Hypathia

This was at another forum; thought you might find it interesting at this one too. Conception (I did a

It was neither conservative or liberal before the Fairness Doctrine was abolished. And it was abolished right about the time Rush started getting noticed nationally. The only talking I remember were like hog reports but I wasn't exactly a news hound back then either. Look at what all you just admitted in your past few posts Ted; you admitted that the radio is affecting what people are doing in the voting booth....so listeners are regarding their "entertainment/talk radio" as news. The Fairness Doctrine is about protecting both politcal parties; those who are against it are trying to protect the republican party only. Truman was President when the Fairness Doctrine came about at the same time the FCC was established. It was in place for almost 40 years. I don't know how they handled groups like liberterians and the green party. I know these other parties want to debate during nationally televised Presidential debates and they don't get to. So I don't know how the FCC handled that question before under the Fairness Doctrine. Are you a business owner or a consumer? I'm a consumer, I'm a little guy...a worker bee... so I'm looking out for me and what's best for my family; the big guys can and will look out for themselves too; they're not looking out for you and me that's for sure. With some fair ground rules in place it makes it possible for little guys like you and me to at least form our own opinions. I'm not against the big guys making an honest buck but I don't believe stacking the deck to get people to vote things into law that favor them is right. Have you ever looked up what all Newt Gingrich did to stack the deck in favor of the republicans when he became speaker of the house in 96'? He even said that they had to control the "language" to control the debate. I think the republicans want ALL the power for themselves and will do anything to keep it and Rush is doing all he can to help them do it. Everybody wants power up in Washington but at some point you have to think of the people and what's best for the whole country. We masses out here need to exercise scrutiny when it comes to both parties and we need information. I can see I'm gonna have to buy an alternative.

Oh Butero, that's scary. Foxnews is the worst news-station on television hands-down. I don't know how you can't see that even without getting other viewpoints. Oh well. My sister has been a conservative for years and she loves PBS. She doesn't have cable t.v. just the 3 big networks and PBS. If she turns her antenna and the weather is just right she can pick up Fox (not fox news) on a good day.

You can listen to NPR anytime you want and get both sides of an issue and a variety of viewpoints. I think NPR has something like 30 to 40 million listeners a week. I you have Sirius or XM, there is also BBC radio and CBC radio. NPR, the BBC, and the CBC will all have you far better informed than either liberal or conservative talk radio would. Also, while conservatives dominate in talk radio and the opinionated media (shows like Hannity's T.V. show and the O'Reilly Factor), in the new media, Liberals dominate. Marnie told me about XM and I went over there and checked them out; I'm gonna seriously think about that. Butero also told me about C Crane's transmitter and I just checked that out too. I must not be tuning into NPR at the right time; I ususally just get classical music....I'll start checking that more often throughout the day; it's on FM not a.m. here. I've heard a few shows on there from time to time and it sounded pretty balanced, not conservative, not liberal but I've only caught a few. Funny thing, I remember Rush always smearing NPR and PBS so for years after I'd stopped listening to him I still didn't tune into either. When I had my son PBS had the best cartoons so I'd let him watch that station. The cartoons would stop at 6 pm and Jim Lehrer Newshour would come on and I'd be busy and just leave it on that station. I'd heard Rush smear a guy named Jim Lehrer but until then I didn't have a clue who he was (by this time it was 2003). After awhile I realized this was the guy and I thought his newshour was the best worldnews on television....far better than CBS, NBC or ABC.....It sure didn't sound slanted in any way to me. One Sunday we were channel surfing on the car radio and came across a show called "Prarie Home Companion" and it had another guy that Rush always belittled named, Garrison Keeler. I loved that show too! I liked Garrison Keeler but I'm usually doing things with the family when reruns of that are on. -- IMO Rush Limbaugh is not reliable on anything he says about people or issues. He's not out for the little guy; Rush is out for the big guy and his job is to get all the little guys listening to him out for the big guy too.

