Blogging Blue

This past Saturday, I blogged about comments made by Michael Savage on the July 16th edition of his nationally syndicated radio show. During his show, Savage called autism a “fraud, a racket” and proceeded to explain that in 99 percent of the cases, autism is a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out because they have no father around. Now obviously Savage’s comments are ignorant, offensive, and inflammatory on many levels, and as the parent of a child affected by autism, I was more than a little outraged by his comments.

In the Milwaukee area, Michael Savage’s show is syndicated by 620 WTMJ, so I gave Tom Parker, the Program Manager, a call to see if he condoned Savage’s comments. Having not heard back from Mr. Parker, I decided to send an email as well:

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Michael Savage’s Comments on Autism
From: “Zachary W.”
Date: Mon, July 21, 2008 7:26 pm
To: tparker@620wtmj.com

Dear Mr. Parker:

My name is Zachary W, and I’m writing this email in response to recent comments made by Michael Savage during his radio show, a show your station syndicates. During the July 16th edition of his radio show, Mr. Savage claimed autism is “[a] fraud, a racket. … I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they’re silent? They don’t have a father around to tell them, ‘Don’t act like a moron. You’ll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.’ ”

As the parent of an autistic child, I am deeply offended by Mr. Savage’s statements, and what’s more, I’m disappointed 620 WTMJ would air such inflammatory, ignorant, and insensitive remarks. What’s more, I’m surprised your station has not issued any kind of statement disavowing the comments made by Michael Savage, given the fact that his comments have received national attention - and not in a positive way.

I would greatly appreciate a response from you regarding this situation.

Sincerely,

Zachary W

Savage offered no apology in a message posted today on his Web site. Instead, Savage said greedy doctors and drug companies were creating a “national panic” by overdiagnosing autism, a mental disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate. Savage also expressed his opinion that “Our children are being used as profit centers by a greedy, corrupt medical/pharmaceutical establishment,” but sadly enough, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize for his ignorant and uninformed opinion.

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It’s only a matter of time before we hear Sykes, Belling, and many other conservatives simply loose their cool over the newest hit in music - - a song about a girl wanting to kiss…a GIRL!

“I Kissed A Girl,” by Katy Perry, is jumping up to #1 in the Billboard US Charts. UK newspaper The Guardian has the scoop:

Pop stars reinventing themselves is not a new phenomenon. David Bowie relaunched himself as Ziggy Stardust and then became the Thin White Duke. Kylie Minogue was the girl next door who suddenly acquired a taste for black basques. But few transformations have been as total as the one that has taken Katy Perry to the top of the US singles charts.

Perry, 23, began her career with a collection of Christian gospel songs. Her parents are both Protestant pastors, so many of her former fans are astonished to find her topping the charts now with a single celebrating the pleasures of a lesbian kiss.

‘I Kissed a Girl’ is poised to be the hit of the American summer and is the 1,000th number one since Bill Haley and His Comets’ shocked the music business with ‘Rock Around the Clock’ in 1955. The lyrics are mild enough: ‘I kissed a girl/and I liked it … Us girls we are so magical/Soft skin, red lips, so kissable/Hard to resist so touchable/Too good to deny it.’

Perry says her parents, who once banned rock music from the home, are now supportive of her despite the new musical direction. ‘Well, I’m not strung out on crack and doing centrefolds,’ she said last week. This is not the singer’s first foray into edgy areas of sexuality. Perry’s last single, ‘Ur So Gay’, poured scorn on effeminate metrosexual males and, in particular, on Perry’s ex-boyfriend who ‘wore more make-up’ than she did. ‘I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf,’ was one of the more memorable lines.

Perry’s background has led to consternation from the Evangelical Christian community. ‘What a sad picture of a lost child who has been swept away by the carnal pleasures of the world,’ reads one entry on the Christian website Planetwisdom.com. ‘We need to be lifting this gal up in prayer. While we’re at it, let’s toss up a prayer for her parents, too. Not to mention the countless young girls who will buy into this lesbian chic message.’

Talk about being a rebel in the family…an Envangelical Christian promoting lesbian behavior, and then saying after kissing the girl, “It felt so right.” I’m sure her parents are “pleased” but boiling in secret. No need to panic, for anyone that’s concerned about the theme will soon have Rush, Mark, Charlie, and the rest of talk radio scorning any parent who let’s their child listen to the tune.

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I don’t ordinarily brag about how great my family is - but rest assured, they’re positively phenomenal - but I wanted to take a minute to brag about my stepdaughter Alexis. Alexis was one of three students chosen to give demonstrations at Summerfest on behalf of her dojo, and she did a great job. There’s a few pictures after the break:

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Happy Father’s Day to all those fathers out there.

On this day, I honor my dad, who died at 21 years old when I was two and a half. Though I don’t remember my dad, he has influenced how I live my life. His passing taught me to live my life to the fullest, and to appreciate each new day. I honor him by trying my best to be a good father and husband, but most of all, a good man.

This is my dad:

Dad, I love you, and thank you for helping make me the man I am today.

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