My reply:

Your hysterical anti-general aviation piece was bad enough. Now I understand
that you are demanding to know why the drunken pilot in Philadelphia was not
shot down by the military. Do you really think that is an appropriate
response? Should drunk drivers be shot by state troopers on sight? Are you
now recommending the death penalty for any form of drunkenness? Without
trial? Or are you just interested in shooting pilots? Were you not concerned
about the safety of innocent bystanders on the ground that might be hit by
the flaming wreckage or spent anti-aircraft munitions? What if the pilot had
had his family on board?



I can see your news story now: "Bush administration orders airplane with
family of four on board shot down. Husband, wife, and two small children
killed. See our full report on this outrage at 11." I sure bet that you
would not be reminding viewers that this was your idea in the first place.



Maybe you would like to shoot school children or mothers, too. Who else
would you like to shoot? Republicans? Baptists? Anybody that Dan Rather does
not like?



Your network has gone so far off the deep end that I will never watch it
again. Ever. In fact, I will probably disconnect my cable service and maybe
even give my TV away.



You have so outraged the aviation community with these broadcasts that I
suspect that tens of thousands of pilots feel the way I do. Although I would
not condone it, I would not be surprised if there is violence as a result of
your irresponsible reporting. You have harmed not only yourselves, but have
brought the integrity of the entire news reporting industry into question.



Whoever made this report should be fired immediately and a public apology
given.