AAR caller says Memphis affiliate replaced Randi with gay bashing

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Bible thumper (those were the callers words) during afternoon drive time.

Any Memphean DUers able to weigh in on this?

[WritingIsMyReligion]

1. I'm not from Tennessee,

but that just sucks ass.

[shenmue]

2. Can't tune in as I don't live there...

but that sounds totally out of character for the network. If it's true, I hope they remedy it soon. If for some silly reason they don't want the entire Randi show (which they should!), at least they could put on another hour of something liberal. Gay bashing is ridiculous and doesn't belong on AAR.

[Eric J in MN]

3. I found this webapge

Is it Leon Gray?

http://www.680wwtq.com/home/

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. I believe that was the name the caller said...

[Mel]

5. I think that's the name

the caller said. I'm afraid to click on your link though.
I do think Sam may be right when he implied there may be stations that are sabotaging AAR.

[Eric J in MN]

6. There is nothing scary if you click the link.

It just seems like the website of a Memphis radio station.

[Eric J in MN]

10. Here is his explanation of his comments on homosexuality.

I am deeply troubled by the fact voicing my opinion calling homosexuality wrong has hurt and angered so many people. Being a communicator, I’m certain more openly honest dialog will calm this storm created, at least this time, by the sound of Leon Gray II.

Through prayer I’m sure of my current state of hindsight… I didn’t consider the effect my broadcasted opinion would have on the audience listening to me speak it. It was a huge mistake and not my desire for me to allow my words to come off in what I now realize was a condescending, judgmental, and condemning fashion.

The truth is I believe homosexuality is wrong because I don’t understand it, and while I can only speak honestly for myself, I feel comfortable, nonetheless, saying I’m surely not alone. In simplest terms, my ability to understand is totally based on how I was taught information I learned. For example: John has one apple; Jane gives him another. 1 plus 1 equals 2; the square root of 1 is 1, up versus down, left is opposite right... my mom was a woman, my dad was a man.

I believe, because I was taught GOD made man then woman to be with man.

continues at his blog:
http://wwtq680.blogspot.com/

[LTR]

13. THAT'S their website???

It looks terrible!

I'm shocked that a huge company like Entercom would allow something that looked that bad. Very amateurish looking. I could and have done much better than that with little effort.

[Eric J in MN]

7. During which show was the call made? (nt)

nt

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. Seder/Majority Report

[Rob H.]

9. I can verify that

Here's what I posted over in the Tennessee forum. It's The Leon Gray Show, but he made his initial comments in some prerecorded messages called The Gray Matter that the station runs periodically.

He's also VERY socially conservative

In addition to being anti-gay, he thinks intelligent design should be taught in science classes and prayer in schools would be a good thing. (Someone actually had to point out to him--on the air!--that he isn't a host on a religious station.) Oh, and he's a big supporter of Bush's "faith-based initiative."

He also likened homosexuality to genocide because he thinks that if too many people "become" gay (yes, he thinks it's a choice) there won't be any future generations. I'm single with no kids--am I a genocidal maniac? I have friends who are childless by choice. What about them? What about couples where one partner is infertile or sterile?

An acquaintance of mine called in at the height of the furor and Leon kept muting him and actually cut him off at one point and called him a liar. Nice. Gray also couldn't define what he meant by "homosexual lifestyle" and he doesn't think gay rights is a civil rights issue, which has obviously caused quite a stir.

I've stopped listening to his show. He was on shaky ground with me to begin with since his show cuts off the first hour of The Majority Report, which I'd much rather listen to. Him airing his regressive ideas about gay people was the final straw. I'm done with him.

In the aftermath, he's framing it such that he's being attacked not just for expressing his opinion, but for actually having those opinions. That isn't the case. Not one caller has said that he isn't entitled to his opinions. He can believe any crazy, mixed-up bullshit he wants to believe, imo. He just needs to be prepared to take responsibility when he's inevitably called on it.</rant>

UPDATE: I listened* for a few minutes today, and when he spoke to a caller he claimed that he hadn't said anything insulting(!) about gay people, apparently forgetting that he said what he said ON THE RADIO where people could, you know, hear it. You can read his original comments and listeners' responses for yourself here.

*I know, I know, I said I wouldn't. Sorry. I just wanted to see whether anyone was still giving him a much-deserved verbal smackdown over his stupid statements. FTR, they are. When he said he hadn't said anything insulting, I think I said something like "You DICK!" and turned the radio off.

Quick edit: Randi's show isn't off the air completely here--they have one hour of Randi, The Leon Gray Show (for three hours!), and the second and third hours of The Majority Report.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. So what's the scoop... do you think the affiliate is trying to sabotage

progressive radio with this? Afternoon drive is one of the most important radio times for talk. Is this guy a stealth sabotuer? Website says he's a Dem, and he's African American. But if he's bashing gays he's no progressive.

[Rob H.]

12. Y'know, I'm honestly not sure

Supposedly he's been a fixture on the local liberal scene for a long time, but between all the Jebus talk and his homophobic remarks I just don't see it. I'm back in Memphis after nine years away, so if he's been on any other stations (I think he has) I haven't heard him before.

He actually tried to convince someone yesterday of his progressive credentials this way (I'm paraphrasing): "Progressives stand up for what they believe in. I stood up for what I believe in; therefore, I am a progressive." That's some of the most asinine reasoning I've ever heard. Since when does, "Hey, I'm scared and confused by gay people and despite what all my gay callers have said, I believe it's totally a choice and I'm sticking to that belief despite any and all evidence to the contrary" equal progressive?

It's possible based on his previous radio experience that WWTQ went into it thinking that he'd be a great host and weren't aware of his views on gays and lesbians, but I can't speak for them. Obviously I'd like to think they wouldn't be so dumb as to hire a stealth conservative but.... :shrug: