Michael Savage Should Be Fired
The Internet has democratized the dissemination of information but it has also unleashed a horde of unscrupulous bloggers. Hiding behind aliases and accountable to nobody, these cowards feel empowered to poison the Information Highway with profanity, libel and lies.
Not all bloggers are profane jerks, but unfortunately too many of them should confine their output to coloring books.
But there is nothing new under the sun, long before the dawn of the Internet shock jocks and radio talk show hosts have indulged in the same inane shtick.
Case in point, radio talk show host Michael Savage (a pseudonym) has poisoned the airwaves with racist and homophobic remarks for decades.
The following incident from Savage’s career gives you the measure of the man:
“Savage was hired by MSNBC president Erik Sorenson to do a one-hour show beginning March 8, 2003…
Four months later, on July 7, he was fired from his MSNBC television show after remarks made in response to a caller, later identified as prank caller Bob Foster. Foster insulted Mr. Savage’s teeth. Savage then asked if Foster was a ’sodomite,’ to which the caller answered, ‘Yes.’ Savage then said to the caller, ‘Oh, so you’re one of those sodomites. You should only get AIDS and die, you pig; how’s that? Why don’t you see if you can sue me, you pig’”…
Quote from Wikipedia
Savage did not learn his lesson from 2003 and he hasn’t mellowed one bit.
“Bay Area immigrant rights advocates say radio host Michael Savage should be fired for using hateful language when suggesting supporters of an immigration reform bill who fasted in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza last week should starve to death.
During a July 5 broadcast of ‘The Savage Nation,’ his nationally syndicated talk show, Savage said, ‘I would say let them fast till they starve to death … because then we won’t have a problem about giving them green cards because they’re illegal aliens.’”
Quote from the San Francisco Chronicle
Michael Savage’s radio program is syndicated by Clear Channel; he should be fired immediately.
Bloggers are like roaches and they will never be exterminated from the Internet, but radio talk show hosts who ply their noxious trade on the public airwaves can and should be fired when they cross the line.
I write a weekly column for a small town newspaper in Virginia, and I also write for several Web sites. Please leave a comment or send me an email at: rreyes4966@aol.com | More from Robert Paul Reyes
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