"What happens when Americas airwaves fill with hate? Bill Moyers Journal takes a tough look at the hostile industry of Shock Jock media with a hard-hitting examination of its effects on our nations political discourse. The Journal traveled to Knoxville, where a recent shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church has left the pastor asking what role hateful speech from popular right-wing media personalities may have played in the tragedy. A lot of people are hurling insults from the safety of television studios, the safety of radio studio, the safety of cyberspace says Rev. Chris Buice, So that's a void in our community - the chance to be in the same room and to have these exchanges and remember the humanity of the person on the other side. Aired Friday, September 12, at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). For more: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09122008/profile.html"
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Hate Radio - Right-Wing Newstalk contributing to hatred
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22 comments:
Ahh yes and here in Saskatchewan we have our own little "entertainer" who even now has copied the voice tones of his admitted hero, prescription pill addict Rush Limbaugh. Its John Gormley, former 1 term conservative who's been bitter ever since he didn't get his second term in for a pension. He's certainly good for a laugh or 5, scary when you hear the same 3 people calling in to his show - you mean there's 3 people out there who actually take him seriously??
Well I can't argue with the fact that you did offer Rob Norris the chance to be in the same room as you and your union lovers but aside from that I don't think you have much to beat your chest about. I don't know if you saw the news footage of you and yours but you guys looked like childish jack asses and I mean childish I don't think adult jack asses would have acted like this. Maybe for your next meeting you could hand out pitch forks and rotten vegetables at the door. As an outsider looking in that is exactly what this looked like. If there is a next time you may want to take some union dollars and invest in some classes on guest etiquite and try to "remember the humanity of the person on the other side" of the room.
Oh my God! Gormley fits right in this group, only he isn't quite as good looking as the rest of these guys. I tried to post on his blog about the SFL events but the comments have to be "reviewed for moderation!!!". In other words, if he doesn't agree with you, he won't post your comments. There was one comment on his blog that said that the people that attended the SFL convention and took part in the uprising against Norris - the names should be made public and released to their employers as they are an embarrassment to their employers. I TRIED to reply that not only is this illegal as it is a violation of the freedom of information and privacy act, but the Canadian Constitution allows all citizens the right to freedom to opinion, expression, and association.
Were my comments posted? Of course not. That would allow a balanced approach.
Anyone who would suggest that labour delegates are "childish" doesn't know anything about what is going on in the labour movement. Either get educated or shut the "F" up.
myworld said...
Dear Sask logic:
How did you come up with the SFL convention in regards to this blog topic?
It is about how the right-wing media perpetrates blatant hatred toward persons and groups who don't share their ideas, and how it can affect the actual psychosis of some people, using the insane killing of innocent victims while they were attending church.
So I guess thank you, for proving that story correct.
On another topic, I wasn't at the SFL convention, nor do I have an affiliation with any political party.
Why is it acceptable for politicians from every political party to make lewd and deafening noises and gestures while speakers are presenting while governing us, trying to drown them out, yet unacceptable when practised by others?
tommie the commie says... Anyone who would suggest that labour delegates are "childish" doesn't know anything about what is going on in the labour movement. Either get educated or shut the "F" up.
WELL, I AM PART OF THE SO-CALLED LABOUR MOVEMENT AND AM QUITE EMBARRASSED WITH THE EVENTS OF THE PAST 2 YEARS OR SO. Hubick, you are not welcome. LEAVE!
It is embarrassing that there are so many who still don't get it.
I thought this blog topic is on how the right-wing media instigates and then feeds the masses volumes of hatred against others who don't agree with them.
Entertainers have replaced journalism.
It was reported in a Leader Post commentary that Mr. Norris initially waved them to continue on, as they began their chant.
This was great press; this was great entertainment. And I would assume there would be the most press coverage for his event. Fits right in to a strategy.
Such a great strategy, it almost sounds like it could have its origins in right-wing delegate "plants", as exist in any political forum.
As people, they showed no more respect for the speaker as politicians in our own governments show every time they meet in groups. Our children watch this on television. Does this not concern anyone? Embarrassing come to mind?
So, the correlation between hatred being fed via a right-wing media, (no one can argue that point) and John Gormley being one of the spewers, the context of a couple of blogger's hatred fits right in to the current topic. Sounds like one of them might be trying to impress their new employer.
Seems that a couple of the bloggers on here seem to miss the point. Denial, as always, that there is a problem with the right wing media. Spewing hatred, just like John Gormley, et al, who give countless hours of free advertising to the Sask Party and the Conservatives, who bash the poor, gays, and other marginalized people.
You know that there is no better cure for a right wing government than actually having one. How can anyone forget Grant Devine and co??
