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Posted on 03/31/2005 8:09:51 PM PST by txradioguy
It started out when I saw this "Letter To The Editor" in the March 22nd Stars and Stripes:
AFN needs diverse opinions
Rush Limbaugh is not of interest to all. Equal time needs to go to more moderate interests, and, failing that, to progressive ones.
I hereby launch a campaign to hear Air America once, at prime time, for every time Rush is on the air. Please let your local American Forces Network radio station know that you need to hear more than a paid announcement from the party line.
Any other point of view is absolutely necessary. Rush’s sources and motivations are highly suspect, and it would be interesting to look on White House pay records for what amounts go to the “Excellence in Broadcasting Network.”
I would also be curious as to what influence leads this broadcast to be on AFN on prime time four to five days a week, with political balance only from my fellow Texan Jim Hightower, for five minutes, buried somewhere in the early morning.
If we don’t demand freedom of choice, we won’t get it.
Emily Dolan Gordon Grafenwöhr, Germany
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And I replied with this in the March 29th Stars & Stripes:
Air America not the answer
This is in response to the letter writer who demanded “equal time” for Air America since American Forces Network broadcasts Rush Limbaugh (“AFN needs diverse opinions,” March 21). It sounds eerily like a form letter being circulated at the Liberal Web site DemocraticUnderground.com, so the editors of Stars and Stripes should be warned that more letters like this may be on the way. Let me also remind the letter writer, Emily Dolan Gordon, that the Federal Communications Commission’s “fairness doctrine” went away more than 20 years ago, so AFN, if it chooses, does not have to give “equal time” to the hate speech on Air America just to make it “fair.”
Second, why would anyone want to subject the soldiers and their family members proudly serving in all branches of the armed services to the anti-military filth that the hosts of the shows on Air America spew anyway? Besides, the liberal point of view is already disseminated on AFN through National Public Radio.
I suggest that if anyone wants to listen to their kook-theory scare-the-people diatribes, he or she should simply go to Air America’s Web site and listen for free. And if anyone dislikes listening to the things that Limbaugh has to say that much, he or she should simply exercise the greatest freedom we have as Americans, the freedom of choice, and change the channel.
Spc. John S. Wollaston Camp Casey, South Korea
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These started showing up in my mail box yesterday. The original letter writer started first:
Why don't you believe in equal time? Then you could make your own decision instead of someone else telling you what to think? I regularly listen to those I don't agree with...otherwise I'd be living in a bubble. I learn so much that way. When I'm against something or for something.. I KNOW why. When you just listen to Rush...you are just repeating his thoughts..not your own.
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Subject: Hey FreepTard
Must be nice to be sitting in the rear with the gear rather than wearing a flak jacket and web gear with the poor slobs in the Iraqi theater, huh?
Regarding your bullshit letter in S&S (and calling it bullshit is being polite):
"Second, why would anyone want to subject the soldiers and their family members proudly serving in all branches of the armed services to the anti-military filth that the hosts of the shows on Air America spew anyway?"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3380046
You obviously have never listened to Randi Rhodes. She, like me, is a veteran. She served in the Air Force. She is a staunch defender of servicemembers and their families, no matter what your masters told you.
If you weren't a knuckle-dragging freeptard, you'd know that.
Hey, maybe before you open your yap and spew your own version of hate, maybe you should open your ears and actually listen to who is saying what, who is defending who. Bush is cutting veteran's benefits. Rush tell you that? Bush sent the Army to war without body armor. Rush tell you that?
No, you'd rather drink the Bush Kool Aid and believe the lies Limbaugh spews rather than open your d*mn eyes and realize you've been conned.
Oh, and Google is our friend at Democratic Underground.
Dumbass. ---------------------------------------------------------
Subject: What Planet Are You From?
Sir: I am not sure from where your delusions stem, but let's clear up a couple of things: Air America is not 'hate speech;' it's free speech, and small balance to the right-wing venom polluting the airwaves. NPR is highly-censored, 'right-wing lite' news. Rush Limbaugh really truly honestly IS a big fat idiot (and a liar to boot). Also, you may want to get your facts straight, if you want to consider yourself in any way a 'journalist.' There is NO 'form letter' on the Democratic Underground, demanding equal time for Air America on AFN, or on any other issue. Here at Democratic Underground, we pride ourselves on being sufficiently intelligent to write our own letters, in our own words, expressing our own thoughts. In other words, we are not merely 'dittoheads.' I am sorry to hear that you consider Air America's programming to be 'anti-military filth.' You must have a pretty loose standard for what you consider to be anti-military. You must surely despise the Bush administration's cutting of funding for VA hospitals; talk about anti-military filth! And from a deserter to boot. What a black mark in American history to have a Commander in Thief who ran from duty like George W. Bush did (not to mention Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld). Your writing sounds eerily like the hate-filled rants of Rush himself. Or are you simply another paid shill for the Bush administration, like 'journalist' James Guckert/Jeff Gannon? One last thought: if you really value the freedoms of our Constitution, you might want to take a look at the way Bush has violated his oath of office in his attempts to dismantle the First Amendment.
Sincerely Yours, Minnesota Grandmother for Truth ---------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Might Wanna Look John
Your names all over the bloghs John ... Damn!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3380046&mesg_id=3380046
FIGHT WAR, NOT WARS! KILL POWER, NOT PEOPLE!
