No Free Speech at Disney?
The Anti-CAIR site was recommended to me by Patrick at Clarity & Resolve. It has some very good information about CAIR.
ABC DISNEY BACKS DOWN TO THREATS FROM CAIR, FIRES CONSERVATIVE TALK HOST OVER STATEMENTS REGARDING ISLAM AND TERRORISM
Conservative talk-show host Michael Graham was suspended without pay today (June 28, edited by me) by ABC Disney after threats from the Council for American-Islamic Relations over his on-air comments regarding terrorism and Islam.
Despite repeated statements of support for Graham's free-speech rights by management at 630 WMAL in Washington, D.C. ----- the ABC-owned radio station where Grraham works as mid-morning host ---- he was summarily suspended pending an "investigation."
Graham has been harshly criticized by CAIR for public comments linking the current theology and structure of Islam to the repeated acts of terror in its name. CAIR sent mass e-mails to its members urging them to contact ABC and demand the company to punish Graham for his remarks.
The statements at the heart of the controversy reflect Graham's opinion that, as he puts it, "Because of the mix of Islamic theology that --- rightly or wrongly --- is interpreted to promote violence, added to an organizational structure that allows violent radicals to operate openly in Islam's name with impunity, Islam has, sadly, become a terrorist organization. It pains me to say it. But the good news is it doesn't have to stay this way, if the vast majority of Muslims who don't support terror will step forward and re-claim their religion." Anti-CAIR
Personally, I don't see anything offensive against Islam in his statement. Islamic terrorists base their murderous crimes on the Koran, Sunnah, and Hadith. Michael Graham says he will not back down and will not recant. Like he states, this is America and we have the right to free speech.
If you would like to express your opinion the article provides this link:
To contact ABC Radio in Washington and express your opinion about their decision to cave into pressure from CAIR, call the General Manager, Chris Berry, at 202-686-3100 or email feedback@630wmal.com.
We have the right to criticize religions and anything else in this country. We can call our president any name in the book without fear of imprisonment. The very first amendment in the Constitution is the freedom of speech. The men who wrote it knew what a precious right it is. Don't let dhimmi change America by curtailing our most precious right.
posted by SEAWITCH at
11:09:00 PM
6 Comments:
I live in the Washington, DC area and I frequently listen to the Michael Graham show. While I personally don't have an issue with what he said, I don't view this as being against free speech. The First Amendment only guarantees us the right to say something, but does not guarantee us the venue in which to say it. If he wanted to stand on a street corner and say what he said, he would have no problem. However, this station is a private entity and they certainly have the right to control what they broadcast and censure, or in this case suspend, their own employees if they don't like what has been said.
Nelson | 07.30.05 - 1:27 am | #
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nelson,
While it is true that this is a privately held company, the driving force behind Graham's suspension is CAIR and its compliants to the radio station about his comments. The radio station buckled under pressure and this is where I feel feel freedom of speech has been abrogated.
Seawitch,
I understand where you're coming from, but in the legal free speech definition has nothing to do with this case. Freedom of speech is only guaranteed to prevent the Government from infringing on your rights. Private entities are completely(and rightly) exempt from this requirement. CAIR's pressuring WMAL to suspend(although they want him fired) is a perfectly legitimate lobbying action by such a group. I don't agree with WMAL's decision, but I certainly agree with their right to do it and WMAL is not abrogating free speech one wit in the legal sense. It couldn't be any simpler than what the First Amendment says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What of this has WMAL abridged? None of that because WMAL is not the Government or an agent thereof.
Nelson | 07.30.05 - 7:56 pm | #
Nelson,
Point taken.
Nelson is right, however, we should still contact stations lkike this to let them know that the listening oublic, who pays their salaries and puts the food on their table, do nboyt appreciate that their talk show hosts ability to state their opinions in an intelligent and thoughtful way is being abrogated unfairly through pressure from a biased group such as CAIR.
mark,
That's the point I was trying to make. Thanks for stating it so succinctly.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home