Why are you keeping this story out of the paper?
I tried to email the original message to you w/pics but couldn't, but my question is still why is it that your paper failed to present this newsworthy story on June 10th!
Nancy
Thanks for your email. Unfortunately, you have been hoaxed by an Internet rumor that is nearly three years old. But don't feel bad--you have a lot of company.
First, here is the account attached to your email.
The Media (Accidentally?)Missed this one!!!!
Please read this, then send it to everybody you know.
They'll thank you as they forward this to others as well.
Don't know whether you heard about this but Denzel Washington and his family visited the troops at Brook Army Medical Center, in San Antonio, Texas (BAMC) the other day. This is where soldiers who have been evacuated from Germany come to be hospitalized in the United States, especially burn victims. There are some buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a Hotel where soldiers' families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the Hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but as you can imagine, they are almost filled most of the time.
While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC, they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He took his check book out and wrote a check for the full amount right there on the spot. The soldiers overseas were amazed to hear this story and want to get the word out to the American public, because it warmed their hearts to hear it.
The question I have is why does Brad Pitt, Madonna, Tom Cruise and other Hollywood fluff make front page news with their ridiculous antics and Denzel Washington's Patriotism doesn't even make page 3 in the Metro section of any newspaper except the Local newspaper in San Antonio.
Like most Internet rumors, this anonymous account takes a bit of truth, pumps it up with some fiction for dramatic effect, and suggests that news organizations are suppressing the story to advance a nefarious political agenda. And, like others, it will probably continue to circulate until the Earth stops spinning.
As the San Antonio Express-News reported at the time, Washington did visit the base (it's "Brooke," not "Brook") in December 2004. Months later he made a "six-figure" donation to the Fisher House organization; neither he nor the group would say more about it.
Express-News editor Robert Rivard wrote in July, in response to questions about the email account flying around the country, that "Washington and his wife were moved by their visit, and they joined the Fisher House board. But he didn't whip out his checkbook and cover the $1.5 million cost. He wasn't even carrying a checkbook the day of his visit."
Snopes.com, a well respected urban-myth buster, has a fairly complete account of this rumor's history.
Bottom line: People who read the local newspaper coverage got a straightforward, factual account of a story that was interesting for residents of San Antonio, but hardly national news. People who got the anonymous email got a fanciful conspiracy theory built on fiction.
Senior Vice President & Executive Editor
Managing Editor
Assistant Managing Editor for Presentation
Assistant Managing Editor for News
Editorial Art Director
South Valley Bureau Chief
Director of Photography
Features Editor
Metro Editor
Business Editor
News Editor
Head Librarian
Assistant Managing Editor for Online
Sports Editor