RM-2493

Petition Rumor

Updated 4/6/04: We've seen several email forwards that are now titled "A Plea from Dr. Dobson." While this is a facelift for the petition, the crux of the mail is still the same old Petition 2493. The new email has removed most references to O'Hair (see following information.) Although O'Hair is never mentioned by name, the new email we've seen still refers in paragraph four to "this woman," while making no reference to "this woman" in the story. This is obviously a leftover reference to O'Hair.

Dr. Dobson has not made a plea for people to contact the FCC on this issue. In fact, just the opposite is the case. In addition to the story linked below from Family News in Focus, Focus on the Family has responded specifically to the "plea from Dr. Dobson" email.

Focus on the Family debunks the Dr. Dobson/RM-2493 Petition Rumor

RM-2493

The rumor continues to circulate in Christian circles, recently in the form of an e-mail chain letter, pertaining to atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Over the years, the petition has been updated, adding references to current programming, including Touched by an Angel. This e-mail claims O'Hair, or the organization she founded, has a petition before the FCC to ban religious broadcasting, or to remove specific programming from the air. Specifically, this is referred to as RM-2493 or Petition 2493. The rumor is a HOAX.

The Facts...

O'Hair never petitioned the F.C.C. to limit or ban all religious broadcasting from TV and radio.

There was a petition known as RM-2493. Filed by Jeremy Lansman and Lorenzo Milam in December 1974, this petition tried to limit religious groups from using TV or radio channels reserved for public or educational broadcasting. This petition was promptly denied.

The following web sites include other proof and information concerning about this rumor and O'Hair. If you know someone who does not know the facts about this petition rumor, please share this page with them. Help spread the word that this petition rumor is just that--a rumor.

RM-2493 Information Links

Federal Communiciations Commission

Break the Chain

Family News in Focus

Focus on the Family

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

About.com Urban Legends

TruthMiners

Snopes

Touched by an Angel

Other Hoaxes

The O'Hair e-mail is not the only illegitimate e-mail being circulated; There are many others. If it seems unbelievable, it just may be a hoax. To find out, visit these sites:

General Rumors:

Snopes
Urban Legends-About.com
Urban Legends

Many virus warnings circulating by e-mail are also hoaxes. To check on the validity of computer virus warnings, visit:

McAfee AntiVirus
Norton AntiVirus

Actually, I usually find the quickest way to debunk a rumor or a virus scare is by using my favorite search engine, Google. Just type in a few keywords, or a file name or title in the case of a virus hoax, and most often you can quickly find a page debunking whatever hoax is being propagated.