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That video is incredibly moving. Militant, anti-American fundamentalists like Dobson should not be pandered to by the Radio Hall of Fame.
posted by libhom, at
10/14/2008 12:28 AM
This young man had to suffer at the hands of Dobson, but to his credit has shown grace and strength, something most of us know about given we all, to some degree have travelled this road. Good luck to him and I too will be sending Mr. DuMont a message.
posted by Unknown, at
10/14/2008 7:16 AM
First of all, I don't know whether this young man is aware of Wayne's posting about it, but if he's reading this, God bless you, because you are all right. I had a very similar experience. My parents didn't freak out at all, my mother was an artist, and I certainly wasn't the first homosexual she ever met in her life. But it so happened that just when I came out to my parents, I also suddenly and inexplicably lost a lot of weight, so they sent me off to see a psychiatrist, and my dad called him up and basically said "While you're at it..." Well, the psychiatrist said "I understand you're gay." I said "Yes." He said "Do you have a problem with that?" I said "No." He said "OK, let's talk about your weight." There is a vast, gaping distance between psychiatry, which is based on education, and the loony religious right, which is based on an idea that is found nowhere in the Bible: Thou shalt be as stupid as thou possibly canst. I wish the young man who recorded the video all the possible luck in the world, and I thank him for his bravery in making this video. I, too was moved.
But as for the Radio Hall of Fame. I, too, am absolutely pained that it is inducting a loony bigot such as Dobson, but we have to remember that the Hall of Fame inducts on the basis of influence in radio, not on the basis of what the politics of an inductee are. I would imagine that the loony right went apoplectic at the induction of Wolfman Jack and Garrison Keilor. It might be noted that the fatso drug addict Rush Limbaugh was inducted way back in 1993. I am absolutely in support of everyone who wishes to write to the Radio Hall of Fame to express dismay about Dobson's induction, but I would caution that this is a slippery slope, because would we want a similar campaign once the Hall of Fame gets around to nominating Al Franken? Or, somewhere down the line, the people of Gaydar radio? Please let me make it clear that I, too, am disgusted at the Dobson induction. But I understand why the Hall of Fame did it, and my efforts will go toward making sure that bigotry is combated at its root.
posted by Kārlis Streips, at
10/14/2008 2:05 PM
Kārlis Streips: Slippery slope arguments generally tend to be weak. In fact, when I took a rhetoric class we were specifically forbidden from using those kinds of claims in papers because there is no logical basis for them.
However, even if you wanted to use such a slippery slope argument, it wouldn't apply to the examples you are giving. Al Franken and the people at Gaydar radio are not hate groups.
posted by libhom, at
10/15/2008 11:51 PM
The issue isn't whether it's a hate group or not, the issue is communities banding together to block things, and this can too easily turn into a you did this to me, so I'm going to do this to you kind of thing. At the level of major politics, this is clearly seen in judicial and other appointments in Washington, in Sarah Palin's "rangergate" story, etc.
posted by Kārlis Streips, at
10/16/2008 3:22 AM
I just wanted to say this young man did what he had to do. Sure he did not get the ending most of us get.I am very proud of him and wish him all he wants and needs out of this crazy would we live in.Knowing he is 16 years old he still has a long road a head of him and I wish him well. Cormac McCarthy PS.Glad your in Phx.I think you will enjoy yourself here you came at the right time of the year...
posted by Anonymous, at
10/22/2008 12:44 AM
