CAIR Seeks Apology For Radio Host Exercizing Free Speech
Posted on January 30, 2006
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A Muslim civil liberties group demanded an apology Thursday from the host of a Los Angeles-area radio show for making fun of a stampede that killed hundreds of Muslims during an annual pilgrimage.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations asked for an apology from KFI-AM 640 host Bill Handel, who allegedly made fun of the deaths the same day they happened during a segment he called the “Annual Stampede Report.”
A spokeswoman for KFI, which is owned by Clear Channel Communications, did not immediately return a message left Thursday. Handel’s producer, Michelle Kube, also did not return calls for comment. Handel had left work for the day and attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
At least 363 pilgrims were killed and hundreds injured in a stampede Jan. 12 in Mecca, where thousands of people were rushing to carry out a symbolic ritual of stoning the devil.
According to the civil liberties group, Handel imitated the people screaming and then joked that the Muslims at the pilgrimage should use a helicopter to monitor pilgrimage traffic, as is done in Los Angeles with the freeways.
The group quoted Handel as saying: “This is Mahmoud Nolan. Hajj in the Sky. There is an accident. … Ali lost his sandal on the on-ramp to the Martin Luther King Jr. freeway.”
In March 2004, KFI issued an on-air apology after the group filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission following a skit that claimed Muslims have sex with animals, don’t bathe and hate Jews.
Another “civil liberties” group seeking to censor free speech. I wonder if this falls outside the ACLU’s broad definition of freedom of speech? After they have defended extremist KKK and Nazi racists, they better keep their mouths shut on this one, or step up to the plate and defend it. I’ll place my bets on their silence.
Don’t believe the Washington Post garbage that republicans are genetically racist. I don’t condone or endorse any of the statements made by Handel, but if we are going to have “broad” reaches of freedom of speech, then this is counter productive to what a so called civil liberties group should be seeking.
Handel is firing back: Via Drudge
Handel will apologize IF the Council on American-Islamic Relations:
1) Decries all acts of terror (described specifically, not generally)
2) Agrees that Israel is a sovereign nation with the right to defensible borders
3) CAIR has no ties of any sort, financially or otherwise, to any terror orgs or individiuals.
MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
KFI-AM does not condone making light of the deaths of people engaged in religious observances. We regret that listeners found the comments of one of our on-air hosts to be insensitive. KFI does not censor its hosts, nor does it tell them what to say or not to say. KFI is a strong and passionate believer in 1st amendment rights and that is at the very core of this radio station.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, ACLU, News, War On Terror
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8 Responses to “CAIR Seeks Apology For Radio Host Exercizing Free Speech”
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I spent a year in Afghanistan. As far as I can tell, there are plenty of Muslims, in the 3rd world, that do have sex with Animals, don’t bathe (or at least smell like it) and hate Jews.
If nothing else, the anti-semetic viewpoints of the Muslims cannot be argued.
In Afghanistan, it is common for men to be sexually promiscuous with each other. We didn’t call it “Man Love Thursday” without reason, and we weren’t making it up.
It is a common prospetive in Afghanistan that, “Women are for procreation, men are for fun”.
These men are not considered “gay”, as they are expected to grow out of it at someone point.
NO way should the radio host apologize!
I agree 100% with what he is asking Cair to do.
1) Decries all acts of terror (described specifically, not generally)
2) Agrees that Israel is a sovereign nation with the right to defensible borders
3) CAIR has no ties of any sort, financially or otherwise, to any terror orgs or individiuals.
BUT of course CAIR will never do that.
I will NEVER forget how Muslims danced in the streets after 9-11. How Muslims said we deserved to be attacked. How Muslims just could not go on talks shows, or send letters to newspapers across this land that they were outraged at their fellow Muslims for what happened on 9-11. I will never forget how Muslims have been more worried about profiling then they are about catching the bad guys.
And I will NEVER forget the connection that CAIR and it’s leaders have to those that attacked us, and how time after time they defend the terrorists. I will never forget the hate filled anti- American quotes by the leaders of CAIR.
No CAIR and Islam (the death cult) deserves our anger and our words of disrespect. It is time for them to EARN respect like anyone else in the world has to do. They expect it by threats and intimidation, but this is America and mob rule does not work.
I love it. Make fun of Christians, no problem, but make fun of Muslims and there’s hell to pay.
Not even make fun of so much as tell the truth about… I think they doth protest too much.
Not one hint that Bill Handel from KFIam640 is a JEW.
CAIR, here are a couple of keywords for you to understand.
Free Speech.
From the US Constitution…take the book home and study it. You will be tested in the morning with follow up humor.
Saturday Night Live can parody anyone, stereotype, and group they choose, no matter how tasteless. It is called humor, parody, satire, or just plain comedy.
Leno and Letterman do the same. It is called political humor; comedy.
Now a radio personality does what every comedian does. He uses
stereotypes and makes fun of them. No one calls Letterman, Leno, or SNL racist. No one gets an apology. But CAIR has a different standard. If it is offensive to Muslims, they demand an apology. Or what?
They will sue? Fat chance. They will call for a boycott of the station. Again, fat chance. The only people who care what they think, outside of their own group, are a few addle brained elitists, whose opinions have no relevance anyway.
I like the lost sandal bit.
Adolf Hitler assumed powers of state when he slowly passed laws that every German citizen could justify the logic of.