Hate Speech vs Free Speech

I've been watching in awe what has been happening with a battle between a liberal blogger known as "Spoko" and a San Francisco conservative talk-radio station KSFO.  If you haven't heard, here's a rundown.

Spoko posts short audio clips on his website with examples of KSFO hosts such as Melanie Morgan expressing hatred or advocating violence towards others.  Examples such as Brian Sussman insisting that a caller say "Allah is a whore" in order to prove that he is not a Muslim.  Or that Nancy Pelosi should be painted with a bullseye, or advocating the murder of illegal immigrants.  Spoko posted these clips, and brought them to the attention of advertisers suggesting that their brands were being associated with "hate speech".  As a result, a few advertisers decided to pull ads from the station, causing the station to sit up and take notice.

KSFO (owned by Disney/ABC) retaliated by crying "copyright infringement" and convinced Spoko's hosting service to shut down his website.

Spoko enlisted the help of Internet activist Mike Stark, creator of Calling All Wingnuts, who became famous for following Virginia senate candidate George Allen to his campaign events and asking him embarrassing questions about his past.  Stark called for a "blogswarm" where hundreds of other popular liberal blogs post the audio clips from KSFO and list the advertisers that needed to be called.  This action set off a frenzy.  Many of the advertisers were shocked by the content of the programming that they were helping pay for and it had an effect.

This has brought forward talk of bringing back the Fairness Doctrine which was repealed in 1987 during the Reagan deregulation days.  This law would require broadcasters to air opposing points of view and give power to the public to lobby the FCC if they felt that a radio station was not presenting their point of view fairly.  I would support this, because I feel that use of the airwaves should be a privilage, and those who use them need to show responsibility.  We need to draw the line at calling for violence against people or groups of people.  The airwaves belong to the public and are not to serve the interests of station owners.

Here are some links to clips from KSFO's programming, just so you know what I'm talking about.  Do you agree that this type of thing goes beyond free speech?

Brian Sussman tells caller to say 'Allah is a whore'

KSFO caller suggests bombing Syrian mosques

Brian Sussman wants military weapons in his home

Brian Sussman says he doesn't have to tolerate Islam

Brian Sussman says we should cut off detainee fingers and penises

Melanie Morgan and Ann Coulter say liberals should be executed

Coulter and Morgan say Bill Keller should be executed - sound effects by Officer Vic

Brian Sussman says Islam is a false religion

Officer Vic wants to send a hit team after photojournalists

More laughter about Bill Keller in the electric chair

Honky talk-show host is offended because Sen. Obama is a 'halfrican'

Paint a bullseye on Rep. Nancy Pelosi?

More bullseye talk about Rep. Pelosi

Morgan accuses SF Chronicle of 'blacking up' Richard Pombo Btw, Melanie - how did Pombo do in that election?

KSFO crew says 'dig up Rachel Carson and kill her again'

Coulter says 'at least they hit some UN peacekeepers'

Morgan says 'hang the NY Times editors'

KSFO crew wants to kill liberals

KFSO crew says 'liberal tree should be pruned'

KSFO crew says liberals should be 'stomped to death'

KSFO crew says 'gonna track that e-mail down and do something unpleasant to his cojones'... then Melanie does a live spot for Brite Smile

KSFO crew says 'then, attack the NY Times'

KSFO caller says Bill Keller should be 'lined up and shot'. KSFO crew says 'skip the trial'

KSFO says 'unpleasant things are going to happen to stupid liberals'

Lee Rodgers talks about civility, then says 'someone should have belted that chinless bitch a long time ago' This one is just precious.

Lee says we need to kill millions of Muslims in Indonesia

Lee says the AP should commit mass suicide

Lee suggests hooking a Sears DieHard battery to someone's testicles, then blowing them away


mp3 audio clips in zip (with KSFO contact info)

wma audio clips in zip (with KSFO contact info)