Talk Radio

Greg wrote an article for the Oklahoma Gazette on the influence conservative Talk Radio has and its relationship with conservative Christianity. Greg then went on the radio yesterday afternoon to talk to one of the local hosts. That was interesting.

I HATE talk radio. I never listen to Rush or Sean or Bill "Sexual Harrasser" O'Reilly. Occasionally I listen to Christian talk radio--but only for the entertainment value. (If you listen to Marlon Maddoux, you know what I am talking about. I also get a kick out of Dick Bott editorializing on the evils of the gays and the secular liberals.) I think talk radio is awful, both in substance and what it does for our national dialogue. It increases the vitriol without increasing the knowledge or substance--and forget about compassion or consideration. Those don't sell on talk radio. Rush Limbaugh has done more to undermine our national discussion than any one person--giving us "words" like "feminazi." Wow, thanks Rush. What a way to label people in a struggle. Al Franken was right the first time--Rush is a big fat idiot. Anyone who can get addicted to drugs while not learning any compassion for other drug users or people who struggle is more than an idiot.

Greg did great on our local show, and the guy who interviewed him struck all of us as much more compassionate and humane that Rush or Sean Hannity (stupid blowhard). Greg got this guy to talk about Christianity with nuance and care and that was cool. This guy agreed that Christians need to take care of the poor and are instead building great (well, he used the word 'tabernacle' which could be heard as a slur) edifices instead of doing their job.

But then, when I got back in the car, he was interviewing Tom Cole (our local rep--same one who's staff was too stupid to respond to my letter about red-lining, and instead sent me a form letter justifying Cole's vote on ethics changes) and braying about Bush's SOTU speech. I switched back to NPR and the heart rate went right back down.

Nice job, Greg. You are doing what you can to encourage good dialogue. But seriously folks, turn off the talk radio!