Protected Speech

[Posted May 8, 2009 as a comment on Phoenix online. But it was deleted.]
[An edited version of this letter was published in the May 22, 2009 edition of the Boston Phoenix (see link below.]

Phoenix editors object to Jay Severin calling illegal aliens "the world's lowest of primitives." WTKK's Michelle McPhee and a great many police officers refer to criminals who are citizens as "dirt bags," and "scum bags." These are not human characteristics. Why no objection? Why is the Phoenix silent on allowing Bill Ayers an admitted bomber to speak at Brandeis? Why is his speech protected more than Severin's?

Phoenix editors say Severin's speech should be "unacceptable," while citing no standard. Calling illegal aliens "primitives" does not "deny the basic humanity of Mexicans." Severin insults illegal aliens as a special form of humans, unlike being a "dirt bag." Eric Holder insulted white Americans. Why is the Phoenix silent?

The editors affirmed "Severin's constitutional right to say what he said" suggesting that just because he can, does not mean he should say it.

The editors say, "his on-air presence does nothing to enrich or elevate public debate" with no supporting evidence. Why not compare Severin to Ayers or Rev. Jeremiah Wright?

Just because the Phoenix editors can write editorials, does not mean that they should.

* * *

[Edited version published at this link. Third letter from the top.]

http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/83883-Fascism-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/

or

http://tinyurl.com/oz8kg2

* * *

[Comment posted May 9, 2009 on Phoenix online.]

Phoenix editors lament dehumanizing hate speech toward illegal aliens. Severin's comments are derogatory not dehumanizing. If dehumanizing speech is an evil to be denounced, why are the editors silent about dehumanizing speech toward persons with disabilities? Police, journalists, medical professionals, and court employees regularly dehumanize persons with disabilities calling them diseases. Why is saying a person is a "paraplegic" or a "schizophrenic" OK with the Phoenix editors? If a major concern of the Phoenix is hate speech and equal rights, why do the editors ignore widespread abuses of persons with disabilities? Is there bigotry at the Phoenix?

* * *
Roy Bercaw, CEO and Founder
North American Pirate Defense League

http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/82542-Bostons-Severin-problem/

Boston's Severin problem
Is WTKK up to measuring degrees of intolerance?
EDITORIAL
May 6, 2009

Jay Does Not Insult Us


The North American Pirate Defense League is grateful that Boston talk
show hosts no longer consider us "the world's 'lowest of primitives'
and 'leeches.'" Stereotyping of Pirates is never discussed. We do not
have peg legs. We do not say ARRGH. We do not have parrots. Most of
all we do not hang at Revere Beach. Bring Jay back. He does not insult
us.

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1170132

WTKK keeps controversial yakker Jay Severin off the air
By Jessica Heslam
Boston Herald
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Radio Censorship

[An edited version of this letter was published in the Boston Herald on Monday May 5, 2009.]

WTKK takes a PC position notwithstanding the protections of the First Amendment. Jay says worse regularly. What is the issue now? WTKK promotes the nonsensical goal of eliminating hate. Hate is a human emotion. In order to eliminate hate you must eliminate humans. WTKK has gone off the tracks. Is WTKK management running for office? Why do they cater to special interests? The idea is protected speech should be protected. If liberal hate speech is protected why are their critics censored?

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_05_01_%E2%80%98Hateful%E2%80%99_tone_keeps_Jay_Severin_on_WTKK_sidelines/

or

http://tinyurl.com/dd7zso

‘Hateful’ tone keeps Jay Severin on WTKK sidelines
By Jessica Heslam
Boston Herald
Friday, May 1, 2009 -

* * *

[Version published in Boston Herald.]

http://bostonherald.com/news/opinion/letters/view/2009_05_04_Selective_outrage/

or

http://tinyurl.com/cm7ret

Selective outrage
By Roy Bercaw, Cambridge
Boston Herald
Monday, May 4, 2009

Obama: The Beginning

Obama: The Beginning

On Wednesday January 21, 2009 a caller named Robert to the Michael Graham radio show on WTKK in Boston said, "The day of the rule of white men is over." He was unable to see how his view was a racist view of the country that demonized all white men. Will Obama and his thought police address the racism among his zealous supporters?

Will Obama and his supporters end the teaching of hatred toward America and Israel in Madrasses across the world from Morocco to Indonesia?

When George Bush had a favorability rating in the 80 percentiles, Hillary Clinton and the ACLU promoted the idea that dissent is patriotic. Now anyone who disagrees with Obama is designated mean-spirited.

