool and below-the-belt attacks. Just a thought.

Read Deepak Chopra on Intent.com to listen to his Sirius-XM radio podcasts

Comments

[dougv50]

Before the election, I watched Hannity and Combs one night. About two months later, I watched it again and it sounded like the one I watch before. I thought it was a rerun. It wasn't though, it was just Hannity going through his same ol broken record speel. Him and Bill O, and that Ingraham girl instantly raise the hair on the back of my neck. That is why I can only handle one show every two months..

[BlueNotRed]

I occassionaly listen to Hannity's afternoon radio show just to see what the lunatic fringe is up to and it's the same lame nonsense day after day after day. "Obama is a radical". Obama is going to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine". Pelosi and Reed are going to take your rights away with their liberal agenda." I've come to the conclusion that Hannity, although not the sharpest tack in the box, realizes that it's necessary to keep repeating the same message over and over so that his simple minded drones don't have time to think for themselves. Actually, Hannity is very much like your typical cult leader.

[senorplaid]

"I was hoping to come back on your show and have a reflective, intelligent dialogue, but perhaps the attack mode is the only way you know to make a living."

Boy, if anything ever deserved to be stamped "No s&^%," this line in the letter is it.

[GwenElle]

Deepak Chopra, one of the brilliant minds and souls on the national stage today. For my money, a gift to this nation. I must admit though, having always considered Deepak a wise soul, I am stunned to discover that he naively believed that he could actually conduct "a reflective, intelligent dialogue" with Sean Hannity. Not possible!

Anyone who goes on Hannity's show should be fully aware of what they are dealing with. Rabble-rousing is the only means Hannity knows of getting oxygen into his lungs. As a reactionary, he is incapable of reflection. As a spiritual Neanderthal, his mind can venture only to fear-based concerns of his own survival. His very soul is several layers short of deep. I question whether it even exists.

Personally, I find Hannity (and his ilk) nauseating. Therefore, I make it a point to just not *go there*, if you know what I mean. I value my health, and whatever sense of peace I can muster in these difficult times, far too much to put either at risk by exposing myself to the inanity that is Sean Hannity.

[ebanks84]

I guess he figured honesty would prevail.

[ebanks84]

Very well put and I completely concur. It might not have been a wise move by Mr. Chopra, but it was thoroughly informative I believe to America and shows exactly where Sean Hannity's mind is at. We no longer have to guess. He proved his "corporate" negativity campaign to the world when he dissed Mr. Chopra. Those of us with any common sense at all will NEVER give Sean Hannity a platform to espouse his total ignorance ever again. He will eventually lose all his hold on those people who need him as they will finally come to the realization that they don't need him any longer as life becomes better for them in the near future.

[IndependentMeans]

What is truly astounding is that Hannity has viewers and listerners. WTF is wrong with these people??? Turn him off and tune him out. Game over.

[diogeron]

Why would anyone of stature and intellectual integrity appear on a show with Sean Hannity? That is like Albert Einstein joining up with Barnum and Bailey for a world tour. Ignore these blowhards. Anyone who watches a show like Hannity for "insight" on any issue is not the kind of person who is likely to be persuadable by evidence and logic.

[kevhar12]

Sean Hannity robs people of their peace of mind for the sake of ratings. He actually gets pleasure from doing that. He` s like the Lucifer of journalism. I`m so proud of myself that after the election was over I stopped watching Fox News all together. I must admit I was caught up in the elections intense coverage but I`m off the stuff "cold turkey". I no longer need to feed into Fox News` "Unfair and Biased" rhetoric. It feels refreshing to be able to keep channel surfing past Hannity or O`Reilly. Their ratings will plummet because no one wants to wants to end up on antidepressants or seeking psychiatric help when all they had to do was turn the channel. The one thing I have gained from watching Fox News is I`ve learned to love myself enough to not be pulled into their misery.

[GwenElle]

I hear you kevhar12. Frankly, I never watch Fox News. I have DirectTV which thankfully allows filtering out channels that you don't want to watch. Best feature ever!

