Posted on 08/22/2005 1:23:05 PM PDT by Crackingham
The First Amendment and I have been evicted from ABC Radio in Washington, DC.
On July 25th, the Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded that I be “punished” for my on-air statements regarding Islam and its tragic connections to terrorism. Three days later, 630 WMAL and ABC Radio suspended me without pay for comments deemed “hate radio” by CAIR.
CAIR immediately announced that my punishment was insufficient and demanded I be fired. ABC Radio and 630 WMAL have now complied. I have been fired for making the specific comments CAIR deemed “offensive,” and for refusing to retract those statements in a management-mandated, on-air apology. ABC Radio further demanded that I agree to perform what they described as “additional outreach efforts” to those people or groups who felt offended.
I refused. And for that refusal, I have been fired.
It appears that ABC Radio has caved to an organization that condemns talk radio hosts like me, but has never condemned Hamas, Hezbollah, and one that wouldn’t specifically condemn Al Qaeda for three months after 9/11.
As a fan of talk radio, I find it absolutely outrageous that pressure from a special interest group like CAIR can result in the abandonment of free speech and open discourse on a talk radio show. As a conservative talk host whose job is to have an open, honest conversation each day with my listeners, I believe caving to this pressure is a disaster.
I for one cannnot apologize for the truth and I cannot agree to some community-service style “outreach effort” to appease the opponents of free speech.
If I had made a racist or bigoted comment -- which my regular listeners know goes against everything I believe in -- I would apologize immediately, and without coercion. When I have made inadvertent fact errors in the past, I apologized promptly and without hesitation.
But we have now gone far beyond that, with demands that I apologize for the ideas my listeners and I believe in. It is not a coincidence that, after my suspension on July 28th, WMAL received more than 15,000 phone calls and emails protesting my removal from the airwaves.
Why such a huge response? It wasn't about me; The listeners I spoke to said they felt betrayed by my suspension because the vast majority of them agree with me on the subject of Islam. By labeling my statements as unacceptable, these listeners felt that WMAL management was insulting them, too.
Chris Berry, WMAL GM, is now claiming that all Michael had to do was go on air and say that his original statement may have been "overly broad", and that they did not fire him. In turn, Michael says on his web site that he got a written termination notice.
So who signed the termination letter? And if it wasn't from the GM, why didn't he know about it?
Michael, I do disagree with you on one point that others have mentioned. You don't have a First Amendment right to not be fired. Sorry, bro.
I do hope you will stay in the DC area, and keep shedding the light of truth on Doug Duncan, the Fairfax County School Board, the Herndon Town Council, and the rest of the liberal insurgency we have around here.
I have taken WMAL off my dial and no longer listen to it. Who wants politically-correct, censored talk radio? If I wanted that I'd watch CNN.
Exactly.
I just sent WMAL an email about losing me completely...
I will get my fix elsewhere.
WBT here in Charlotte fired him 4 or 5 years ago. He's on occasionally as a guest and I love listening to him. Damn.
"I for one cannnot apologize for the truth and I cannot agree to some community-service style “outreach effort” to appease the opponents of free speech. "
Typical liberals: Free speech but only for those they
agree.
It would be instructive if you told us why they fired him.
Well, even if not a 1st Amendment issue, I'm still boycotting WMAL. Screw 'em. Graham's take on the issue was spot-on, and quite refeshing. If I wanted to listen to all this "Islam is a religion of peace" BS, I'd tune in the MSM, or a GWB speech.
Graham was just on with John Gibson. Very nice guy.
Sorry, it was just after the Columbine shootings. From the WP:
"His most recent termination was in 1999 when he was working as a radio talk-show host on WBT in Charlotte. Just hours after the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado, Graham told listeners that the killing of athletes at the school was "one minor benefit of this otherwise horrible story."
He later apologized, calling the comment "a stupid, insensitive and indefensible remark."
btt
Me too.
Well as with any terrorists group, this little success may lead to just that. ABC is a buch of fools. "When " the Islamofascist get control (which they already have) of the msm, these fools will be answering to some dirty old man with a turbin on his head.
The judge on Fox News just explained that the organization presented their opinion and the radio personality presented his. Management went with those offended. It's a decision based on listeners and dollars.
The only way Michael Graham can sue is if he finds out that the offended gained in some financial way (such as being part of another broadcast network). Otherwise, he's screwed...
This may not be a First Amendment issue, but the linked one below surely is.
Celebrating?
"This may not be a First Amendment issue, but the linked one below surely is."
Big time. Suspened over a letter to a member of Congress. Where is the ACLU??
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