Some young people pledged to serve Obama at the Inauguration on January 20,2009. Is this where 200 years of Constitutional rule led? Now it is a nation of a cult of a man?

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6615053
Video and story about defacing a Bush Monument in Houston, TX.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/01/alone-among-net.html
L.A. Times report that Fox News was the only network that covered George Bush's return to Texas.

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=42227
CNS story about celebrities equating Obama to Biblical figures.

These are not good indications for a new President who speaks about bringing the nation together.

The Favor Bank

The Favor Bank

[The letter was published in the Boston Herald on Thursday November 1, 2007.]

Howie Carr bashed Massachusetts political hacks for 20 years. They appointed
judges who say he cannot work where he wants and may not work temporarily until
the appeal is heard. Is it my imagination or are these political appointees
doing a favor for the political hacks who run the MA government by keeping this
critic off of the air?

Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

Judge says Carr can't move early
Talk show host must wait for ruling before making any switch

By Diedtra Henderson,
Boston Globe Staff
October 30, 2007

An Appeals Court justice slammed the door on conservative talk show host Howie
Carr's hopes of getting onto WTKK-FM soon.

In a nine-page ruling issued yesterday, the judge denied Carr's bid to work for
the station of his choice as his legal case winds through the courts, and
refused to kick parts of the case up to a full panel of appellate judges.

"I deny each request," wrote Judge Andrew Grainger.

On the question of passing parts of the case to additional appeals justices,
Grainger wrote "there is no good reason for opening the door to multiple
appeals."

The speedy rebuke marked the latest legal setback for Carr, who seeks to bolt
from WRKO-AM for the rival FM station. "We're disappointed in the ruling, but we
still believe that the final outcome will be in Howie Carr's favor," said Carr's
spokeswoman, Nancy J. Sterling.

"We respect the court's decision, but we continue to believe that Howie Carr
should be able to work for the station he chooses. We are keeping all options
open as we decide how to move forward," Greater Media, which owns WTKK, said in
a statement.

At issue is language in Carr's contract with WRKO, owned by Entercom Boston,
that allows the station to match a rival's job offer.

When WRKO matched the $6.75 million contract Carr had received from WTKK,
Entercom contended it had extended its contract with the popular talk show host
by five years for the same pay.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Allan van Gestel agreed, sided with WRKO, and said
Carr had erred in seeking a rival offer while still under contract.

Carr's lawyers appealed van Gestel's ruling and sought permission for Carr to
work for the station of his choice while his appeal was under consideration.

Shepard Davidson, the lead Entercom lawyer on the case, said yesterday's ruling
was "a big win because I don't believe he has any resort that could give him a
quick victory, at this point."

Carr has remained off the air since late September, when his contract with WRKO
was due to expire. Entercom has already put Carr on notice that he could be
liable for significant damages if he doesn't fulfill his contract.

"Is he going to stick this out for, potentially, years and not work?" Davidson
asked. "We can't force him to come back. We hope he comes back. We want him to
come back. He's under contract to come back. That decision is up to him.
Hopefully, now, he will come back."

Diedtra Henderson can be reached at dhenderson@globe.com.
� Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

Small Minded Journalist

Small Minded Journalist

Bailey's use of the word, "inadvertent" shows his bias on the issue of
Emily Rooney not inviting Jay Severin to the Grand Opening of the new WGBH
studios. (Steve Bailey, "At home, and all alone," Boston Globe, October 5, 2007)
Few one-party Massachusetts journalists recognize the small range of views
acceptable to Rooney on her show.
Here's one. After several letters asking why she never has guests on her
show
discussing rights of persons with disabilities, she wrote to me patronizing me
as if I were a mental patient.
After several letters to the President of WGBH asking why persons with
disabilities do not enjoy equal access to the content of what is broadcast on
(taxpayer funded) WGBH, he sent me a list of 100 programs about treatment,
health care and access to treatment. One show discussed physical disability
based discrimination.
I pointed out that Rooney often has on psychiatrists who boast of new or
experimental treatments. But she never has a person who was abused contrary to
state and US law by psychiatrists. Her response was that she wanted to have
debates two sides to discuss.
I often wonder if she thinks she fooled me. I noticed that frequently she
has
one person on her show discussing a controversial issue. Often she has
politicians on to promote themselves in an election. This she sees as a debate,
a one person debate? Is Rooney fooling herself or just trying fool others? Is
that what inadvertent means?
When Rooney finally had on a woman doctor and a member of the Boston
Disability Commission I wrote again mocking her crumb on the issue. Her response
was to threaten to ban me from Boston. She said she would write to others to
notify them. Is this woman a member of the Bulger crime family?-

Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

At home, and all alone
Boston Globe
By Steve Bailey
October 5, 2007

Jay Severin, WTKK radio's libertarian loudmouth, is hurt - wounded really - and
Emily Rooney, WGBH-TV's thermally challenged queen bee, is off his show and his
station. Says Rooney: "I didn't think the punishment fit the crime."

