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.
Next they'll be demanding public beheadings on the Mall........
CAIR is a terrorist front organization!
(Does the 'C' stand for camel?)
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
They wanted him fired because he outed them as a terrorist front group? It is what they are, after all.
Well, since he doesn't understand the 1st amendment I didn't read past the first sentence.
When will Micheal Graham start on America Right radio?
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.
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.
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.
I'm glad someone mentioned that small point.
In the liberal MSM free speech isn't for conservatives.
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.
I think he outed ISLAM not only CAIR as a terrorist front group.
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.
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.
"Well, since he doesn't understand the 1st amendment I didn't read past the first sentence."
Ditto.
Chris Berry, WMAL GM, is now claiming that all Michael had to do was go on air and say that his original statement may have been "overly broad", and that they did not fire him. In turn, Michael says on his web site that he got a written termination notice.
So who signed the termination letter? And if it wasn't from the GM, why didn't he know about it?
Michael, I do disagree with you on one point that others have mentioned. You don't have a First Amendment right to not be fired. Sorry, bro.
I do hope you will stay in the DC area, and keep shedding the light of truth on Doug Duncan, the Fairfax County School Board, the Herndon Town Council, and the rest of the liberal insurgency we have around here.
I have taken WMAL off my dial and no longer listen to it. Who wants politically-correct, censored talk radio? If I wanted that I'd watch CNN.
Exactly.
I just sent WMAL an email about losing me completely...
I will get my fix elsewhere.
WBT here in Charlotte fired him 4 or 5 years ago. He's on occasionally as a guest and I love listening to him. Damn.
"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. "
Typical liberals: Free speech but only for those they
agree.
It would be instructive if you told us why they fired him.
Well, even if not a 1st Amendment issue, I'm still boycotting WMAL. Screw 'em. Graham's take on the issue was spot-on, and quite refeshing. If I wanted to listen to all this "Islam is a religion of peace" BS, I'd tune in the MSM, or a GWB speech.
Graham was just on with John Gibson. Very nice guy.
Sorry, it was just after the Columbine shootings. From the WP:
"His most recent termination was in 1999 when he was working as a radio talk-show host on WBT in Charlotte. Just hours after the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado, Graham told listeners that the killing of athletes at the school was "one minor benefit of this otherwise horrible story."
He later apologized, calling the comment "a stupid, insensitive and indefensible remark."
btt
Me too.
Well as with any terrorists group, this little success may lead to just that. ABC is a buch of fools. "When " the Islamofascist get control (which they already have) of the msm, these fools will be answering to some dirty old man with a turbin on his head.
The judge on Fox News just explained that the organization presented their opinion and the radio personality presented his. Management went with those offended. It's a decision based on listeners and dollars.
The only way Michael Graham can sue is if he finds out that the offended gained in some financial way (such as being part of another broadcast network). Otherwise, he's screwed...
This may not be a First Amendment issue, but the linked one below surely is.
Celebrating?
"This may not be a First Amendment issue, but the linked one below surely is."
Big time. Suspened over a letter to a member of Congress. Where is the ACLU??
I do know that Islam and terrorism will be forever linked.
As such, they act as 'agents' of the government, working to allow what's acceptable rather than unacceptable on the air. With that, in this case the radio station is promoting the religion of political correctness at the behest of government, and in fact, violate the first amendment and free speech by doing so.
See also, and read the book---
http://www.sperryfiles.com
You can catch Vannity on Sirius as well.
ABC Radio owns ten stations, listed here, with contact info:
http://www.abcradio.com/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=116
FWIW.
Some alternatives for the DC/MD/NOVA areas.
WBAL, Baltimore, 1090 kHz. This 50 kW powerhouse covers the area very well day and night. Rush is on from 12-3 and Ron Smith (an interesting guy with libertarian leanings) from 3-6 PM.
www.wbal.com
WTNT, DC, 570 kHz. Covers DC and NOVA pretty well. Their line-up includes Glenn Beck and Laura Ingraham.
www.wtntam570.com
WCBM, Baltimore, 680 kHz. Covers the entire area pretty well in the day and only the Baltimore area at night. Line up includes Liddy, Hannity and Savage along with local legend Les Kinsolving.
www.wcbm.com
Of course with many stations providing streaming audio on the web, over-the-air coverage is not as much a big deal as it used to be.
Michael Graham was previously at WRVA out of Richmond before moving to WMAL. I don't think he was fired from that job, just moved to a bigger market.
wow.
ping
INTREP - the First Amendment is dead.
read later bump
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