August 22, 2005

SUNNIS BATTLE AL QAEDA IN IRAQ:

Seeking to incite a violent confrontation, Zarqawi's terrorists had ordered members of the city's Shia minority to get out of town. On August 13, they tried to eject them by force, and found the way barred by armed Sunni militia. The ensuing gun battle lasted for an hour before Zarqawi's fighters retreated.

AL QAEDA PLOT IN ENGLAND FOILED:

LONDON — Scotland Yard believes it has thwarted an Al Qaeda gas attack aimed at ministers and members of parliament. The plot, hatched last year, is understood to have been discovered in coded e-mails on computers seized from terror suspects in Britain and Pakistan. 

IRAQI LEADERS ARE SEEKING TO GET THE SUNNIS ON BOARD WITH THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION: 

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi leaders finished their draft constitution Monday and prepared to submit it to parliament - but withdrew it in the final minutes in order to give time to win over the Sunni Arab community whose support is key to ending the insurgency.

85% OF U.S. SAY THEY'RE CHRISTIANS:

Fifty-seven percent of Americans consider spirituality a very important part of their daily lives, according to a Newsweek/Beliefnet poll, conducted August 2-4, 2005.

...Despite the growth of non-traditional religions, most Americans consider themselves Christian. Eighty-five percent of those polled are Christian, compared to five percent who say they are non-Christian and six percent who say they are agnostic or have no religion.

THE PROTEST WARRIORS HAVE JOINED THE MOVEAMERICAFORWARD CARAVAN TO CRAWFORD THAT SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS *AND* THEIR MISSSION.

WMAL Radio Surrenders Freedom of Speech

In July, I posted regarding an assault by CAIR on American freedom of speech:

Michael Graham is a Conservative talk show host in Washington, D.C. He'd made public comments "linking the current theology and structure of Islam to the repeated acts of terror in its name." CAIR -- the same organization which recently decided not to contest statements that CAIR was founded by terrorists -- "sent mass e-mails to its members urging them to contact ABC and demand the company to punish Graham for his remarks." The result: Disney, which owns the station, suspended Graham without pay.

Today we have word that Graham has been fired.

I don't know how stupid this radio station has to be, to fire someone for saying the truth -- that many Islamic leaders tell people to kill non-Muslims in the name of Islam. Why should Islamists have special protections that are not granted to Christians? All sorts of outrages are done in the name of "art" to the bible, the cross, etc., and everyone understands that it's protected free speech. Why should Muslims get special treatment? This radio station has surrendered its own freedom to Islamofascists.

Here's Graham's statement: 

The First Amendment and I have been evicted from ABC Radio in Washington, DC.

On July 25th, the Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded that I be "punished" for my on-air statements regarding Islam and its tragic connections to terrorism.  Three days later, 630 WMAL and ABC Radio suspended me without pay for comments deemed "hate radio" by CAIR.  

CAIR immediately announced that my punishment was insufficient and demanded I be fired.  ABC Radio and 630 WMAL have now complied.  I have now been fired for making the specific comments CAIR deemed "offensive," and for refusing to retract those statements in a management-mandated, on-air apology.  ABC Radio further demanded that I agree to perform what they described as "additional outreach efforts" to those people or groups who felt offended.

I refused. And for that refusal, I have been fired.

It appears that ABC Radio has caved to an organization that condemns talk radio hosts like me, but has never condemned Hamas, Hezbollah, and one that wouldn't specifically condemn Al Qaeda for three months after 9/11.

As a fan of talk radio, I find it absolutely outrageous that pressure from a special interest group like CAIR can result in the abandonment of free speech and open discourse on a talk radio show.  As a conservative talk host whose job is to have an open, honest conversation each day with my listeners, I believe caving to this pressure is a disaster.

I for one cannnot apologize for the truth and I cannot agree to some community-service style "outreach effort" to appease the opponents of free speech.

—Michael Graham

PHONE: (202) 686-3100.

E-MAIL: www.630WMAL.com.