Posted on 07/29/2005 4:49:49 AM PDT by ExitPurgamentum
Jewish World Review July 29, 2005
/ 22 Tamuz, 5765
JWR COLUMNIST OFF THE AIR AFTER ABC/DISNEY IS INTIMIDATED BY CAIR
By Binyamin L. Jolkovsky
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Yesterday Michael Graham wrote in his column: "I take no pleasure in saying it. It pains me to think it. I could very well lose my job in talk radio over admitting it. But it is the plain truth: Islam is a terror organization."
And then his fears came true.
Hours after his column appeared here, Graham, a mid-morning talker at WMAL in Washington, D.C., was suspended without pay pending an investigation.
Graham's column and previous on-air comments were not the first time he's had a run-in with CAIR.
In an April, 2004 column, he details other attempts by the Muslim group to silence him.
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
A lot of terrorists are Islamic.. But a lot of Muslims are being killed by Islamic terrorists. Is all of Islam a "terrorist" organization? That doesn't square with the facts -- or with our alliances with Islamic countries such as Turkey and Pakistan. Islam is a mixed bag. But I don't blame non-terrorist Muslims from resenting a broad-brush condemnation of their religion. If Graham had said Catholicism is terrorist, because of the IRA or because of the pope's allegedly tepid condemnation of Palestinian terrorism, he'd also get protests. ABC is a private company that isn't under any obligation to run demagogic statements that go over the line in attacking any religion. Father Coughlin used to attack Judaism on the radio. ABC wouldn't allow that, either, I'll bet -- and they'd be right. Attacking Islamic terrorists is one thing; attacking the religion itself is another.
IT might, but those aren't proselytizing religions. Converting people is part and parcel of Christianity. It was the "Great Commission" given by Christ himself - go and convert the world. Historically, where Islam has been checked, it has been by Christianity, in large part because Christianity is a dynamic faith that believes in spreading its spiritual boundaries.
I am leaving this discussion now, you wrote a very lengthy argument for your perspective and then you finished by stating that I wanted to IMPOSE a religion on anyone.
"Convert" does not equal "impose." I do not understand how someone as agile with words as you are could believe such a thing.
Perhaps if I said I wish there were no madrassas, or I wish there were no people who revered beheaders, then maybe you and I would not seem to be so far apart.
I don't care if they adopt Christianity, but a little bit of civilization wouldn't hurt.
There you go: that is the right measure of "conversion."
We are indeed not to far apart.
Welcome to FR
I disagree with everything you just said but believe in your right to be here.
Thank you. :-)
If he is taken off the air, how does that infringe on his right to free speech?
I've said he shouldn't be taken off the air.
I know, I understood what you said. You said that you demand that he continues to have the right to say what he wants to say. If he is taken off the air over his remarks, is it infringement on his right to free speech?
My email to Ernei Fears at WMAL:
Your sales pitch to advertisers promotes a " High Percentage of Loyal Listeners: Loyal listenership equals results for advertisers."
Many loyal listeners are staying away from your station until Michael Graham is reinstated. This is bound to hurt your sales. Loyal listeners are letting the advertisers know what they think about Graham's suspension. Do you really want to lose loyal advertisers?
Graham said nothing wrong and his suspension is costing WMAL audience. He should be reinstated immediately. Please let the management know this. Thank you.
My email to Chris Berry:
Michael Graham said nothing wrong and his suspension is costing WMAL audience. He should be reinstated immediately.
It is with great sorrow that I see your station cave in to the pro-terrorist organization CAIR. While I do not agree that all Muslims are the enemy, the statement that Muslim leaders (most of them anyway) are complicit in terrorism is accurate. Perhaps they support it, perhaps they are scared, but they do nothing to condemn it or to stop it. (There was one brave Imam in Spain who put out a fatwa on Osama bin Laden, but he is the rare exception.)
To suspend Grahm for doing just what you hired him to do -- express controversial opinions -- undermines the very foundation of talk radio. Perhaps you should go back to playing standards. There's much less controversy.
Graham should be reinstated immediately, and I am not listening to WMAL or supporting your advertisers until that happens. (I can get Rush and Sean elsewhere if I so choose.)
He worked for the Soviets?
BTTT
Not all of it, but most of the Muslims seem intimidated by the terrorists, so they do nothing about them.
From an advertiser:
Thank you for contacting us at Moore Hummer. We have received your message and will be in contact with you shortly. If anything else should come up, please do not hesitate to contact us again at 800.552.0915 or by email at info@MooreCadillac.com.
Thank you,
Moore Hummer
800.552.0915
I sent this email to Randall Bloomquist at WMAL, with copies to the advertisers and Bcc to Michael Graham and to CAIR:
Michael Graham said nothing wrong and his suspension is costing WMAL audience. He should be reinstated immediately.
It is with great sorrow that I see your station cave in to the pro-terrorist organization CAIR. While I do not agree that all Muslims are the enemy, the statement that Muslim leaders (most of them anyway) are complicit in terrorism is accurate. Perhaps they support it, perhaps they are scared, but they do nothing to condemn it or to stop it. (There was one brave Imam in Spain who put out a fatwa on Osama bin Laden, but he is the rare exception.)
To suspend Graham for doing just what you hired him to do -- express controversial opinions -- undermines the very foundation of talk radio. Perhaps you should go back to playing standards. There's much less controversy.
Graham should be reinstated immediately, and I am not listening to WMAL or supporting your advertisers until that happens. (I can get Rush and Sean elsewhere if I so choose.)
Now I think I'll start calling them.
Email response from Womble Carlyle:
Thank you for contacting Womble Carlyle to express your concerns about an aspect of a recent program on WMAL. Womble Carlyle fully respects all people regardless of their political, social or religious views. Further, our sponsorship on WMAL is specifically limited to the Wall Street Journal Morning Report, and we have no relationship with any other programs on that station or the people who appear on them.
The comments that you referenced in your communication to us -- and were reportedly made by a WMAL commentator -- do not represent the views of our non-partisan law firm. We respect your views about these remarks while, at the same time, we also respect the right of any individual to speak out lawfully and freely in a public forum to express his or her views.
Sincerely,
Aden Dauchess
Womble Carlyle
ADauchess@wcsr.com
Ironically, their "acronym" (WCSR) is the same as the call letters of the radio station in the town where I went to college.
From another advertiser (what a wimp):
Please do not send your emails about Michael Graham to this company. We do advertise on WMAL but we ar no complicit in the stations opinionated shows.
Thank you
Len Carter
Senior Federal Sales Executive
"Were open at 6:00am M-F!"
International Global Systems Inc.
PH 1-866-833-4474 (IGSI)
FX 1-866-835-4474(IGSI)
email - glc@goigsi.com
From an Advertiser...
"Please call to discuss @ ... number ..."
OH LAWD!!!
Womble Carlyle? It that a disease?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.