'I think these son-of-a-buggers deserve a bullet in the head'

Richard Condon, a disk jockey at KOOJ in Baton Rouge, LA, recently incited his listeners to go to a peace rally and heckle the protestors.  As part of his incitement, he said that he thinks protestors should be shot in the head.

Below is a copy of a letter I have sent to Don Gosselin, the station contact, of Citidel Communications.  If you find Richard Condon's statement as outrageous and over the line as I do, I would encourage you to write him as well.  Hesiod at Counterspin Central also has information available about who to contact at the FCC if you'd like to make your feelings known to them as well. 

I am appalled that one of your disk jockeys would go on the air and say that, in spite of anti-war protestors right to protest, "I think these son-of-a-buggers deserve a bullet in the head", and that we should "nuke Canada's ass".

Such comments are exceptionally inflammatory, and inflammatory talk by the media can often contribute to people deciding to take violent action.  As I'm sure you are aware, the media has been filled recently with invective against the French for their lack of support for attacking Iraq.  Conservative pundits and entertainers have suggested - some would claim jokingly - that we should "bomb France first" and other such violent reactions.  What you may not have heard about - as it has received much less publicity - is that there have been acts of vandalism and violence against people or places that are even remotely related to the concept of "French".  Incidents have ranged from graffiti saying "Scum go back to France" being painted on a garage to a small chain of dry cleaners - named "French Cleaners", though the owner was neither French nor named "French" - having had 2 stores vandalized, and the 3rd burned to the ground (though the source of that fire is still under investigation). 

My point is, when the media goes out of its way to demonise people or groups of people, based on heritage, religion, political beliefs and so on, there are some who will be so incensed that they will decide to take action on those suggestions.  While the media may not have any kind of a legal liability in such cases, technicalities of the law can't erase any part of the moral responsibility they may share with the perpetrators for having stoked the flames of hatred.  Evidence of how his suggestion spreads can be seen in the fact that one of the people protesting the protestors showed up with a sign saying "You all should be shot".  

 

If Mr. Condon disagrees with the people protesting the war, I'm sure there are many other ways he could express his anger and outrage without resorting to suggesting that protestors should be made the victims of violence.  While I may not appreciate his suggestion that people should go down to the local peace rally, be disruptive and shout profanities, that, at least, is a non-violent way of expression displeasure with the protestors, and had he left it at that, I would not be writing to you now.  Had he even made comments such as saying that protestors should be deported - sent to France even, or that they should be jailed, or had he advocated that people boycott businesses that display anti-war sentiments or socially shun those who don't support the war, again, I might not like it, but I wouldn't be writing to complain.  It is specifically his decision to - sarcastically, satirically or seriously - suggest that protestors should be shot in the head that I consider out of line, and for which I feel some sort of action on your part needs to be taken.

 

I hope that you will at the very least reprimand Mr. Condon for his comments, or, better yet, demonstrate that your station will not condone such violent rhetoric, and release Mr. Condon from your employment.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

If I receive a response, I'll be posting it here.