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In 1987, the Fairness Doctrine was repealed.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.
The libs are just jealous because anytime they have a liberal talk radio show, it goes down the toilet after a few months. Never mind that all talk shows on television are full of bleeding hearts. Geez, they have television in their back pocket, now they want to turn radio into All Lib Propaganda, All the Time.
Dont worry my fellow conservatives those brave Republican Congressmen in Washington will stand up and protect Mike Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity. They wont cave into political correctness. Right????
There is no need to protect conservative talk show hosts. Their ratings do that for them.
The same goes for Howard Stern.
And I am amazed that these leftists can say that Savage exhibits hatred or bigotry towards women or "people of color." I can't recall any occasions when I have noticed this.
"[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.
This is the true story, IMHO. Illegals Voting.
2) Michael Savage is a worthless, mindless, reactionary dj who contributes little to nothing to the Conservative cause.. And I STILL don't want him censored.
He has a habbit of spouting off a two or three word sound byte and then hanging up on anyone who dissagrees with him. True, he is usually correct, but his failure to offer adequate explanations and reasoned logic to a dissenting caller does nothing to educate them and eventually win them over. Rush is very adept at this and Savage could take a lesson from him.
(It would also be nice if his show didn't ramble all over the place and wind up sounding like a fireside chat hosted by Otis of Mayberry)
3) The reason Conservatives (including Savage) could basically care less about Palestinian's being killed and go nuclear over the homocide bomings is because the Palestinians are the agressors. It's really that simple.
It's allot like why no one cares if Darth Vader get's his butt whooped in Star Wars, it's because he's the BAD GUY and Conservatives don't root for the bad guy's.
The battle is begun. Let's get ready to rumble!!!
No Way will that happen.. Not in our lifetimes.
But...leftists, Democrats, Muslims, and Nazis were made for each other...they're all cut out of the same piece of cloth.
The conservative thing is just a schtick to Savage. Actually its all about Mike.
The prima donna bit is annoying enough when Rush does it, but with Savage's abrasive style its really hard to take.
It sure seems that way..
I wish he would do more than give out soundbytes and hangup on people. Sure, I know he feels like it.. but that educates no one.
Rush will go to great length when he has an intelligent liberal (?) on the line to explain his point of view and why he thinks he's right. Even if the guy on the phone remains unconvinced, the debate may still sway one of the fence riding listeners.
I have been pretty critical of Rush in the past, but this is one of the things I think he does very well, explain his point of view in a very simple, very clear way.
And, I just said that's the way "I" would prefer it.
Obviously Michael does just fine ranting like a drunk and hanging up on people.
Not at all - wouldn't want him to. But Savage often seems more knee jerk in his positions than thoughtful.
For example, one day not too long ago Hillary Clinton made a rather pat statement in support of Isreal that had Michael spending that afternoon proclaiming that she would undoubtedly be our next president. He's too irratic.
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