After weeks of deliberations folowing his suspension, WMAL radio has finally fired conservative talk show host Michael Graham over his statements that "Islam is a terrorist organization."
Michael's version of events is here, and the Washington Post covers the story here
Meanwhile, Michael has found himself a new talk show, this time on conservative Internet radio service RighTalk.
The bottom line: Michael's comments on Islam were clearly inappropriate. Major corporations naturally dislike offending people, especially by the ultimate American crime of negative stereotyping. Legally, his employers had a right to fire him; contrary to Michael's protestations, the First Amendment doesn't apply to private employers. If I were Michael, I would admit that I had gone too far this time, apologize and move on.
All that said, it never looks good to fire a political commentator for expressing his political opinions. To do so in response to a threatened advertiser boycott by a terror-sympathizing outfit such as CAIR is in a way a minor victory for the terrorists. What mainstream media personality will dare take on the Islamists now?
Ultimately, my interest here is selfish. Michael is a talented radio personality and I enjoy his show. He's also a great friend of Israel.
The Internet may be bigger than the Washington, DC, radio market, but face it, Internet broadcasting simply doesn't have the prestige of a three-hour slot on a major station in the nation's capital. It's telling that he (presumably) couldn't find another job over the airwaves.
Comprehensive blog coverage: Radio Equalizer
(Weird - two talk radio posts in a row!)
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