Michael Graham (left) and Dana Jacobsen (right). Both are ABC-Disney on-air personalities. One does an investigative report on Muslims worldwide for failing to denounce the violence in radical Islam and is fired for "offensive comments," and the other says "F--- Jesus" on the air and gets a week's suspension.
Once again, corporate America shows its true colors in its "commitment to diversity."
ABC-Disney, the broadcast giant that owns several radio and television broadcast venues, showed its Orwellian take on things. While the First Amendment allows the freedom of the press from government control and censorship, it does NOT protect speech from private bodies.
Ask former ABC-Disney radio personality Michael Graham. On 22 August 2005, he was fired (1) from Wasington D.C. WMAL-AM for making "offensive" comments regarding the lack of condemnation of Islamic violence from Muslims themselves. After ABC-Disney and WMAL recieved pressure from CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) (2)...also reffered to in Federal court documentation as an "unindicted co-conspirator" for terrorist money-laundering charges for the "Holy Land Foundation."(3) In other words, funneling money to Hamas. More has been written about CAIR on this blog with more footnotes than you can shake a car bomb at, so I'll keep things short and pertinent. Just remember: 14 people associated with this organization have been subjects of terrorism investigations.(4)
Bottom line: A questionable group that has as its stated goal to convert America into a nation ruled by Shariah law (5) and has ties to Hamas gets attention becuase they are "offended."
"Graham, 42, said on his mid-morning program on Monday that the fault for recent acts of terrorism lies not with Islamic radicals alone but also with Muslims generally because religious leaders and followers have tacitly supported extreme elements. "The problem is not extremism," Graham told listeners. "The problem is Islam." He also said, "We are at war with a terrorist organization named Islam."" (6)
With such tainted connections, why would ABC-Disney even begin to lend an ear to his accusers?
Fast-forward to this month, where another ABC-Disney employee begins an in-your-face rant criticizing the University of Notre Dame and its mural of Christ mockingly referred to as "Touchdown Jesus." She then went a whole lot of steps further to cursing Christ Himself, by stating "F--- Jesus!" (7)
The article went on to state the context and results of her boorish behavior:
At the roast, Jacobson made a rambling speech that included vulgar references about Notre Dame. Jacobson is a Michigan graduate, and she and Golic, a former Irish defensive lineman, often have exchanged barbs about the rivalry between the schools.One eyewitness labeled it an "embarrassing display," and a newspaper account said the crowd booed Jacobson. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis also was in attendance.Jacobson reportedly made a number of personal apologies the following day, including to Greenberg and Golic.In a statement, Jacobson said, "I am sorry. My remarks about Notre Dame were foolish and insensitive. I respect all religions and did not mean anything derogatory by my poorly chosen words. I also deeply regret the embarrassment I've caused ESPN and Mike and Mike."My actions at the roast were inappropriate and in no way represent who I am. I won't make excuses for my behavior, but I do hope I can be forgiven for such a poor lack of judgment."(8)
What gives? Why is it that one is fired for an intellectully honest and cerebral series on the factual lack of Islam failing to condemn violence in the name of Islam, yet another is given a week's suspension for cursing Christ? Graham didn't apologise, but Jacobson did.
Jacobsen SHOULD have apologised. Her remarks were of the most boorish sort with the intent to belittle. But...let's look at Graham's instance. He was doing an investigation on Islam's violence problem, and its failure to speak out about it. No intent to insult, but an observation of current events. It was plainly evident to anyone who has read the paper or watched the news since 1979.
Why the radically different reactions? An apology would have saved Graham from termination? I doubt it. CAIR's track record is much too clear to allow for that.(9) They want enforced dhimmitude, period. In fact, their actions only seem to make Graham's argument all the more credible! Aside from the Almight Dollar, ABC-Disney seems to be hamstrung by its slavish "commitment to diversity." White male from South makes a comment that terrorist-supproting people who happen to be Muslim don't like, he's gotta' go. White female makes an insulting comment against the central figure of Christianity, its okay. After all, all "open-mined" and "educated" people know that all religion is a sham, but a religion other than Christianity MUST be respected because we must show our diversity. Why, we must throw a bone to our "little brown brothers..." Oops! Was that offensive? Bone? Not one in the hair or nose, 'ya know? I meant figuratively, oh...
Good thing I don't work for ABC-Disney.
But the self-described open minded will say:
"Well, Rhino21, you see that it is okay to belittle Christians, as they don't kill artists who are critical of their religion (10,11), they won't torch half the planet over a cartoon (12), burn half the city and kill people over a newspaper column about a beauty pageant (13), or beat someone who names a teddy bear 'Jesus'(14)."
- Washington Post, August 23, 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/22/AR2005082201255.html
- Ibid
- World Net Daily, December 4, 2007. http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59026
- Ibid.
- World Net Daily, December 11, 2006. http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53303
- Washington Post, July 29, 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/28/AR2005072802241_pf.html
- Fanhouse, 23 January 2008. http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/01/23/espn-suspends-dana-jacobson-one-week-for-saying-f-jesus-at/
- Chicago Tribune, January 23, 2008. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/cs-080122dana_jacobson_notre_dame_rant,1,6339882.story
- The Savage Nation. http://www.savage-productions.com/Savage_CAIR_suit.html
- BBC, 2 November, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3974179.stm
- Der Spiegel, October 16, 2007. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,511830,00.html
- San Francisco Gate, February 11, 2006. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/11/MNGRCH6UQO1.DTL
- The Guardian, November 30, 2002. http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,850959,00.html
- CNN, Mon November 26, 2007. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/11/27/sudan.bear.ap/index.html
