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LATEST LETTERS

Vincent Carroll

Tuesday, May 22 at 10:59 AM

Bill Menezes, editorial director of Colorado Media Matters, writes:

I was glad to see Vincent Carroll raise the public’s awareness of our work in his May 15 “On Point” column, “The Next Imus? Not". But there are a couple of key points Mr. Carroll omitted from his argument, which would have presented a more accurate picture of what Colorado Media Matters actually is doing with regard to the recent controversial and bigoted remarks made by several of Clear Channel Communications’ radio talk show hosts in Denver.
First, Colorado Media Matters repeatedly has called for a public conversation about the bigoted remarks made by “Gunny” Bob Newman and made or promoted by Peter Boyles on Clear Channel’s KOA-AM and KHOW-AM, respectively. We believe it is important for Clear Channel and its on-air personalities to take responsibility for how they use - or abuse, in many cases — their right of free speech over the public airwaves. By omitting this element, Mr. Carroll makes it appear that we’re offering criticism without a concurrent solution or call to action, which is not the case.
Second, Mr. Carroll omitted an important element of the anecdote regarding Peter Boyles’ promotion of - as he calls it - “an ugly YouTube video.” While Boyles later claimed never to have watched the video, in the audio of his April 25 broadcast he calls the video depicting attacks and slurs against Hispanics “really something to see.” Knowing Boyles said that perhaps makes it a bit less “plausible” that he had not actually seen the video as he claimed. The remark at least raises the question of why - if he had not seen it - Boyles would blindly promote a video that depicts physical attacks and obscenity-laden slurs against Hispanics. Clearly he and his producer were aware of its content, hence the “background” warning for Boyles not to play it on the air.
With the right of free speech comes a great responsibility. Mr. Carroll apparently is happy with the status quo that allows some of the state’s most powerful radio stations to call for persecuting members of a specific religion, to baselessly smear the governor and to promote violence against a specific ethnic group. We, however, are not.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Interesting letter. The idea of "abusing" the right of free speech isn't really all that new, however.

A fellow by name of Goebbels, back in the 30's had something to say about that. Seems as if "free speech" means "free" when OUR Party line is being spread. But, when it's the other fellow's line, that's a NO-NO!

Glad to see that Colorado Media Matters is following the old Goebbels text.

But then, it is always nice to see examples of those who mistake a head full of fertilizer for a fertile mind.

Posted by Old Grouch on May 22, 2007 02:19 PM

Media Morons,I mean Media Matters is a front for far left wing smear merchants.

Old Grouch you hit the nail on the head.It only matters to this group if their propaganda and agenda is put forth. If you disagree with their far,far,left idealogy you are attacked.

I'd like to ask them if any of their funds come from George Soros.He is funneling millions of dollars to these far left wing groups trying to tear America apart and make a one party system with the far left being in charge of everything.

Freedom of speach only applies to the far left these days. They can get away with their smear websites and their conspiracy theories.They love to prevent other who don't agree with them their ,Right to Free Speech.

They need to change their name to Media Morons.

OOPS! I just used my freedom of speech.

Now let's see how many far left wing nutjobs come out of the woodwork.

Anderson?

Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on May 23, 2007 08:57 AM