Re: Gasp! For broadcast media, patriotism pays

[RadioTony@aol.com]

The first amendment protects us all, correct. But you obviously missed my point entirely. 
Talk hosts are irresponsibly attacking protesters, calling them commies, traitors, and unAmerican. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Protesting and challenging the government's war policy is a first amendment right ["...the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."] So, talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Howie Carr are factually wrong in their comments.Do they have a right to an opinion? Yes. I don't challenge that. I do challenge the after effect of their irresponsible and unfactual comments. 
How do your protect yourself from the onslaught of criticism, harassment and almost threats of violence for standing for what you believe in? 
Carr let a caller on the air who stated that protesters should get "their asses kicked" and that maybe some of them should go out and beat up some "faggot peaceniks." He was cheering another guy, some selectman out in Western Mass., who physically assaulted a marcher and took his sign and threw it in the river. Thankfully, that idiot has been charged with assault. In another case, after the downtown protest, a caller offered to give Carr a list of license plate numbers of some of the protesters who had driven into Boston last week. The caller suggested that Howie could "out" the protesters on the air. Howie, smartly, said no thanks but he had to think about it for a minute. But think about what is going on here for a second. Both hosts and callers are out there suggesting that people should be ridiculed, harassed or even assaulted for their own beliefs. This kind of stuff is patently unAmerican and extremely dangerous! That was my point. I would also add, this is entertainment?
As well, and more to my point, the other viewpoint is almost non-existent on talk radio, with some hosts saying they are even screening out calls from people who are against the war. So, we can't have a healthy debate and we can't have an open discussion, but we can target people for what they believe? Where is the balance? It isn't even on the supposed liberal television media with is all out-of-work generals, all the time, rah-rahing the war. 
In a message dated 3/28/2003 12:47:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, billings@suscom-maine.net writes:
> > > ----- Original Message -----> From: <RadioTony@aol.com>> To: <bri@bostonradio.org>> Sent: Friday, March 28, 2003 9:20 AM> Subject: Gasp! For broadcast media, patriotism pays> > > > As well, I am infuriated that these talk hosts and war shills continue to> question my integrity as an American because I refuse to support this war or> support Bush. Dissent is a basic First Amendment right. Have we learned> nothing from our history? Have we learned nothing about the damn> constitution?> > Tony -- The First Amendment protects the right of war shills to question> your integrity just as it protects your right to refuse to support the war> or Bush.  The Constitution protects the rights of the minority to speak but> it also protects the rights of the majority.  Protestors have a right to> protest and talk show hosts have a right to criticize them for doing so.  I> think you have learned nothing from the damn constitution.  It protects the> minority from government action. It does not protect the minority from> criticism by the majority.> > > The fact that there is almost no open discussion about the validity of> this war is frightening.> > The news networks are too busy second guessing the prosecution of the war> and the strategy on the ground to question the underlying > policy.> > -- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine