Wow - Michael Savage reaches new low

Michael "Savage" Wiener reached a new low this past week when he referred to autism as a "fraud" and a "racket." I'm wondering when Talk Radio Network will finally realize that employing Savage isn't worth it. And by that I mean that a corporation's reputation is worth more than dollars and cents. It's true (and I still can't believe it) that he gets decent ratings in some markets, but I don't see how. If large swaths of the American people really embrace this guy, than I have little faith for America.

From the transcript:

Now, you want me to tell you my opinion on autism, since I'm not talking about autism? A fraud, a racket. For a long while, we were hearing that every minority child had asthma. Why did they sudden -- why was there an asthma epidemic amongst minority children? Because I'll tell you why: The children got extra welfare if they were disabled, and they got extra help in school. It was a money racket. Everyone went in and was told [fake cough], "When the nurse looks at you, you go [fake cough], 'I don't know, the dust got me.'" See, everyone had asthma from the minority community. That was number one.

Now, the illness du jour is autism. You know what autism is? 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.

Savage's hateful diatribes aren't even a free speech issue. Sure, Wiener has a Constitutional right to say what he likes, but no one, including Talk Radio Network, is under any obligation to help him put forth his hateful opinions.

It's as if Wiener is deliberately trying to get fired so he can cry "free speech! free speech!" At some point, hopefully Talk Radio Network will oblige him and do what it should have done long ago. Until then, let the letter writing begin. I'm not even going to bother writing Talk Radio Network - my protests will simply encourage rubes like Savage and the powers that be over at TRN. I'll simply target their advertisers, and not give them my business for supporting such a disgraceful company and radio talk show "host." Here are a few I've written so far...

To Legal Zoom, a company that advertises on TRN's Website:

LegalZoom.com, Inc.
Attn: Brian Liu, Chairman and Co-Founder
7083 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 180
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Dear Mr. Liu:
Recently I noticed that you advertise on Talk Radio Network, including the program of Michael Savage, who is nothing short of a hate-mongering disgrace. In the past few years, he's made intolerant remarks about Muslims, African-Americans and now people suffering from autism, a disease that Savage last week called "a fraud, a racket." Since your advertising dollars partially make his show possible, I will not support your company in any way until you stop advertising on both his show, and Talk Radio Network. And I am a potential customer, too; I own a photo business and I'm looking to incorporate soon.

I strongly urge you to consider the social implications of where you send your advertising dollars. Savage might have a sizable audience with a great deal of reach, but companies should stand for something. What does LegalZoom stand for? Calling autism a "fraud"? Your regular and potential customers deserve better.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in democracy,
RJ
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I was a potential Legal Zoom customer, too. I run a part-time photography business, and sooner or later I will have to incorporate. But, by supporting hate mongers like Savage, my wallet has no room for Legal Zoom.

Here's on to Go To Meeting, another advertiser on TRN's Website:

Citrix Online Division
Brett Caine, President
6500 Hollister Avenue
Goleta, CA 93117

Dear Mr. Caine:
Recently I noticed that you advertise on Talk Radio Network, including the program of Michael Savage, who is nothing short of a hate-mongering disgrace. In the past few years, Savage has made intolerant remarks about Muslims, African-Americans and now people suffering from autism, a disease that last week he called "a fraud, a racket." Since your company supports a hate monger like Savage by partially making his show possible, I will look for alternatives to your product, or wait until you reconsider your advertising decisions. And I am a potential customer, too; I own my own business and you have a product that would certainly be of use to me.

I strongly urge you to consider the social implications of where you send your advertising dollars. Savage might have a sizable audience with a great deal of reach, but companies should stand for something. What does Citrix stand for? Calling autism a "fraud"? Your regular and potential customers deserve better.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in democracy,
RJ
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hey, give letter writing a try - it's quick, easy and fun. What's more, with the dominance of our absurd corporate media, it's about the only thing we have left - spending our money with organizations that don't support these animals who spread nothing but vile, hateful venom to America.

