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You’ll have to excuse my focus over the last few days on conservative talk radio host Michael Savage, but his comments about autistic children and their parents merit some attention.

Happily, there’s some good news to report. FOXNews.com is reporting that Aflac, an advertisor on Savage’s radio show, has pulled all their advertising from Savage’s show, with the following comment from a company spokeswoman: “We understand that radio hosts pick on any number of targets however we found Michael Savage’s recent comments to be both inappropriate and insensitive.” It’s good to see a company like Aflac taking a stand against the kind of ignorant and inflammatory garbage that Michael Savage is spouting. In addition to news that Aflac has pulled their advertising from Savage’s show, the FOXNews report also includes a statement from WOR-AM, which broadcast Savage’s remarks in New York City:

“The views expressed by Michael Savage are his views and are not those of WOR Radio. As Michael Savage is a syndicated show, the content is the responsibility of the syndicator, which is Talk Radio Networks. Unfortunately, it is impossible for WOR Radio to know the subject matter in advance of airing. WOR is in the business of serving the community in which we broadcast. That is our stated goal, and we will continue to do so. We regret any consternation that his remarks may have caused to our listeners.”

Curiously enough, Tom Parker, the Program Manager from 620 WTMJ is sticking to his guns, because in his opinion complaints are really only important to take a look at if they come from “loyal listeners,” while complaints from liberals just aren’t worthy of his time.

At any rate, I’m glad to see Aflac and WOR-AM did the right thing, and hopefully more folks will stand up and voice their disgust with Michael Savage.

EDIT: As pointed out by a commenter, the statement released by WOR-AM isn’t really an apology; it’s more a statement of regret.

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I’ve blogged not once, but twice about the insensitive and uninformed (read, ignorant) comments of conservative radio host Michael Savage, and in an attempt to find out if 620 WTMJ (they carry Savage’s show locally) condones his remarks, I emailed Program Manager Tom Parker. I called too, but apparently Tom Parker doesn’t like phones. Anyhow, here’s the response I got from Mr. Parker:

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: RE: Michael Savage’s Comments on Autism
From: “Tom Parker”
Date: Tue, July 22, 2008 5:06 pm
To: “Zachary W.”

Hi,

Thanks for writing. The Talk Radio Network syndicates the Savage show. You can email them info@talkradionetwork.com

Talk hosts are paid to have and share their opinions, no one else’s. It’s often tough to support that process, especially when we broadcasters also find a host’s opinion (or the way they stated it) “insensitive”, “offensive” or just stupid. We all hope that stated opinions are used for something we can agree with, but it doesn’t mean we can reject all others. It’s not the first time a talk show personality has said something insensitive, nor will it be the last. WTMJ management’s personal opinion of the comments is not the only factor that is considered, Though as a station, we find the out-of-context soundbyte to be hyperbolic and indefensible. We look to our audience to guide our decisions about what they find unacceptable, so thank you for sharing your thoughts. Generally, people who enjoy a show stick with the host, but may change their minds if the host gets too far away from their expectations or sensibilities. That remains to be seen in this case. Most complaints so far are coming from the liberal Media Matters website and they are not actual listeners to our station. So, while I’m not yanking the show off the air immediately, I’m following the situation and will continue to be attentive to our loyal listeners. In the end, complaints do shape programming - by either helping hosts see what the audience actually expects, or by helping the station move on to a better show.

Thank you for listening to WTMJ radio.

Below is Savage’s statement on the issue.

Thanks

Tom

I’ve not included Savage’s statement, because I’ve touched on that previously, but I’d like to take a moment to ponder the importance of Mr. Parker pointing out that most of the complaints have come from the liberal Media Matters. What I’m wondering is why it matters where the complaints are coming from. Are complaints from liberals somehow less important or meaningful than comments from conservatives? In reading Tom Parker’s email, I can’t help but believe he really only cares about complaints from “loyal listeners,” because if those folks complain, they might tune to another station, while complaints from less loyal listeners like myself don’t really carry much weight.

All I have to say to that is way to stay classy, Tom Parker, and thanks for making it clear to me that 620 WMTJ cares less about doing the right thing and more about doing the popular thing. That’s journalism at its finest, folks.

John Michlig over at Sprawled Out has more on this.

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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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Have you seen this picture before?

The photo, taken in March 2003, has become one of the most iconic images of the U.S. invasion of Iraq: that of an American soldier carrying a wounded Iraqi child to safety. The photograph of Army Private First Class Joseph Dwyer was used by news outlets around the world. In a tragic twist, PFC Dwyer collapsed and died last month after abusing a computer cleaner aerosol. After returning from Iraq, Dwyer was plagued with sometimes violent delusions that he was being hunted by Iraqi killers, and despite his obvious problems, Dwyer’s issues were never wholly addressed by Veterans Affairs:

After a PTSD program in Durham, N.C., turned Dwyer away because of a lack of space, Maureen Dwyer said her son received inpatient care for six months at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, beginning last August. After doctors discharged him in March, she said, his anxieties returned with such intensity that Dwyer’s wife, Matina, 30, took their daughter Meagan, 2, and moved out five days later.

After her son was discharged from Northport, Maureen Dwyer said she was especially concerned because there were no VA mental health facilities near his Pinehurst, N.C., home.

There’s no denying Joseph Dwyer did receive treatment for his mental health issues, but where was the aftercare and followup? Where were the doctors and programs to ensure Joseph Dwyer continued to receive the help he needed for his mental health issues? What’s more, why wasn’t more done to properly plan for the return of soldiers like Joseph Dwyer? At the risk of getting up on my soapbox, there’s absolutely no reason why any soldier suffering from PTSD or a related mental health issue should have to wait for appropriate services because of a lack of space.

Here’s what Joseph Dwyer’s mother has to say about the situation:

“Every second that goes by, there is another soldier just like Joseph,” Maureen Dwyer said. “Another family can’t go through this. All the politicians talk so great about the soldiers, about patriotism, but mental illness is something they are not putting enough into.”

And that’s the true cost of the war in Iraq: the tally of lives lost or irreparably altered due to the serious mental health issues faced by soldiers returning home from the field of battle.

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Today’s a special day here at Blogging Blue, because we’re unveiling a new weekly segment titled “Idiot of the Week.” The first winner of the “Idiot of the Week” award is none other than right-wing squawker Michael Savage, who claimed during his July 16th syndicated show that 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 anyone who knows a little about me knows, I’m the proud parent of an autistic child, and I’m absolutely disgusted and outraged that someone like Michael Savage would stoop so low as to attack autistic kids. Further, his insinuation that autism is a product of the absence of a father shows just how ignorant and uninformed is, and I’d encourage Mr. Savage to do a little reading about Autism. In fact, if he’d bother to do a little reading, he’d know scientists recently identified five new autism-related gene defects to go along with the more than a dozen genetic defects have been found to be associated with autism spectrum disorders. If Michael Savage would bother to do a little reading about autism, he’d know it isn’t something a child has control over; it isn’t simply a child being difficult or throwing tantrums, nor is it the result of a child not having a father.

If anyone’s interested, here’s the audio of Michael Savage’s rant about autism:

Here in Milwaukee, Michael Savage’s show is syndicated on Newsradio 620, and I’ve already taken a moment to call Tom Parker, the station’s Program Manager to express my feelings on Michael Savage’s comments about autism, and I’d like to ask you to let him know how you feel as well. Autism isn’t a laughing matter, and autistic kids aren’t idiots or fakers, nor do they deserve to be labeled as such.

Tom Parker
Program Director
Phone: 414-967-5207
Email: tparker@620wtmj.com

H/T to John Michlig at Sprawled Out.

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