I too have found myself burned out on the political process and now post-election coverage. Before the election, I obsessively watched that awful excuse for a television program Morning Joe (all the better to keep an eye and hear out for the right wingers and their latest blatherings), but since the election I have had gone cold turkey. I don't have the slightest interest in watching anymore. Best feeling in the world!

Interestingly, same is true for Chris Matthews, who I cannot seem to tolerate anymore. Rachel and Keith Olberman are the only pundit shows I allow myself to watch, but even not these two so much anymore. It's probably just election fatigue, but in all honesty, I have a need to feel like my time is being better spent and that I am at least affording myself an opportunity to feel a little smarter or better informed after investing my time.

I find that I don't even visit Huff Post so much anymore.

BTW, in my original post, in referring to Sean Hannity, I meant *fear-based concerns FOR his own survival*. Such tiny words, yet prepositions hold great power to convey meaning (or not convey in this case). My bad.

[Raef53]

Why would anyone go on FOX Noise anyway? I'm afraid Deepak had it coming.

[ebanks84]

That's a terrible thing to say. A good man has nothing to fear from anyone. Why shouldn't he go on FOX or any other TV show?

[Richardini]

It really surprises me that a man of great intellect would even contemplate appearing on Fox News. He surely was not expecting to have an intelligent discussion with Sean Hannity. This non-entity does nothing but head up a firing squad, a gauntlet of misfits and dropouts who call themselves reporters. They fancy themselves as true Americans and they represent the rightist mentality so prevalent nowadays that prefers a violent movie to the Lehrer report. Their vocabulary is limited undoubtedly because of faulty education and they presume to "debate" with guests. Guests is also a misnomer because they do nothing but attack them with their ad hominem tactics. I look forward to the day or lets call it an epiphany when these kinds of vermin will be swept away from the public eye. They do nothing but poison the millions of listeners who enjoy the fact that their leftists "enemies" are being put down. Intelligent discourse is always the one element lacking. I would sugges that anyone, on the Right or Left, think twice before attempting the feat of trying to convince any of these dimwitted attack dogs.

[ENOS]

Perfectly put! I love a spiritualist that embraces both proven truth and esoteric, mystic knowledge!

[wmholt]

Deepak, I wouldn't expect to get anything out of a calm, rational discussion with Sean Hannity. Even if it went well on the air, he'd come back the next day and slice-and-dice your comments to make you look like an America-hating criminal.

His huge contract he just signed means that someone sees Sean Hannity as being good for profits at Fox. Maybe so. I don't think the Republican party would have gotten even a small percentage of the votes in November if it were not for Fox News, delivering propaganda to the unwitting 50% of the country that believes that they are receiving straight news (my family included).

I think your point about Hannity not believing what he says is true. But that makes him less ignorant, and more of a liar. I think some of the bozos on Fox say the wrong things out of ignorance. Not Sean Hannity.

[ebanks84]

Hannity says it out of spite.

[Saidas]

I agree. I have met numerous Republicansthat in discussing politics, I hear the exact verbiage from Bill and Sean and they really believeFox News is "fair and balanced" and that Bill is an Independent. Some of these people are very educated and it still surprises me that they can be so blind as not to recognize such unabashed bias. I tell them I watch Rachel & Keith but don't for a moment think that there isn't bias there....though certainly not to the degree of FN.

What Fox News does is nothing short of brainwashing. MSNBC is not the only source of new for me and this is so I can get as an objective view as I can.

[RichDavid]

Who the hell would ever want to go on his tired show?....no one watches him anyway.
Deepak you are brilliant....keep it up....We love you....

[ebanks84]

I agree.

[maikonen]

As the sun has set on rising star Sarah Palin, so will it set on Fox News. Fox hould be systematically boycotted for being divisive, especially at a time when this country needs to unite. All those who promote the well-being of America need to stop watching Fox, stop appearing on Fox, and leave its support to those who endorse its message. It would be ideal if only their own kind would end up being guests on in-annity's show, with his vitriolic rants and incendiary statements.

Tell your friends.

