Hate Gone Wild

Weeks ago when I was on a semi-hiatus, I read a blog post about the ridiculous way this radio host was referring to Barack Obama (like he decides who can call themselves black) and I just couldn't get around to posting about it.

I live in the Bay Area and don't listen to KSFO and now I see why I never will. These people have lost their minds and have taken hate speech to depths that every American should be ashamed of. Sadly, I know folks like this. I've attended college with them. I've driven through their neighborhoods. I've worked with them. They are horrible and have the audacity to claim that they aren't racist.

Finally, one blogger had enough and took action and had action taken against him.

Here's what KSFO commentators have been telling their listeners:

On Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, Brian Sussman says, "My opinion as your average white guy—he is not allowed to wear the African-American badge because his family are not the descendants of slaves." He called Obama a "Halfrican."

After discussing a black man in Lincoln, Neb., Lee Rodgers says, "Catch the person, tie 'em to a post and burn 'em," to which Melanie Morgan responds, "Hog tie 'em first. That would be good."

On Nancy Pelosi, the first woman speaker of the House, Morgan says, "We've got a bull's eye painted on her big wide laughing eyes."

To one self-identified non-Muslim listener, Sussman says "Say 'Allah is a whore' and 'I'll believe you.'

In October 2005, the liberal Spocko, who uses a pseudonym to protect his identity, began posting such vile transcripts on his blog, demanding KSFO change its act. Station management's inaction prompted him to start e-mailing audio clips to advertisers, asking them to hold the station accountable. It worked—and Disney tried to shut him down.

Disney/ABC lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to Spocko's Internet service provider demanding the clips be removed on account of copyright infringement, but this was only done after several major advertisers, including Mastercard and Bank of America, No. 25 in The 2006 Top 50 Companies for Diversity®, pulled their spots. Internet 1&1 shut down Spocko's site after receiving the letter. Read the letter.

On one hand, I want this kind of thing to stop. On the other I think these people all need to come out of the woodwork and spew their nastiness. You cannot expect equality in a society where people think, behave and talk like this. People need to wake up to how ignorant and hateful a good portion of Americans really are. I've always known.

See more at Media Matters here and here. Also check out C&L.

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