Free speech? HAHAHAHHAHAHAAH!

[VinceZeb]

the source of course of course of course: http://www.detnews.com/2003/metro/03...a05-126999.htm

edit: I find it funny that if this was a left-wing guy doing this in opposition of the war, that every civil rights group and free speech avocate would be on this guy's side in a heartbeat, but I guess we can not have that now, can we. YOU WILL OBEY! YOU WILL PLAY THE LORD'S SPEECH, THE NPR! YOU WILL OBEY!



Public radio station fires host

Terry Hughes voiced views on war during his show at EMU

By Susan Whitall / The Detroit News

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YPSILANTI -- WEMU-FM host Terry Hughes, known on the air as "Thayrone," was fired from the Eastern Michigan University public radio station Wednesday for repeatedly expressing his views about the war in Iraq, and refusing to run NPR news during his Sunday night music program "The Bone Conduction Show."

Hughes was fired by station manager Art Timko.

"Art said he was 'tired of the fight,' trying to get me to run news on the show and not have an opinion," Hughes said. In between the vintage Detroit R&B and soul music he plays, Hughes has been talking up the war in Iraq, expressing his support for the troops and for President Bush, and denigrating National Public Radio.

On his show this past Sunday, among other things, Hughes was explaining why the station's fund-raiser had been postponed: "Because (Bush) has the (guts) to get up to do the right thing after 18 attempts to get everybody to help. ..."

Hughes also complained to his listeners about not wanting to run NPR news. "We know if you want a current assessment of what's going on, you're sure not listening to us," he said on last week's show. "You'll be over at Fox TV where they're not bending the news. ... It ain't happening on NPR."

Station manager Timko's account doesn't differ much. "He was fired basically over philosophical differences," Timko said. "We have a policy that eliminates or restricts the expression of personal opinion on issues of controversy, and he didn't believe that applied to him."

The WEMU station manager admitted: "Thayrone has always been opinionated. But most of what he had opinions about was not controversial. This time, it was."

Hughes agrees. "But this is personality radio," he said. "I have nothing but opinions on my show, every show."

It's because WEMU is a public radio station that there was a problem.

"We need to be balanced in our presentation, and as individual announcers we don't take positions on controversial issues," Timko said. "That's not an encumbrance on commercial radio."

Hughes will continue to tape his show at home for syndication.

"It wasn't my intention to mess with the station manager," he said. "It's only been my intent to do crazy cool radio in America."

You can reach Susan Whitall at (313) 222-2156 or

[James]

Well, let's see: He's not following the guidelines of his job - technically a privately-owned business, mind you - in favor of voicing his opinions.

That's not a matter of freedom of speech. It's a matter of some dumbshit not doing what he's supposed to be doing, after apparently being given many chances to do so.

[VinceZeb]

I don't disagree with you in the slightest, Jamesman. But the point is that if he would have voicing opposition to the war, then every left-wing group would have been on his side in a heartbeat.

[James]

Oh... See, I missed the part in the article that gave any evidence to back up such a remark. Could you point it out for me?

[mburbank]

So you think if he was voicing opposition to the war and refusing to air NPR news segments on his NPR station they would have let him keep his job?

[FS]

Hey VinceSub, apparently everyone has double standards. It's called being human.

What was the point of this topic exactly? You were trying to prove that something that didn't happen would have happened?

[punkgrrrlie10]

Vince you are such a dumbass.

Liberals support freedom of speech more than conservative bible thumpers who are always trying to censor everything. Ever hear of the friggen ACLU. HELLO LIBERAL ORGANIZATION.

And he was fired for not doing his job...I'm sure he could have his wonderful opinion if he actually did what he was supposed to do. If he really had an issue w/being abridged his 1st amendment rights, he could hire an attorney and pursue it, but will he? Most likely not b/c he knows he got fired for a legit reason.

[The_Rorschach]

"Liberals support freedom of speech more than conservative bible thumpers who are always trying to censor everything. Ever hear of the friggen ACLU"

Oh come on. Noone is the manifestation of their party line, that generalization is just the height of idioicy. Furthermore, Bible Thumping Conservatives have been defending the Bill of Rights far longer than Modern Liberals as we know them have been in existance. Get an industrial sized clue.

As for the ACLU, they have actually attempted on more than one occassion to expand the perimeters of the "fighting words" limitation of the First Ammendment to include anything which may be racially or sexually offensive.

[punkgrrrlie10]

So far's my experience with constitutional law, conservatives defend the 2nd amendment and 10th.

Things conservatives have tried to censor:
1. any kind of pornography, live nude dancing establishments, and pussy cat theaters
2. music which they consider offensive (ie. 2-live crew)
3. truthful advertising about abortions and dr.s giving advice about abortions
4. banning burning the flag

those are just off the top of my head. I could go back through my cases and find more i'm sure.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

boobies are bad.

(This is truly my finest post EVER)

[The_Rorschach]

Yes, or you could admit your statement was slanted and unfair, then simply back the fuck up. Your experiences sound biased and suspiciously like steoriotypes based upon popular generalizations. Thanks for sharing your contemptuous high-handed views of American politics. I now have reason never to read responses by you in the future.

[punkgrrrlie10]

HEY! I'm dating a republican...I'm not contemptuous. I love my little republican brothers. Yes I am generalizing but generally, I can guess exactly how the far rights respond to anything. I could tell you how Justice Scalia and his lackey Justice Thomas will respond to any question put to them. So far I have not been wrong with those two brutes.

[AntiMaster]

Its' funny how the right wingers call NPR "National Palestenian Radio" & whine about it's liberal bias while the liberals call it "National Pentagon Rsdio" & complain that it supports right wing rhetoric.