It won't be until they have totally mismanaged the finances, while, of course, lining their own pockets (I wonder if they will be smart enough to hide it this time), drive us to the edge of bankruptcy AGAIN, that people MIGHT wake up and say, Oh crap...maybe I shouldn't have voted for them after all. People do get what they ask for. They won't care as long as they get their two terms.
As far as the SFL convention. When you declare war on labour, as the Sask Party did, and then you enter "enemy" territory, what kind of reception would you expect - a red carpet? The guy got everything they dished out, only worse. And by the way, Larry's name is Hubich and he is VERY welcome in my province. If you don't like it here, why don't YOU leave?
HubickLeave said WELL, I AM PART OF THE SO-CALLED LABOUR MOVEMENT AND AM QUITE EMBARRASSED WITH THE EVENTS OF THE PAST 2 YEARS OR SO. Hubick, you are not welcome. LEAVE!
For your information, there is a difference between belonging to a union and being part of the labour movement. It's like the difference between eating and having a bowel movement. Perhaps if you are not happy working in a unionized workplace, you should work somewhere else, or better yet, you should work in conditions that existed before organized labour fought for, then go spewing your hatred for our labour leader.
You rock Larry. Keep on fighting for us!!
Thank you to all for participating in this Blog.
Larry,
Just how many Saskatchewan Union Leaders have criminal records for violent behavior? Many for violent attacks against women.
I used to listen to Randi Rhodes on Air America, an extreme left wing radio station, and Randi regularly advocated violence against anyone that did not hold here views. She even had a radio bit in which Bush gets shot.
Trent,
I for one, do not condone any kind of criminal behaviour. Violent behaviour, including violence against women is particularly repugnant.
As to your question, there are probably no more union leaders in Saskatchewan then there are business leaders in Saskatchewan who have criminal records for such behaviour.
The reality, there is even (at least) one currently sitting MLA in Saskatchewan who has a criminal background. His autobiography is noted on his web-page by the following descriptive bullet: "…cold and hardened...classified as one of Canada's most dangerous convicts…over 21 years in prisons…."
So, your point is....?
And that same MLA is part of a government that wants to target the VERY SAME people that came from a similar background as he did. Talk about ironic.
99% of them are born with a silver spoon in their mouths, yet they spew this BS that we are all equal, and if we just all try harder, we can all be successful under a capitalist system. Maybe this MLA was lucky enough to enter politics and become and MLA, and now is a big keynote speaker, but just how many other thousands of other people in our province suffer from addictions and mental health issues every day in this problem? Does this government give a shit? In a word - NO.
As for the violence, Gormley advocates violence just by being on the radio. He is the most hateful person I have ever listened to.
Interestingly enough, that mla is part of a church that has been known to act out in "cultish" ways. The same church sends out clear instructions to their members as how to vote in elections. I know a few people who have been ostracized from that same church for holding their own views when they differed from that church. Freedom of religion, yes, but only when you agree with their leaders.
SOUND FAMILIAR???
Larry,
My point is the one you make by bringing up Serge's criminal recorded; People from ALL political backgrounds have criminal records.
Trent,
So what has that got to do with the topic of this thread - which is related to documentary reports that right-wing Newstalk radio is spewing hatred?
FROM: SHAKESVILLE
Home Contributors inside shakesville Recognition Feminism 101
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Dangerous, Hateful, Amoral Scumbags: Right Wing Bloggers and Radio Hosts
| posted by Guest Blogger | Wednesday, October 10, 2007
by Stephen
So a couple of weeks ago 12 year old Graeme Frost delivered the weekly Democratic radio address, talking about Bush's reprehensible veto of the SCHIP bill - a bill with the overwhelming support of states' Governors and Congressional members of both parties.
The Right Wing Hate Machine, sensing a vulnerability, has kicked into gear, harassing people at the Frost's home and business, digging up their tax returns, investigating where their kids go to school, etc. They've come to the predictable conclusion that the Frosts are scam artists, that their children are pampered little rich kids living large off the government.
The Frosts, of course, have never made more than $50,000/year. They bought their house in Baltimore for $55,000. I don't know much about Baltimore, but in Kansas City a $55,000 house means either no indoor plumbing or that it's in between two crack houses - or both. The family was in a horrible car accident a few years ago, which left their daughter with severe brain damage and their son, Graeme, has had to fight for a couple of years now to get back to health. They do attend private school, but as recipients of scholarships. The family pays about $500/yr for each kid.
George Bush has used "snowflake babies" - extraneous fertilized eggs from fertility treatments that were adopted ahead of already-living kids that need a home, but hey, these kids are all white - to make his stem cell policies unassailable, during the Social Security debacle a while back there was a 9 year old who traveled the country speaking at events to try and convince people to destroy the program, etc. Not one blogger - NOT ONE! - "visited" that kid's family at home, or looked into their finances. Not one blogger has searched out these "snowflake babies" to see what lives they're living.
