» posted on 11:26am - April 06 2006 | posted by Lev

A talk radio discussion about shooting immigrants as they crossed the border has outraged a Valley interfaith group, whose members on Monday called for a federal investigation into the remarks.

Members of Arizona Interfaith Network gathered on the Capitol lawn to denounce remarks made by host Brian James during a March 8 broadcast on KFYI-AM (550).

The group's president, Dick White, played a recording in which James appeared to advocate violence toward immigrants.

"What we'll do is randomly pick one night - every week - where we will kill whoever crosses the border," James said. "Step over there and you die. You get to decide whether it's your lucky night or not. I think that would be more fun."

White said the remarks were irresponsible and could incite violence against immigrants.

"This recording is an example of what's wrong with the public debate on immigration," he said. "Whatever your views on immigration, these remarks have no place on our airwaves. A license to broadcast is not a license to advocate murder."

He said his group was considering filing a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.

James, a fill-in host who is on the air Tuesday evenings, said his remarks were taken out of context and that he did not support violence.

"As a talk show host, sometimes things I say get taken out of context or are exaggerated," he said in an e-mail. "I do not in any way advocate shooting illegal immigrants. . . . I am not at this point, nor was I then, advocating shooting anyone. I was simply trying to make a point."

The point James was trying to make was that the debate over immigration has become "outrageous," said Lauri Cantillo, program director at KFYI.

"He was very careful to say, 'Of course, I'm not advocating violence,' " she said. "This was to make a point about how outrageous this debate has become."

Cantillo said she could not provide a complete transcript of the broadcast because the station had not kept a tape of it. On a short audio clip of the broadcast that Cantillo provided, James says KFYI does not advocate violence but he doesn't denounce it himself.

Craig Allen, a professor and broadcast news expert at Arizona State University, said James' remarks could incite violence even if taken out of context.

"You are going to reach the one of two or three or four or 10 who are at the extreme edge of that spectrum who could hear a comment like, 'Let's go shoot the border crossers,' and they will be moved to actually do it," he said. "That's the stakes here."

---------

My two cents, wow, what really "unique" American values or thinking. Haven't seen this sort of mentality before. It's official, America has completely lost it's way and has no fucking idea where it's going anymore. It's really sad in a way. Read the statue of liberty, read your history book, read how America was founded.

I completely agree with this man's right to say so, however I do not believe the FCC has the right to determine who is allowed to have a radio license. That is simply pre-emptive censorship. Everyone should be allowed to voice their opinion, feeling and ideas in whatever peaceful way they do. What he did was words and nothing more. We should only press charges over actions not words. If someone actually did carry out what he spoke, charge them for harming another human being. We can't put any sort of limitation on free speech; it is something that should be treasured, adored and respected.

We should allow all the good people and all the evil people to voice their opinion even if we believe in "incites" whatever. Don't criminalize people based on their voice; that is fascism.

But once I again I am completely against his one-sides way of thinking and opinion of immigrants in general. I don't feel anyone should hate or treat immigrants different than anyone else. Nations are institutions created by us to divide us. To place some of us above the rest, to take pride in what side of the river we were born in and to give justification to pride in lives by people, who otherwise would have nothing to be proud for.

Nationalism is the tool and last hope of the desperate who have nothing to be personally proud of, so they confide in collective pride to give them some sort of purpose or place in the world.

--- "Inquiry into radio host's c...ged" has been viewed times ---

Bookmark item @