Another thing Ted you keep making all these analogies, Christian radio vs rap etc. The Fairness Doctrine never applied there. This statement concerns me Ted: Why wouldn't you as a consumer want opposing political views? I understand a station owner not wanting them; he's gonna want everyone listening to his station to believe exactly what he believes. What if the spin you're getting, as a consumer, isn't entirely true? Wouldn't you want to know? I know I want to know, I don't want someone telling me what I'm suppose to think when it comes to public policy. I want to hear both sides and make up my own mind. How can you make an informed decision about anything if you're not given all the information? The thing is, you can't, and that why some will fight this tooth and nail if it comes up again. I guess it all goes back to people hearing what they want to hear; being entertained; having their ears tickled. As for inciting hatred, that's exactly what Rush does, and in my opinion, after listening to him last week after a several year break he's gotten worse about it; but he really didn't say anything new that I hadn't heard him say already over 13 yrs ago. Just look at some of the "Rush" adjectives people use on this very forum, A CHRISTIAN FORUM, when they're talking about liberals or democrats. If that doesn't tell you something about propaganda I don't know what will. As for boycotts, Christians use that too and I've gotten appeals to boycott shows I don't even watch but that doesn't seem to matter to some of the Christian leadership.....they ask people to boycott shows that other people like to watch......doesn't matter that I don't watch it. You have more of a selection when it comes to television, you can change the station, when I change my radio station I get the same show. I do however believe that where television is concerned there should be some "decency standards" like there used to be. A few rules never hurt anybody....and sometimes rules are good. But yeah sometimes too many rules can be very, very bad. I don't think decency rules or fairness in radio rules fall into the "bad" category. I guess we just have to agree to disagree at some point on this. I don't know that there are that many or any new stations since Rush started; our area has the same stations it always had, they're just owned by fewer people now; a few people own several stations.....less independently owned stations. Looks more and more like a monopoly to me and I thought monopolies were suppose to be agains the law since Teddy Roosevelt's day. Obviously those with political ties have managed to find a way around that though. Same goes for newspapers. Same goes for television stations too; just look at Sinclair Broadcasting.

Ted, news is news it's not suppose to be liberally or conservatively biased. It's suppose to be just the facts. Then, you have people who discuss the facts, the pros the cons, the conservative view and the liberal view. If people are slandered they should be given an opportunity to respond too. btw- how many radio stations did the fairness doctrine sink? Also, I'd forgotten about the libertarians, are there any libertarian shows out there anywhere?

Guys we don't need to be wishing for the death of either party. We need both; if you get only one party then you're gonna end up with some sort of tyrant, dictatorship type thing and none of us want or need that. Now Butero, I'm disappointed that you like Ann Coulter. Just cause you're a republican doesn't mean you have to "back" everybody that comes down the republican side of the street ya know. I don't like MM or Rosie O'Donnell and I'm a liberal.....just cause I'm liberal doesn't mean I have to like all liberals and you don't have to be the same about republicans if they're acting horribly. Interesting about your radio work though. I like that old time country music, George and Tammy, Loretta and Conway...I really liked Faron Young's music. I loved Hee-Haw! I absolutely loved that show back when it was on. I remember our local radio station banning some of Loretta's songs though and they banned Roy Clark all the time. They wouldn't play "I never picked cotton" and I loved that song as well as "Thank God and Greyhound Yer Gone". Marnie, I checked out XM, it sounds good, I may end up doing it if I can get this job I'm interviewing for. I'm going to go google C Crane now.

I'm sorry but I for one do not see anything righteous about Rush's indignation.

Thanks for the info on that CCrane thing. I've never heard of it. I'll look into the XM radio thing too; I hate to pay for radio though, but I may have to if we can afford it............maybe if I get that job!! I think when it comes to political issues they should provide both views but when it comes to sports vs my Patti Page, Nat King Cole and Sinatra....then that's different (and I'm out of luck there....maybe XM has that too?). Anyway, those things don't affect our country in the same way.....and for political shows people would still buy advertising time. -- BTW I do love southern gospel....don't care much for contemporary Christian music....but everybody is different when it comes to musical tastes. BTW - What did you do at the radio station?

Why didn't you want to give opposing views equal time? That's exactly what I would want to do. I tried to listen to a few at home but it's aggravating to listen over the internet when I'm trying to do housework. It's a lot easier if you can carry a little radio to whatever room you're cleaning.

