In a sign of solidarity with students at Virginia Tech, George Mason's Student Senate officially condemned talk show host Neal Boortz, according to a report in Monday's GMU Broadside.This is the latest in the growing problems for Boortz over his outrageous, repeated and aggressively defended comments about Virginia Tech. You'll recall that Boortz blamed the victims at Virginia Tech for "standing there in terror, waiting to be executed," saying the students showed we are "a nation of candy asses," and that their actions demonstrated the "wussification of America."
Get a full blast of the supposedly now-contrite Boortz here (WARNING: Exceedingly offensive content).
Only the Blacksburg station (!) has openly considered a request by Delegates Shannon, Shuler, and Caputo that they yank Boortz from Virginia airwaves. The Blacksburg station manager called Boortz a `hate-monger' and said he'd investigate whether to cut the program.
Why haven't other stations dropped Boortz? Ask Jay James, the station manager at Boortz-spewing WINA in Charlottesville, who told the Charlottesville Daily Progress that he would keep Boortz on the air because "his numbers are pretty solid."
Or ask Jason Wyatt at WMVA in Martinsville who told Mike Stark that he "personally agreed" with Boortz.
Daily Progress writer Bob Gibson suggested that readers of his Sunday column stop listening to Boortz's offensive talk: "He may deserve to be pulled from stations if enough people object strongly to those and countless other obnoxious remarks he makes as a political shock jock."
Isn't it time we called on James and other station managers to stand up for Virginia traditions of personal responsibility, accountability and common sense? If you haven't already called the station managers, read this post and then voice your opinion.
But let's not stop there. It's time to take this up a notch. Let's see how many Virginia Democrats we can get to join Delegates Shannon, Shuler, and Caputo in at least condemning Boortz.
Activists, candidates, or elected officials - post your positions here as comments, or email us at Condemnboortz@hotmail.com, and we'll post updates of who is willing to condemn Boortz. We'll update you as results come in.
Virginia Democrats condemning Boortz:
Delegate Steve Shannon
Delegate Jim Shuler
Delegate Chuck Caputo
***NEWLY ADDED***Shawn O'Donnell (VA-01 Candidate, 2006)
...
...
...
In the former category along with Boortz goes Phyllis Schlafly who recently wrote an op ed blaming the VT English Department curriculum for causing the shooter's disturbed notions! What a total loon!
And in the latter category goes Walter Williams who decried VT's lack of comprehensive security. While improvements to their system are being discussed (and they will happen), Williams piles on far too much in completely unreasonable ways.
Do you all recall that Conservatives like to call us the 'Blame America' crowd anytime we try to ask if there is something America is doing wrong in foreign policy? How is it that they can then turn right around and blame the victims of this tragedy for the actions of one evil man? They revolt me.
Good for GMU! I took a few classes there before I became a Hokie.
All I have to say is that Boortz, you are going down. And take some of your idiot friends with you too!
I'm a Hokie and proud of it!
Matusleo
Ut Prosim
Shawn O'Donnell
2006 Democratic Candidate
Virginia's 1st Congressional District
Why not fight for a return to the fairness doctrine for radio and tv stations instead? What is egregious is not the somebody says something in very poor taste. What's despicable is that these stations don't allow other points of view to be heard. They don't have somebody coming on the station and calling the Boortzes down right then and there. That is what has to stop.
The airwaves are publicly owned and all of those stations must get and renew licenses. There is talk of a bill in Congress (I'll find out more about it, but don't have time to do the research and link right now) calling for the re-establishment of the fairness doctrine which would require all of these stations to give equal time to opposing viewpoints.
That should be the fight, not shutting somebody up, no matter how reprehensible he is.
Shutting down hate speech doesn't make it go away. It festers like a boil when it's in a dark, secret place. It's only when it is lanced and exposed to sunlight that it goes away.