Talkshow John Birch Paranoid Blues
The John Birch Society is alive and well-- and advertising soon on WHO Radio in Des Moines, the station in which only condom ads are out of place.The secret fraternal organization that helped America root out Communists in the 1950s and 60s has been keeping a low profile since they chased that commie Eisenhower out of office, but they've still been meeting privately on-line, in Legion Halls and in hotel banquet rooms away from the bright glare of the media spotlight. They've been discussing theories such as how Civil Rights legislation is communist in inspiration, how water fluoridation is a Communist plot to poison American citizens, and how millions of Mexicans are organizing an invasion just across the border, with each man instructed to kill at least 10 Americans.
Now one of it's members, Frank Gallup of Madrid, IA, has saved more than $1700 (presumably in a shoebox under his bed, hidden from Jew bankers), and he's ready to spend it on a radio advertising campaign aimed at stopping the FTAA, or the Free Trade Area of the Americas-- legislation that would extend NAFTA trade policy to the rest of the Western Hemisphere.
What's frightening for me is that I agree with their opposition to the plan. The FTAA doesn't adequately address environmental standards or human rights, and doesn't deal with the systemic police violence that's being used to extend corporate globilizaton. John Birchers, though, would label me part of the "false opposition" to the FTAA-- intent to surrender American sovereignty to the emerging "supranational government." (I prefer their phrase "Watermelon Marxist"-- Green on the outside, Red on the inside.)
They use racist demagogery to make their case to frustrated union members. I know because their ads have already aired on our frequency under the guise of one of their front organizations-- the Coalition to Protect the American Worker. The ads we ran, which demonized immigrants, had been rejected by every other radio and television station in the Des Moines market. The latest batch of commercials, which will air the week of March 7th during the conservative Jan Mickelson show and my own "Drive Time Des Moines," should cause an even greater listener response since they're tagged with the disclaimer, "Paid for by your local John Birch Society."
Researching the history of the organization on-line, it becomes obvious why it's so difficult for conspiracy-based groups to grow beyond cult status. In 1966, eight years after the formation of the group, one of the co-founders "discovered" that one of the other co-founders had been controlled by the Jews all along. Apparently, this phony patriot had been diverting the energy and money of real patriotic Americans towards the "international Communist conspiracy," while leaving unmolested the Jewish-led conspiracy against the West. Traitor!
In 1963, a Freewheelin' Bob Dylan wrote a song entitled "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues." I'll give him the last word.
posted by CM @ 9:54 PM
5 Comments:
Media outlets refusing advertising dollars is an interesting topic. Are they free to advertise what they choose or is there a first amendment issue? Especially with radio and TV since they use the "public airwaves" Can't a radio station be held liable if an advertiser lies? TA
When an advertiser lies? Like if it turns out that Coke ISN'T it?
The "public airwaves" is a misnomer. The station has to file a license renewal request with the FCC every few years, but it's a rubber stamp process. The station has to run ads encouraging listeners to write the FCC with comments regarding the station's use of the frequency, but they probably get about three letters, and politicians don't want to fuck with the broadcasters.
Stations have almost total freedom to choose advertisers. The FCC monitors for indecency, and federal election laws require equal ad rates and equal commercial access for paying customers, but the other equal time laws (for news and talkshow content) are long gone.
I actually think our Des Moines Clear Channel stations do a good job of allowing access to controversial customers, such as strip clubs, dance clubs with Pimp-n-Ho nights, and sexual inhancement drugs. I referenced condoms because they were nixed on one of the five stations when they came down on a national network broadcast schedule. We don't get money for those ads and we're required to fulfill only about 90 percent of our network commercial order.
If a station rejects advertising that would not be considered "indecent" but only in poor taste, such as the previous John Birch ad, it's not because the station fears legal reprisal, it's because it fears a backlash by other advertisers.
This is what a lot of people don't understand about cable television. You can swear and show nudity, even on basic cable. The FCC holds no jurisdiction over that. You payed for that cable line into your private home. About a month ago, Comedy Central aired the movie "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" unedited. Comedy Central can do that because the advertisers that want to reach Jay and Silent Bob fans don't care about curse words.
Chris-when does your show air?
Weekdays- 4 to 6
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