Letters to the Editor
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Xrandadu Hutman
I think "supposedly independent radio stations that were owned and controlled by Clear Channel" is an oxymoron. If they're owned by Clear Channel, they're not independent.
Clear Channel blacklisted the Dixie Chicks because of their political stance. Don Imus was fired by his bosses, but he was fired after a political firestorm spearheaded by Jackson and Sharpton. Also he hadn't been fired when I wrote my comment, or at least I hadn't heard about it yet. Regardless, I don't think anyone honestly believes he was fired for the specific comments he made a few days ago. I don't listen to Imus and I know his reputation for saying offensive language regularly. If his bosses were worried about it they would've fired him long ago.
That said, I think the situations are parallel, In both cases, people were kept off radio (though in different ways) because what they said offended people, and the offended parties started a fuss big enough to get the attention of the people in charge.
By the way, I wish I had a nickel for every time I got the "you're not in Kansas anymore" line.