[TheBlackCat]

Why do leftists even GO on shows like Bill O'Reilly or Hannity? I realize that if they don't go on, they are mocked by those talk shows who say that liberals "don't have the guts." But, so what? It's not like the audience respected any leftists (or moderates, for that matter) to begin with. If they go on the show, they will just be made to look even worse because they will be constantly attacked and cut off and not allowed to state their point of view, and then the hosts will use their words out of context. They will not be given a platform for serious debate, they are just walking into fifteen minutes of being screamed at by a borderline sociopath.

These people have to stop being goaded into going onto shows like Hannity and O'Reilly. Yes their AUDIENCE will indeed believe the rhetoric of "They're too scared because they know we'll ask the tough questions," but the network PRODUCERS will understand the truth of the situation. Also ratings will go down when they are unable to entice any liberals on their show to yell at.

[HyperInfluential]

Well, it's not always true that progressives are made to look bad on these shows -- google up the video of Jon Stewart schooling Tucker Carlson and friends! If only there were more liberals with Jon Stewart's wit and passion, they could make the hosts look bad for being so rude and finally get a moment to say something profound that makes so much sense the hosts have to change their ties afterward!

[TheBlackCat]

I DID see that video back when it happened, it was SO great. As you said, if only every gues had the quick wit of John Stewart. Unfortunately most guests are not witty comedians, they are pasionate, reflective people like Mr Chopra who want to actually DISCUSS what is important to them, and are too flustered and frustrated to then "zing" this host. Unfortunately, they will never actually get to have a valid discussion.

So I guess the lesson is that we should just have those with the most polished rapier wits, who are most capable of turning the tables on the host and getting in "zingers" on these shows... Bill Maher, Sarah Vowell, John Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Cornell West, Ariana Huffington, those types.

I know I would LOVE to see Cornell West go up against Sean Hannity. He NEVER uses standard examples and talking points. He'd reference all these less known but influencial people, historical and political events that Hannity won't ever have even heard of, and Hannity wouldn't be able to argue with him because he'd have no idea what he was talking about.

[janmarbol]

WAY to go, Deepak! loved it.

[stringer]

Deepak Chopra wrote this? Really? Awesome.

Don't take this the wrong way dude, but I had no idea you were such a bada**. In a karmically good way of course you just owned Sean Hannity. By throwing back at him what he always tries to throw in other people's face.

I'm gonna have to start reading your books.

[ebanks84]

That's funny. If nothing else, reading Deepak is good!

[sugarmoes]

mr. chopra - i charge you, with your immense and wise exposure to the world, with taking on and taking down these hannity types.

you will thus do much good.

[sugarmoes]

PERFECT!!!!!

i'm sure sean hannity learned everything he thinks he knows in some church somewhere.

[TheBlackCat]

Obviously the people who perpetrated these attacks are the ones responsible, not America. But I think one of the largest problems with the right wing is that anytime anyone questions a failed American policy, it's considered an "attack" on America. Chopra wasn't saying that America is responsible. He's saying policies enacted by America which we thought would reduce terrorism have not worked, and terrorism has increased instead. This isn't a left wing conspiracy. This is something that has been empirically confirmed by the defense dept and our intelligence agencies. We tried an approach, it did not work, so we should try another one. Any good business has to look at it's policies, its contracts, its dealings and review what is working and what is not, and then try to fix or scuttle the programs which are not improving their business model. Why does the right wing think our government should be less pragmatic and responsible than a business?

And it's just ridiculous that if you've done well in America, it must be perfect and any critique of any aspect of America is just one of the most flawed lines of reasoning I've ever heard. I spent a summer in Merida, Mexico and I knew plenty of people who were successful and happy. By your logic, next time I am visiting and one of them complains about corruption in the government and police force, I can just say "Hey, you've done well here, so that means that nothing can be wrong!"

[HyperInfluential]

Imagine if Michael Phelps took it as an "attack" every time his swimming coach showed him something he wasn't doing right!

If we didn't love America, why would we care if it was making mistakes? Only when you love something very much do you have the courage to say "Hey, yer doin' it wrong."

[ZimboChick]

He heard you loud and clear Dr Chopra. He may hide behind that mountain like frown but he heard you. Some men are just plain old cowards.