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Subject: Fatboy Limbaugh
hey, I read your little rant about the Fat, Draft Dodging, Drug Addicted, Wife Trashing Limbaugh and would like to comment.
If a US serviceman wants to change the channel what does he change it to ?
Also, your pic should be changed. I noticed you are out of uniform. I believe being overweight is out of uniform, unless the weight is all concentrated in your necks.
I would also suggest you stop being so political. When I served honorably in the USMC, unlike your draft dodging, alcoholic Commander In Chief, I was told not to be political.
So, get a life. _________________________________________________________
So this is the respone from the "Freedom of Speech" crowd when you dare speak about their beloved little SCARE America. They have been assaulting my AFN e-mail account with this crap since yesterday. I gave NO indication that I worked for AFN, in fact I wrote the letter from my computer in my barracks room. It would also appear that I'm the target of my own thread in DUmmie land. Any advice or ideas for how I should handle this would be greatly appreciated. I need the power of the FReepers to help me on this. Thanks guys.
LOL. How appropriate!
Kind of ironic, huh?
That's why I said this to tx:
They are always guilty of that which they accuse others.
Seems kind funny to ask this question now...but do you think they were waiting to pounce on the first soldier who said anything negative about running SCARE America or did they get pissy because I cited the facts and said what I did about the hatespeech?
They seemed to zero in almost automatically that I was a FReeper. From looking at their thread about me it seems that their MO is to automatically Google the name of the person that dares to speak ill of them to see if the search comes up with a link back to FR. That's how they came up with so much on me. The Google search automatically comes back with the stories I posted in the Canteen from Iraq and traced it to my current residence.
Creepy.
"We got your back covered Brother.
Nope Korea is STILL hardship.
IMHO there never is a "bad time" to raise your hand when your country needs you. :)
You're right about SCARE America their ratings are swirling in the bowl about to go into the sewer.
I don't know. They are just so hateful.They talk about Free Speech, but I bet they had no problem
with Kerry trying to stop distribution of Unfit for Command.
They just hate anything good about this country.
Especially the military, I think.
If you click on the pic, it'll take you to the article.
Let's not forget they tried to stifle the Swiftboat Vets too.
But I do not think they really believe in tolerance there, no matter what they say.
Yep.
Thanks to BulletBobCo and Conspiracy Guy for the concept and caption. :)
As a old semi-old soldier who saw this type of cr@p in the 60s and 70s (though we didn't have email), my advice is to ignore them, they seem to hate that more than anything.
If you engage them, they think their position has validity, and only encourages them.
You've stated your case...the folks who read S&S will formulate their own opinions based on that input.
The editors obviously feel your letter had merit; be glad you had a chance to reach many people who probably will be on your side in this.
Blow it off...go to TDC, have a couple, and laugh about it, but on the practical side, never sit with your back to the door, or leave an unfinished drink on the table when you go to the can.
tx, you have been in Iraq, you know first hand what went on and is going on. Currently you are serving our nation in another country.
You are strong and have tons of support.
ATTACK those bastards that ATTACK you!!
Well if this doesn't ruffle their feathers I don't know what will. I know people said don't, and I apoligize for not listening. But then I never could stop picking a scab when mom told me to quit either.
To: skinner@democraticunderground.com
Subject: It's Your Favorite AFN DJ
Hi Skinner,
Bet you didn't think I'd have the guts to talk to Lucifer himself huh? Hope you guys are done patting yourselves on the back for the attempt (and a weak one) to flame me for espousing the one thing you supposedly champion in Liberal-ville, the Freedom of Speech.
All your little Demo-dork buddies accomplished with their temper tantrum that I dare question the shrinking violet known as SCARE America is that Liberals, Democrats and whatever the hell most of you folks are do NOT want the ability for everyone to speak their opinion. You guys want only want people to have the freedom to speak YOUR opinion. And your buddies that e-mailed me proved they have no tolderance for diverging opinions with their treatment of me today.
What a sad bitter bunch of Ritalin eating mouth breathers you are over there. I feel pity for you.
Oh and it's Saturday over here so if any of the 85 little geniuses who contributed to the thread you guys started about me yesterday tries to e-mail me I won't get it. I won't be there. But it won't matter. I contacted 8th Army IMO and they've blocked your site from our web servers now. BTW thanks for making me so famous on DU. I normally try to troll there without being noticed. At least you don't know what name I use when I Freep...err troll your website.
Oh and I've sent copies of the trash and filth plus the original letters that started y'alls tantrum to Stars and Stripes, Rush Limbaugh and James Taranto.
And I'd warn the trolls you send over to spy on us to be careful in the next few days. After seeing what transpired between me and the entire DUmmie Universe they're not in a mood to tolerate your kind. (Democrats you Dork! What did you think I meant? Sheesh!)
Finally I'd like to state that what I said in my letter to S&S, and to you in here are my opinions and words and are NOT intended to represent any views of the U.S. Army, the DoD or the Federal Gov't.
I had to add that so the tinhat brigade at DU didn't try to hem me up as stating Army policy. It's CYA ya know.
Anyway you're probably as bored with this as I am so I'll close by saying thanks for your support of myself and my fellow soldiers. And I'll leave YOU sir, with a link to a web blog I think you'll find interesting.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1375308/posts
VR,
John S. Wollaston
PS To answer the question to the start of one of the threads today, YES DU really does now stand for Defensive Underground!
Way to go!!
YOuthink I was polite enough? I don't want to make Mr. Skinner angry or anything.
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