And instead of defending the American tradition of unfettered speech, WMAL succumbed to this most un-American request and suspended Graham without pay.

From the Washington Post:

WMAL Suspends Talk-Show Host for Comment on Islam

By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 29, 2005

Radio talk-show host Michael Graham was suspended by station WMAL-AM yesterday for repeatedly describing Islam as a "terrorist organization" on his program.

Graham said he has been ordered off the Washington station, without pay, for an indefinite period while the station investigates the comments that drew complaints from a Muslim group, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Officials at WMAL, which is owned by the Walt Disney Co., had initially declined to take disciplinary action against Graham. However, WMAL President and General Manager Chris Berry said last night that Graham would be suspended for making statements that "crossed the line."

"We do not condone his position and believe his statements were irresponsible," Berry said in a statement.

Graham, 42, said on his mid-morning program on Monday that the fault for recent acts of terrorism lies not with Islamic radicals alone but also with Muslims generally because religious leaders and followers have tacitly supported extreme elements. "The problem is not extremism," Graham told listeners. "The problem is Islam." He also said, "We are at war with a terrorist organization named Islam."....

Graham, whose program is part of WMAL's lineup of conservative talk shows, remained unapologetic and defiant. "I honestly don't know what Disney is investigating me for, unless it's for doing a compelling talk show that gets people's attention," he said. "I thought that was my job."."

He also said, "If fighting for free speech and for the truth in the war on terrorism means getting fired by some corporate suits at ABC Disney who can't stand up for free speech -- so be it. But I will not recant."

So much for the complete sell-out of American heritage by our broadcast television news and our talk radio. Just when you think it can't get any worse, you can write off two more American icons. WMAL is owned by the Walt Disney Company. And the (formerly) all-American name Cadillac is associated with the effort to silence an American voice. WMAL advertiser Moore Cadillac Hummer of Vienna, Virginia supported the effort to stifle freedom of speech, saying to CAIR "...we...agree with you totally." Apparantly, their greed for imaginary car sales to Muslims outweighed their valuation of the freedoms that permit the free enterprise of selling cars in the first place. Pandering to CAIR, Moore also put pressure on WMAL to get rid of Graham:

WMAL programming features two other personalities that have come out against Michael Graham in Chris Core and Fred Grandy. Their views are much more in line with ours and we support them fervently....

After a lifetime of hard work, being a complete wife-and-mother family person AND having a full-time career as a physicist managing defense research programs, [American Daughter] had decided to reward herself with a Cadillac. Apparantly Moore has just saved her about $46,000. If you are also outraged, you can contact this reprehensible un-American dealership here:

Jeff C. Doughty
General Sales Manager

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