Oh yeah, just so you know, my burning desire has not been to own a radio station (that one kind of came up on this thread lol) if money and time were not a problem, and my kids were grown my one desire would be to go back to college and become an archeologist. I like astronomy too but that'd be secondary to archeology. I have to get my kids thru college first, when the last one is done (provided he only does a 4 yr program) that'll put me at age 62 rotflol. -- But now that's it has come up I may give this radio station thing....some thought and a bit of investigation. You never know, ya know?

Well at least I got the vacuuming and dusting done... Ted, if I did own a radio station I'd keep Rush on, I'd just offer a liberal show along with him.....then I'd put 40s and 50s music the rest of the time (I enjoyed that too but those stations have all gone to sports....no more Patti Page or Nat King Cole unless I play a DVD). If I only aired liberal shows I'd be guilty of doing the same thing that conservative ownership is doing now. A purely liberal station amounts to propaganda too imo. Right now I'm just looking for a job. Although I wouldn't mind owning a station and providing a wide array of programming I can tell you I'm not a business woman (but I am going to check out what Butero said on the subject of radio station ownership) and I've got mouths I need to help my husband feed so if I get a job I can't use the money to finance something like that anyway. For the moment I'm a consumer of radio and I'd like to be able to consume something different than Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity.....but it's simply not available in my area. I disagree with your analogy; news and public airways provide a vastly different service than a bait shop. The airways is where people should be able to get information and opposing views on the issues so they can weigh them both and then decide what they really think themselves. I also disagree that liberals had the run of news before the Fairness Doctrine was abolished. I think it was much more balanced back then. A.M. radio was pretty much dried up when Rush started so in that respect he did find a good nitch. Here's a pretty good link on the Fairness Doctrine. I suspect from many of the reponses to it on this thread that the only thing most people know about it comes from people like Rush who do oppose it for reasons of their own. The Fairness Doctrine The laundry now awaits my attention.....

Not at all. For example, what if someone was divorced adn remarried before they became a Christian? What if a Christian and nonChristian are married and the nonChristian is the one who initiates the divorce? What if the divorce occurred because of physical abuse, and was thus an act of self-preservation? I mean, sure there are divorces for reasons that are not justifiable, and divorce is never in God's perfect Will, but I don't think we can look at all divorces the same way. Homosexuality is not the same. The fact that someone is not living it out, really is a nonissue since God looks on the heart. If someone is a genuine homosexual, but simply chooses not to act on that, it still shows a condition of the heart that needs to be removed, and the only who can remove it is the Holy Spirit. Homosexuals need to be born again, and delivered from that lifestyle. Gotta hurry: Jesus didn't cover any of those "what ifs" when He gave the rules. I think we look at the what-ifs though; if the divorce is unbiblical and the remarriage would be unbiblical based on the specifics Jesus did give us then one should "go and sin no more".....given what Jesus did say. Then that would mean the unbiblically divorced would also have to remain celibate. If they choose not to then they'd also, you might say, have issues of the heart that need to be removed by the Holy Spirit. just saying, gotta go now.

Oh, okay, thanks for the info. Here's an audio clip on Rush's halfrican american remark if you want to hear it for yourself: <<link>> It's been a pleasure talking people but I need to get off now. Have a good week everyone!

Thank you so much for that mental image. You're welcome!

Most people proabably wouldn't understand the X thing but I think we all understand the confederate flag thing. To me sporting a confederate flag would be like some old german immigrant sporting a nazi flag.....saying it reminded him of all those nazi youth camping trips of his youth... not what happened to the Jews and others later. I guess it's a matter of perspective but there probably shouldn't be laws against it. There is something in the law about "fighting words" though. Schools have to maintain order and discipline so anything that disturbs that probably should be addressed in some way. This would include "half-tops" and skirts up to one's behind. These rules should be uniform across the board though; if the X carries some hateful meaning that should have been banned too. What does an X mean?

I hope you were taking to me too Marnie but I wasn't sure! Yes! You are awesome. I couldn't disagree with you more, but this is keeping my mind off of a very stressful and important meeting....... Well, I wish it could get my mind off of my upcoming job interview. I've been a stay at home mom for the past several years. Wish me luck and send up some prayers!

I hope you were taking to me too Marnie but I wasn't sure!

