Posted on 08/23/2005 6:39:18 AM PDT by OXENinFLA
Hope that Michael Graham gets a national show and soon.
The First Amendment and I have been evicted...
Nonsense. The government is not involved, and private employers are not required to air every view. They have the right to broadcast whatever opinions they wish, and if a host doesn't air those opinions they have the right to pull him off the air (pursuant to whatever contract he has).
This is not a First Amendment issue. As sympathetic as I am to him, his silly hyperbole doesn't help.
As a private business, ABC had the right to fire the man. But it was craven and foolish and (let us hope) it may not come out quite the way they planned.
Maybe Fox will hire him!
Sorry, CAIR, gotta be honest. Does this mean if I say something critical of Islam, I lose my job, too? Curious how Muslims can say all kinds of bizarre crap about Christianity and Judaism, and nothing happens to them.
Pure speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up on D.C.'s 1160 AM (currently carries the Tony Snow show).
"If he said President Bush is Terrorist or the Republican Party is a Terrorist Organization, would he have been fired?"
Most of the people who say those things don't have jobs.
I'm sure CAIR would not object if a Muslim radio personaity called the Jews monkeys and Christians infidels and crusaders.
This is broadcast radio - not XM or Satellite and thus controlled by the FCC - so in a way there actually is government involvement.
This has become a he said/they said type situation because WMAL is disputing Graham's position on the entire issue.......much like in a divorce - there are 3 sides to every issue: his, hers, and the truth.....the latter of which we will most likely never know.
It will be interesting to see him on Bill O'Reilly tonight.......I haven't been watching much TV of late - but I do plan on catching that this evening.
Anyone for trying an illegal termination lawsuit ?
The station does run a disclaimer that "opinions voiced are not necessarily the opinions of the station".
MG's ratings were not impacted. Further, MG was performing his job as discussing his opinions and this listeners opinions.
A lawsuit might be a good idea and even if it loses, it at least serves notice that firing someone for viewpoints that are unrelated to job performance (ratings) might not wash.
Graham should simply compile a list of Islamic sources (including the Koran and Hadith, as well as contemporary sources from prominent imams and mullahs) that explicitly condone violence against "infidels." It wouldn't be hard to do. Then he should send that list to CAIR and to ABC and demand that CAIR publicly repudiate those sources. If they refuse, Graham is vindicated.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference. It has nothing to do with an employee on a radio station saying things the owners of the station don't like.
This fellow might be smart in his commentary about CAIR but he shows he's a dunce when it comes to the first amendment. And, by the way, it seems to me that Michael Graham now has a WIDER audience and is more well known today he ever has been before. In his "business" that's a good thing. And, he has been "speaking freely" about his firing and his commentary on CAIR all over the place. he has hardly been silenced and appears to have actually found a bigger voice. A voice that has no "right" to be heard, just the right to speak.
CAIR is one of 100's of thousands of tax exempt entities that in my view should not be tax exempt at all. CAIR is a 501 (c)(4) and donations to them are not tax deductible but I wonder why we allow a tax exempt status to such a group. We need to rethink the laws governing so-called nonprofits in America and kill off a lot of these groups that are in business to push their own political agendas, enrich their handlers or just outright launder money. A charity should be a charity, not PETA or CAIR or even Juducial Watch for that matter. Makes these people operate these businesses and tax them unless they are actually doing charitable work.
I waonder how many people in the MSM will rally behind Graham? Apart from Fox, probably very few.
And by the way, CAIR, how many Islamics knew about 9/11 in advance, and said nothing to prevent it? And how many Islamics suddenly got the urge to leave the United States in a big hurry on September 12th? And how many of your brother Islamics in the U.S. are still actively supporting Al Qaeda?
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