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Well, they got me...
Townhall ^ | 8/22/05 | Michael Graham

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.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: abcradio; cair; islamofascism; michaelgraham; muslimamericans; talkradio; wmal
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1 posted on 08/22/2005 1:23:07 PM PDT by Crackingham
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To: Crackingham

Next they'll be demanding public beheadings on the Mall........


2 posted on 08/22/2005 1:25:41 PM PDT by Red Badger (Want to be surprised? GOOOOGLE your own name. Want to have fun? GOOOOGLE your neighbor's......)
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To: Crackingham

CAIR is a terrorist front organization!
(Does the 'C' stand for camel?)


3 posted on 08/22/2005 1:26:32 PM PDT by Redbob
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To: Crackingham
Hey, CAIR, bring it on. In your face. What are you going to do about this? I think this needs to be sent to your office. Do you know what we do to child molestors in my neighborhood?

MIDI - BOBBY'S GIRL

I know that he wants me bad…I know that he wants me bad

I'm only 8 years old…he's still got it, I'm told
In just one year I'm gonna be his

Although I still am flat...he'll call me pussy cat
That I'm too young is nobody's biz

I will be Mohammed's girl…I will be Mohammed's girl
That is what I really want to be
When I am Mohammed's girl…I am Mohammed's girl
I know he will take good care of me

All of his wives are hags…they've turned into old bags
I am so fresh and very nubile

On me he's had his eye…he is my kind of guy
I'll be the next one he will defile

I will be Mohammed's girl…I will be Mohammed's girl
That is what I really want to be
When I am Mohammed's girl…I am Mohammed's girl
I know he will take good care of me

4 posted on 08/22/2005 1:30:09 PM PDT by doug from upland (The Hillary documentary is coming -- INDICTING HILLARY)
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To: Redbob

They wanted him fired because he outed them as a terrorist front group? It is what they are, after all.


5 posted on 08/22/2005 1:30:34 PM PDT by bpjam (Now accepting liberal apologies.....)
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To: Crackingham
The First Amendment and I have been evicted from ABC Radio in Washington, DC.

Well, since he doesn't understand the 1st amendment I didn't read past the first sentence.

6 posted on 08/22/2005 1:30:34 PM PDT by Phantom Lord (Fall on to your knees for the Phantom Lord)
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To: Crackingham

When will Micheal Graham start on America Right radio?


7 posted on 08/22/2005 1:32:25 PM PDT by manwiththehands
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To: Crackingham

Alternate stations in Virginia
1230 AM Limbaugh Hannity and others Frederickburg VA
1400 AM Similar lineup Winchester VA
I don't know how much of NVA their signals will reach.


8 posted on 08/22/2005 1:33:18 PM PDT by conservativewasp (Liberals lie for sport and hate their country.)
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To: Phantom Lord
since he doesn't understand the 1st amendment I didn't read past the first sentence.

Exactly! How many times have conservative had to say that just because someone won't hire you to say something on their media channel, you're first amendment rights haven't been abridged. Hom many times have people claimed their right to free speech was violated by having their postings deleted on FR?

Conservatives can't be hypocrites. It is bad that CAIR got this guy off the air - but no one's rights are being violated and that argument is disingenuous.

9 posted on 08/22/2005 1:33:45 PM PDT by PianoMan (and now back to practicing)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: Phantom Lord

You're right. ABC had a choice whether to fire him for telling the truth, or not. ABC chose to continue to be part of the spineless Liberal MSM establishment.


12 posted on 08/22/2005 1:36:02 PM PDT by Hoosier-Daddy (It's a fight to the death with Democrats.)
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Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: Phantom Lord

I'm glad someone mentioned that small point.


14 posted on 08/22/2005 1:36:27 PM PDT by dmz
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To: Crackingham
The First Amendment and I have been evicted from ABC Radio in Washington, DC.

In the liberal MSM free speech isn't for conservatives.

15 posted on 08/22/2005 1:40:46 PM PDT by RJL
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To: Crackingham
The First Amendment and I have been evicted from ABC Radio in Washington, DC.

This isn't really a 1st Amendment issue as the government did not fire Mr. Graham. He made essentially the same point in the piece that got him fired ... so I'm surprised at his double standard.

16 posted on 08/22/2005 1:49:14 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: bpjam

I think he outed ISLAM not only CAIR as a terrorist front group.


17 posted on 08/22/2005 1:51:03 PM PDT by johnb838 (Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.)
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To: doug from upland

We need to start contacting our congresscritters and demand a full investigation of CAIR and it's terrorist connections. If enough hell is raised, maybe we can get some action.


18 posted on 08/22/2005 1:51:48 PM PDT by newcthem (Legal voters? We don't need no stinkin legal voters.....This is the Peoples Republic of Wisconsin.)
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To: Crackingham
The First Amendment and I have been evicted from ABC Radio in Washington, DC

No it hasn't. Has the government prosecuted him for his speech? I think not. I applaud him having the guts to say what he did, but free speech comes with the responsibility to take the consequences of it.

19 posted on 08/22/2005 1:57:14 PM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Phantom Lord

"Well, since he doesn't understand the 1st amendment I didn't read past the first sentence."

Ditto.


20 posted on 08/22/2005 1:58:20 PM PDT by L98Fiero
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