In fact, I've been surprised at the restraint the media has had regarding George Bush's kids. Chelsea Clinton was never spared any insult the Right Wing Hate Machine could spew out. If the Bush twins could have just behaved themselves a bit a few years ago, we would have never heard anything about them.
Why? Because there is simply no organization, no group, no ethos on the American Left which considers its political philosophy so important and inherently moral that this nation's laws and normal ethics don't apply. There is no such thing as a Left-wing radio host with a program based upon insults and hatred. There are no Left-wing TV show hosts who get on every night and lie lie lie like Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Scarborough, Matthews, Russert and all the other hacks and flacks on TV.
I'm not trying to say that all liberals are super-good and moral people, nor can every conservative be characterized as the opposite. But the movements are entirely different.
Moveon.org puts an ad in the New York Times using a nickname from General Petraeus' own career - General Betrayus - and the Right goes nuts. Rush Limbaugh had used that smear against Chuck Schumer months ago, calling him Senator Betrayus in counterpoint to Gen. Petraeus' then-upcoming testimony. Nothing was done.
The above example is just par for the course. The Left in this country is routinely portrayed as being angry, bitter, unhinged. But what proof is there of that? Just like with the fabricated spitting on Vietnam vets incidents, proof of a rabid, angry and deranged Left in this country simply isn't around. But there is an entire media industry that garners a majority of its profits from the perpetuation of that very myth while ignoring the quite real examples of extreme Right-wing fanatics who do commit violence. Violence such as bombing women's health clinics (they usually aren't the clinics that offer abortions) and shooting doctors who perform abortions, like posting journalists' personal information and calling on people to teach their children - there's the children as targets again - a lesson for publishing photos of Dick Cheney's and Donald Rumsfeld's vacation homes, never mind that they had permission. Invasions of privacy, smears, lies, all piped into the homes of millions of Americans simply because someone got on their bad side, or happened to be around when the GOP desperately needed a distraction from the corruption and incompetence that has so taken hold of the party structure and leadership.
I can tell you this: If Michelle Malkin - or anyone else - trespassed on my property in order to harass my family about stuff that's none of her business, I'd smack the hell out of her and be fully within my rights. This is one liberal who, when it comes to his kids, makes the proverbial she-bear protecting her cubs look like an arthritic toy poodle.
(Crossposted from The Thinkery.)
You're right, Larry, I should have been clearer in making my point.
My point is that while you bring up stupid comments advocating violence by "right-wing" talk radio shock jocks in the United States you at the same time completely ignore ACTUAL violent behavior by people you work with EVERDAY!
You also conveniently ignore the radical calls for violence from Air America, the "left wing" alternative.
Furthermore, throughout the entire last century there have been millions of people slaughtered by leftists starting with the Bolsheviks in 1917 and as recently as the 1990's Slobodan Milosevic and his Social Democrat Party commited genocide against innocent civilians.
As far as the US Bush lead fiasco in Iraq, which was extremely ill conceived, to say the least, I do believe that the LABOUR PARTY in Britain had a huge roll in that disaster.
So while you are most likely feeling a bit sore at all the shots taken at you by our local "right wing" radio talk show, and perhaps you have a right to feel that way, I would suggest you stay away from the accusations of hate and violence, unless you want to take a good hard look at your fellow Union/Socialist supporters.
I do so enjoy your blog, Larry!
Hey Trent,
I didn't make any accusations. I simply posted a link to a documentary that ran on PBS a couple of months ago.
My comments have all been in response to yours. I haven't accused anybody of anything.
Read what I said, not what you might think I said.
Larry,
It is not hard to figure out why you have just now decided to post a piece from PBS on "right-wing" radio talk show hosts that is several months old. People are capable of reading between the lines, Larry.
I believe we all know this is not "new" news. Right wing radio talk shows have been in existence for a few years now. I think if Larry wanted us to read between the lines, he would have published this blog when John John was all up in arms that the SFL and its affiliates boycotted his little show; months ago.
You know I was just going to let this rest with a giggle to myself, but what the heck. Someone let me know a portion of my entry on this blog was re-entered on John's blog, with his own commentary of course added, mis-spelling Larry's surname as Hubik.
On this blog, there is a display name of Hubik LEAVE in one of the posts.
I just find it funny that either someone spelled your last name incorrectly in 2 places, or if there are more of you not paying attention to that kind of basic detail, who clearly has no respect for whom? And why should we take you seriously when you can't even spell the guy in the middle of your rant's name right??
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