Below is a list of "happy advertising clients," according to TRN's Website, so use the letters above as a template and send your own. It only takes a few minutes, and it's amazingly empowering.

Not included in the list below is Rockstar Energy Drink, a company that was founded by Wiener's son, Russell Weiner, who serves as Rockstar's CEO. Russell co-founded the Paul Revere Society with his father in 1996, so I don't support Rockstar, either. In fact, when I was in a convenience store last week, I saw a pad of coupons on one of the doors in the refrigerated section. Boom! That was gone - 50 coupons to would-be customers of Rockstar. (At left) Hey, every little bit counts. Again, with the right's dominance of the media, we don't have much left but our dollars and sense.

Hey, one company, one letter at a time is my motto. Below is the list of TRN's clients. Happy writing. ...

ABC
Acura
American Express
Ancestry.com
Boca Java
Bochringer
Bosch
Campbells
Citrix
Consolidated Resources
Direct Buy
Dish Network
Ebay Motors
Efax
General Motors
Gallo Wines
Hoover Read the company's response Here
Legal Zoom
Marshalls
Nautilus
Nivea
Outback Steakhouse
Prudential
Purina One
Simon & Schuster
Staples
Subway
Texaco Chevron
United First Financial
Volkswagon

Write them! Let them hear from you that we aren't going to tolerate people like Michael "Savage" Wiener denigrating tens of thousands of people with autism.

h/t Media Matters for the audio/video clip

This Wiener has no taste

This is the first and probably the only time I will ever post something from Dr. Michael Wiener (née Savage), but this one was too good to pass up. I dare you to get through the entire length of this audio clip without clicking off of it.

Notice about halfway through this audio, Wiener's brain simply morphs Rev. Wright's comments into those that have been said by Obama himself. That's a deliberate, intentional lie.

What's with the Third Reich fetish by those on the far right? Can this guy go longer than five minutes without saying the word Nazi? He even goes so far as to mention "Japanese Nazis" from World War II. The Japanese were Nazis? That's certainly news to me. I know that Japan and Germany had a loose alliance during the war, but that's about as far as it went. The Japanese certainly didn't describe themselves as Nazis.

I guess "Nazi" is the new "Communist," the name that right wingers would always call Democrats and opponents in political debates during the Cold War. The word Nazi is becoming as trite as Wiener's stereotypes about liberals.

And for those of you who think that Wiener is totally fringe, think again. From his Wikipedia entry:

As Michael Savage, he has written four New York Times best sellers. His nationally syndicated radio show, The Savage Nation, reaches more than 10 million listeners on 410 stations throughout the United States, ranking third in number of stations syndicated nationwide and third in nationwide audience behind Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Ten million listeners? That's not exactly fringe. Quite frankly, it frightens me that this many people listen to him.

Lots of other things to comment on, but why bother?

A quick footnote, though...

I went to Wiener's Website, fully prepared to share with you which companies you should avoid giving your business to, but there was just one problem. I couldn't find any advertisers. About all I did find was endless advertisements for his bullshit books, as well as multiple links per page asking for advertisers and even several spots where you could donate "to protect free speech." This guy pimps his doorstops books, mugs, hats and t-shirts more than Limbaugh or O'Lielly. And that's saying something.

However, I can guarantee you that I will never, ever buy a Rockstar, an energy drink founded by the company where his son Russell Wiener serves as CEO. I've tried Rockstar and it sucks anyway, but I just thought I'd share the news with you. By drinking it, you really are supporting boobs like Wiener and his son, who both founded The Paul Revere Society in 1996, an organization whose mission, according to Wiener, is to "bring together Americans who actively seek to take back our borders, our language, and our traditional culture from the liberal left corroding our great nation."

To be clear, I'm NOT supporting his being thrown off the air for what he says. This is America, and free speech should always be protected. But, hate speech must be appropriately scorned, and that's exactly what Wiener's sewer is - hate speech that fouls America's airwaves.