Posted on 06/10/2002 2:20:41 PM PDT by M 91 u2 K
AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE of leftists, Democrats and Muslims has joined forces to muzzle talk radio. Its weapons are advertiser boycotts, smear campaigns, calls for repressive legislation… and Jew-baiting. Talk radio has always antagonized leftists. It allows grassroots Americans to speak out -- and grassroots America despises the Left.
For many years, the "Fairness Doctrine" silenced talk radio. It required stations to provide "equal time" for opposing views. If honestly observed, the rule would have required stations to fill every minute of available airtime with a parade of dissenters, from Save the Whale activists to Holocaust revisionists. Most stations found it easier to avoid political controversy altogether.
In 1987, the Fairness Doctrine was repealed. This opened the door for both leftists and rightists to speak their minds freely. In practice, though, no one wanted to hear leftwing commentary. There was simply no market for it.
Between 1990 and 2001, the number of all-talk radio stations in the U.S. grew from 200 to over 1,300, reaching tens of millions of Americans each day with commentary that was overwhelmingly conservative.
Unable to compete in the marketplace, the Left responded with political attacks. After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the Clintons blamed "hate radio" for the slaughter, and darkly implied that censorship might be needed.
Now a new coalition of Democrats, Muslims and leftwing activists has taken up the Clinton cause. They have targeted San Francisco talk show host Mike Savage, whose program airs on 350 stations nationally.
In April, a Portland, Oregon group calling itself the "Coalition Against Hate Radio" announced a boycott of Savage’s advertisers and called on KXL radio to drop his show.
"[Savage’s] content is an unbroken stream of hate and chauvinism directed against women, people of color, liberals, immigrants and in particular people of Middle Eastern heritage and people of the Muslim faith," said coalition spokesman Tom Nelson.
Among its 20-odd member organizations, the Coalition includes the Muslim Educational Trust, Islamic Societies of Southwest Washington and Portland, Jews for Global Justice and the Multnomah County Democratic Party.
It’s plain enough why Muslim and leftwing religious groups would oppose Savage. But why the Multnomah County Democratic Party?
An April 26 article in NewsMax.com offers one theory. In a NewsMax column of March 8, Savage exposed Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer of New York and Ron Wyden of Oregon as the principal opponents of a bill requiring photo IDs for voters. Such a bill would deprive Democrats of one of their favorite political tools – voter fraud.
A similar law worked brilliantly in Mexico, as Allan Wall – an American writer living in Mexico – described in FrontPageMagazine.com:
"In contrast to ours, the Mexican election [of 2000] went quite smoothly. Decades of rigged elections, which had become a highly-developed art form, had been overcome… The presidential election passed with no major incidents nor disputes, and resulted in a peaceful change of regime after 71 years of one-party rule."
Perhaps Senators Schumer and Wyden fear a similar upset, should America clean up its voting system. In any case, Savage’s March 8 column gave Oregon Democrats plenty of reason to fear him.
The campaign against "hate radio" does not rely on boycotts alone. It also pushes government repression, in the form of a new "Fairness Doctrine."
Talk-show host Neal Boortz reports that "at a recent meeting of the Democratic Party of Oregon a resolution was adopted to use the power of government and the `fairness doctrine’ to rein in … talk show hosts." The Wisdom Fund – an Islamic advocacy group – also favors restoring the Fairness Doctrine.
Some of Savage’s critics have resorted to crude Jew-baiting.
One site, posted by the so-called Coalition for Human Decency, makes a point of calling Savage "Michael Weiner" and taunts him for hiding his alleged Jewish background.
"On his show, he tries to portray himself as a Christian, who has incredibly strong feelings about Jewish issues," it sneers. But the alert Jew hunters at MichaelSavageSucks.com are not fooled.
"He almost comes unglued every time a Palestinian kills a Jew, but not vice versa…" the essay continues. "If you listen to his show, for even an hour, you will surely realize he is Jewish."
Personally, I have no idea whether Savage is Jewish. If he chooses to keep his background private, that’s his business, not mine.
Far more interesting to me is the rank hypocrisy of the Coalition Against Hate Radio, its fellow travelers and its spiritual role models, the Clintons – people who will stop at nothing, absolutely nothing, to silence any opposing voice.
Transportation - Amtrak
Mail and package delivery - US Mail
Media - PBS and NPR
Recently saw Hannity and Combs on a TV with a guest and topic dealing with the "n-word." Surprisingly, I agreed with every thing said on the show, and have over many years applied all the suggestions, as to its use, in my home. In raising my children the "n word" was never allowed to be used, except in a direct quote. My grand son is equally forbidden to use it with in my home.
I find the "n-word" to be a racist term, that casts Black Americans into an inferior role akin to that of a fragile child. Its use, is an insult to every Black American. This view was expressed by all three on the show. So why mention it here?
Because I strongly suspect that they were not talking about the "n-word." But were instead talking about another word, and using the "n-word" as a replacement. Though nothing in the text of the show confirms my suspicion, it still lingers and leaves me wondering.
Has Hannity totally caved in to "political correctness?"
You know very well that many Republicans voted for non-conservative bills such as the Farm Bill.
AND - I do not vote for a guy based on an (R) after his name. I will and have voted for many in the GOP, but not exclusively. Hell, I am helping on State Senator Zarrelli's (R) bid for US Congress WA 3rd District. I want a Good man with Spine and Conservative Values.
Then you need to run.
I'm serious. Have you ever considered it? Naturally, you can't start out running for the US Senate, but you can make a difference on your county board.
Politics is a funny business. If you have the courage of your convictions and are willing to devote your time and money to it, you can get yourself into a position to run for the US Congress within ten-fifteen years. If you have personal wealth that allows you to devote your full attention to politics, you could probably make the run in as few as five years.
Give it some thought.
If you know your County Chairman, call him and see if he'll send you a list of open Committeeman spots. Or ask how you can best help within the party, preferably as a Committeeman. In this state our chairmen have the option of appointing people to fill vacant committeeman spots (we had our primary back in March, so everyone who was going to run, did. We have several openings, but none I could fill, or I would).
Find out who else in your local organization has your values, and build a coalition. This can take time, but heck, at 24, you've got decades ahead of you.
Once you get into Congress, we'll have this conversation again. Then I'll listen when you complain about the "spineless GOP." :)
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