Who said that, and in what context? Could it have been in reference to the idea that people aren't content to be called American anymore, but want to be labeled African American, Hispanic American, etc.? Just wondering, because I have already seen one instance where Rush Limbaugh was taken out of context over a remark he said about Columbus and the indians. It just happened I had the book the quote came from and was able to right the wrong done to him. Rush said that sometime last week. He said that Hale Berry was supporting Obama and that Obama said he appreciated her support along with all the other halfrican-americans....then he went on to say that Obama really didn't say it that he (Rush) just made it up....as a joke or something. What an awful thing to say...it ranks right up there with Jesse Jackson's remark about all the hymies in hymie-town...remember that one? Trying to veil it in a joke doesn't fool anybody. I think people today are too over sensitive. I didn't hear the comment, but it is like we are living in a time where we have to watch everything we say for fear someone from the pc police will come calling. Look at what happened to Biden. He made an innocent comment, but has been labeled a racist. On my xm radio, we have a channel devoted to old time radio shows. They won't even air what was perhaps the most popular show of all time, "Amos N Andy" because it is not politically correct. As I said, I didn't hear the comment, but hope that something like that wouldn't really get a child thrown out of school. I think people are oversensitive and I think a lot of the reason they're oversensitive is because of those like Rush, and MS and Rosie O'Donnell. The loud-mouth, obnoxious among us. Biden did make a probably innocent comment.......but for the record, I'm a liberal and I don't like Biden anyway. I'm not sure what his views are because I usually turn him off because to me he comes across as arrogant and condensending in his inflection of tone and his body language. I wouldn't want my kid to say that at school and I think if a kid did he should at least pull a detention out of it and have his parents called. There are some half black children in our schools and some all black children in our schools but only a few. It'd be downright nasty and wrong for one child to try and hurt another child that way I think. I don't think anybody should have to live in fear anywhere because they're a liberal or conservative, a republican or a democrat. I thought being able to live together in this great melting pot was one of our great American ideals.

Who said that, and in what context? Could it have been in reference to the idea that people aren't content to be called American anymore, but want to be labeled African American, Hispanic American, etc.? Just wondering, because I have already seen one instance where Rush Limbaugh was taken out of context over a remark he said about Columbus and the indians. It just happened I had the book the quote came from and was able to right the wrong done to him. Rush said that sometime last week. He said that Hale Berry was supporting Obama and that Obama said he appreciated her support along with all the other halfrican-americans....then he went on to say that Obama really didn't say it that he (Rush) just made it up....as a joke or something. What an awful thing to say...it ranks right up there with Jesse Jackson's remark about all the hymies in hymie-town...remember that one? Trying to veil it in a joke doesn't fool anybody.

That's true but here where I'm at in the heartland, everybody puts their flags out on the 4th, we have church picnics and everybody waves to everybody else....that kind of thing....that idealized version of America that so many people want to experience. When you have to be scared here because you're either a liberal or just a plain old democrat......that's serious and just "strange".

Uh-oh, you're giving me ideas there Butero. Do you know if they have a "How to start a radio station for dummies book" cause I'd need something that simple....a step by micro-step guide on how to do it. Right now I'm just concentrating on a job interview I have on Monday (I'm so nervous....and SO excited...hope I get it!)

You don't think calling another kid a halfrican-American would get one kicked out of school?

I heard Michael Savage twice this past month <<shutters>> Why would you choose to listen to Michael Savage Butero, being a minister and all. He makes Rush look like a nice guy. If our kids talked to each other at school the way Rush or Michael Savage talk on the radio they'd probably get expelled and we'd be giving those kids a talking to when they got home. I'd love to start a station Butero but I have no knowlege of how to run a small business (so I'd end up bankrupt like 90% of the rest of the public that trys to go into business for themselves) also; I'm in the midwest and while I'm discovering that there are other liberals around here I've also been told it's not "safe" to let people know we're liberal because of all the dangerous slander that's been leveled at us over the past several years. I did finally get up the guts to put a license plate cover on that says I support stem-cell research and so far I haven't had my tires cut. One person did approach me and give me a "chewing out" though, called me un-American, un-patriotic, and satanic. Even those who are in business for themselves and are liberal have to watch it around here. This "fear" can be laid right at the feet of people like Rush and MS and Sean Hannity as far as I'm concerned. It's a shame you have to be afraid in your own country, especially when you're a veteran. The most vocal liberals among us in this town are the elderly.