THE SA IS UNDER SCRUTINY PART 5

TV 4 - Cold Facts examines the Salvation Army - (# 6 IN 4 PARTS)

On Honesty and Trust

When, after careful consideration and after thinking through the pros and cons on the issue of interviews, we eventually turned down the Cold Facts team’s offer an interview with someone from within The Salvation Army's leadership; we took for granted that our decision would be accepted and respected. The (our position) reason was that a pre-recorded interview is often crudely edited; edited and pasted into the program with words often used out of context, and SA leadership is not interested in contributing to such programming (drama).

# 1 Spontaneous Visit - The Salvation Army headquarters in Stockholm

On March 31, 2011, a reporter and a cameraman (Cold Facts – TV team) entered our headquarters unannounced on Nybrogatan seeking to meet with the ‘information officer’ or someone from The Salvation Army's leadership.

The receptionist asked if they had an appointment and she received a negative answer, and as a consequence they were not allowed in (any further), through the security door.

They then, (instead) asked the receptionist, "what is your view on homosexuality?", to which she replied that she did not want to answer any questions. The team remained in the entrance area staying inside the front door, but outside the security door and video taped everything that occurred inside, through the glass wall. They also asked the same question of a visitor who temporarily visited the premises, whereupon the simple reply was, 'I do not work here' and continued past them (the TV crew).

# 2 Spontaneous Visit – ‘they’ (TV 4) also traveled to London

On Friday, 1 April, a reporter and cameraman from Cold Facts entered The Salvation Army's International Headquarters in London. The same thing occurred there.

Cold Facts had on a previous occasion demanded an interview with the General or anyone within the senior international management who had earlier, via e-mail declined a request for an interview.

A reporter had also had a lengthy telephone conversation with the Communications Director at International Headquarters, Laurie Robertson, who reiterated several times that, ‘there will be no interview’, but (instead) he referred him (them) to The Salvation Army in Sweden, who have responsibility for operations in Sweden, and (who) will determine how they would respond.

When the film crew came to the IHK in London they informed the receptionist that they had an appointment with Laurie Robertson, which was not true.

When Laurie was confronted with the film crew from Cold Facts, it wasn’t long before they began asking him about ‘homosexuality’. (TSA position)

The point is that Cold Facts have received answers to all the questions about the Salvation Army's position on this issue in writing via email.

In addition they (our positions) are also available on our website, where we have previously published five articles about their investigative reporting and posted all the material openly on the website.

They claimed, among other things, that The Salvation Army in certain countries has contributed to the jailing of homosexuals. This is something that neither Laurie Robertson or any of us here know anything about and we wonder from where they are collecting this information. They had difficulty understanding (accepting) that there would be no interview with anyone at International Headquarters.

# 3 visit - the Annual meeting of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance

Cold Facts closely monitored the annual meeting of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance, among other things with a intent to secure an interview with Marie Willermark, although she had already declined their offer.  In that Cold Facts had announced their intention to be present many members chose to stay home even though they were officially registered to attend the annual meeting. In that sense, one could claim that investigative journalism intervenes in the democratic process, since the annual meeting would have been affected by reduced participation and engagement (interaction).

It's not surprising that not all people want to participate in a television broadcast, regardless of the content, and consequently refrain from attending (the conference). The Cold Facts’ film crew huddled outside the premises for nearly four hours and asked various questions of the visitors.

With reference to this intrusion and Cold Facts’ method of working, Tuve Skånberg Director of Claphaminstitute wrote a column in the magazine The World Today on April 11.

Link: http://www.varldenidag.se/opinion/kommentar/2011/04/11/Vem-ska-granska-granskaren/

Subsequent to the Cold Facts spontaneous visit to the headquarters here in Stockholm, I wrote this email to Cold Facts;

2011-03-31 from The Salvation Army

I heard that you sought me, or someone in leadership yesterday and that we were not available.

As you already know, please feel free to ask your questions by e-mail and that's also the (only) venue by which I will answer your questions. I'm really busy with other matters most of my working hours, so please use email or voicemail. It is the only way to reach me.

Someone told me that you asked both the receptionist and a visitor who left our building, “what is your view on homosexuality? "

I had not perceived or understood from the questions you posed to me to date that this very issue is of such focus to you. Why have you not told me?

And what further questions on the subject that I have not already answered might you have?

It would also be interesting to know what your program is supposed to be about, that is, have we done something wrong, something reprehensible or criminal?

Usually, Cold Facts takes on just such cases. I think that now, after nearly three months of contacts with me, that you ought to present the (your) true focus/concern, so that we can address this. I have been honest with you, but I do not see quite the same attitude on your part.

Or, as journalists say, What have you got to hide? :)

Sincerely, (Bert Åberg)

(From TSA website Sweden, translation: Dr. Sven Ljungholm, Govan Citadel Corps)