Rooney's crime? Inadvertently leaving Severin off the invitation list for WGBH's
party last week marking the 10th anniversary of her show, "Greater Boston."
Everyone was there, even me.

"Dear Emily," Severin e-mailed Rooney on Wednesday evening just minutes before
the big event was to begin.

"As I imagine you well know, I do wish you congratulations on the most
impressive achievement of ten years on the air choreographing your own
presentation. Extraordinary.

"And please do not misconsture [sic] what I ask as mitigating in any way the
earnestness of my best wishes.

"However: I am very personally disappointed (although from what you have frankly
told me of WGBH's attitude toward myself, not necessarily greatly surprised) not
to have been among those from 96.9 to have been invited to the WGBH celebratory
event. After all, we are, I think, friends; and we do broadcast together here
weekly, for an audience which is very considerably larger than even your
television audience, correctr? [sic] It thus strkes [sic] me as fairly
appropriate that I might have anticipated being included - especially
considering others here at 96.9 were.

"Am I wrong and/or presumptuous to wonder why, under the circumstances, I am not
included?"

Since January, Rooney has done a weekly (paid) segment with Severin, discussing
the media. But on Friday, Rooney got a call from WTKK's program director, Grace
Blazer, telling her not to bother coming to the station. The segment was being
canceled; she cited "budgetary" issues, Rooney says. (Disclosure: I occasionally
appear on Rooney's "Beat the Press" show; I hope she was getting paid more from
WTKK than the $100 I get from WGBH.)

"I feel terrible about this. I honestly do. I literally lost sleep over it," she
says. As for Severin's snide remark about ratings or the lack thereof, Rooney
says: "I didn't understand how that was relevant to the issue."

Neither Severin nor Blazer returned my calls or e-mails.

In Severin's world, Hillary Clinton is "a lying [expletive]," Ted Kennedy is "a
fat piece of lying garbage," and Al Gore is "Al Whore." All things considered,
it's surprising the guy is asked out at all.

Jay Severin, WTKK radio's libertarian loudmouth, is hurt - wounded really - and
Emily Rooney, WGBH-TV's thermally challenged queen bee, is off his show and his
station. Says Rooney: "I didn't think the punishment fit the crime."

Rooney's crime? Inadvertently leaving Severin off the invitation list for WGBH's
party last week marking the 10th anniversary of her show, "Greater Boston."
Everyone was there, even me.

"Dear Emily," Severin e-mailed Rooney on Wednesday evening just minutes before
the big event was to begin.

"As I imagine you well know, I do wish you congratulations on the most
impressive achievement of ten years on the air choreographing your own
presentation. Extraordinary.

"And please do not misconsture [sic] what I ask as mitigating in any way the
earnestness of my best wishes.

"However: I am very personally disappointed (although from what you have frankly
told me of WGBH's attitude toward myself, not necessarily greatly surprised) not
to have been among those from 96.9 to have been invited to the WGBH celebratory
event. After all, we are, I think, friends; and we do broadcast together here
weekly, for an audience which is very considerably larger than even your
television audience, correctr? [sic] It thus strkes [sic] me as fairly
appropriate that I might have anticipated being included - especially
considering others here at 96.9 were.

"Am I wrong and/or presumptuous to wonder why, under the circumstances, I am not
included?"

Since January, Rooney has done a weekly (paid) segment with Severin, discussing
the media. But on Friday, Rooney got a call from WTKK's program director, Grace
Blazer, telling her not to bother coming to the station. The segment was being
canceled; she cited "budgetary" issues, Rooney says. (Disclosure: I occasionally
appear on Rooney's "Beat the Press" show; I hope she was getting paid more from
WTKK than the $100 I get from WGBH.)

"I feel terrible about this. I honestly do. I literally lost sleep over it," she
says. As for Severin's snide remark about ratings or the lack thereof, Rooney
says: "I didn't understand how that was relevant to the issue."

Neither Severin nor Blazer returned my calls or e-mails.

In Severin's world, Hillary Clinton is "a lying [expletive]," Ted Kennedy is "a
fat piece of lying garbage," and Al Gore is "Al Whore." All things considered,
it's surprising the guy is asked out at all.