Listen Live to the Rob, Arnie, and Dawn in the Morning broadcast at 7:30 AM PDT (10:30 AM EDT) here. Barista Autumn Sandeen and TransYouth Family Ally executive director Kim Pearson will be on air with the hosts.
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.
--Martin Luther King Jr.
My laptop pooped out today, so I didn't have the ability to write earlier. And now, I really don't have time to write a lengthy post -- It's late, and I've been strategically planning with Kim Pearson for the Thursday Morning KRXQ broadcast appearance.
And hey, we are hearing you. I will be there as a new media reporter; Kim as a children's advocate. We aren't going to overstep our roles; we will not be saying we accept statements of apology on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally communities, nor on behalf of transgender youth; nor on behalf progressive and children's activists. In other words, we will hear the apologies, but only you can decide whether or not the apologies are acceptable.
"We are confident. We have ourselves. We know how to sacrifice. We know how to work. We know how to combat the forces that oppose us. But even more than that, we are true believers in the whole idea of justice. Justice is so much on our side, that that is going to see us through.
--Cesar Chavez
UC Davis, who were the beneficiaries of $126,000 from a KRXQ fundraiser last year, have decided not only not advertise with KRXQ, but no longer wish to have the station fundraise on their behalf:
OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR
HUMAN HEALTH SCIENCES
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
TELEPHONE: (916)734-7131
FAX: (9]6) 734-7055
June 8, 2009
John Geary
Vice President
Entercom Sacramento
5345 Madison Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95841
Dear Mr. Geary,
The statements made by Rob Williams and Arnie States on the May 28 broadcast of "Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning" - and the subsequent response by the show's hosts and the station's leadership - have caused DC Davis Health System to re-examine its relationship with KRXQ 98 Rock.
We are grateful for the fundraising support KRXQ has provided over the last several years to DC Davis Children's Hospital. This fundraising has been valuable in raising awareness about our children's hospital and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of children's services.
Nevertheless, the events of May 28 and the station's lack of a publicly articulated response to those events are inconsistent with DC Davis' values and mission. We are first and foremost an institution of learning and teaching, committed to advancing health and well-being for all. We are deeply committed to our DC Davis Principles of Community, a commitment that affirms the inherent dignity in all of us, fosters mutual understanding, and strives to maintain a climate of social justice.
We affirm the right of freedom of expression, within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity and respect. The statements made by Rob Williams and Arnie States were outside those bounds. We reject their statements of intolerance, which were all the more alarming because they were directed at a population - children who express transgender feelings - who are especially vulnerable to the prejudice, violence and harm such statements engender. We are disappointed that KRXQ did not reject those statements as well.
After careful consideration of the longstanding partnership with KRXQ 98 Rock, we have decided to cancel our advertising on the station and to discontinue our partnership with KRXQ for Children's Miracle Network fundraising.
We will reassess our relationship at the end of the year, with the hope that KRXQ 98 Rock will at that time prove to be an organization with whom we can partner to advance health for all.
Sincerely,
Claire Pomeroy, M.D., M.B.A.
Vice Chancellor, Human Health Sciences
Dean, DC Davis School of Medicine
Kim and I get that this story, while about transgender children in particular, is really is about how adults culling out any group of minority children for abuse as being an absolute wrong. UC Davis treats trans children at their medical facilities, but even if they didn't, it appears that they too very much get that adults culling out any group of minority children for abuse is an absolute wrong.
"Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures."
--Cesar Chavez
GLAAD, as per their norm with this story, has another excellent post up on the glaadBLOG, entitled KRXQ UPDATE: Tomorrow's Show and More Advertiser Statements. Along with the information that the title informs us is the entry, GLAAD adds the following:
Please note the following information:
* The live broadcast will last for 2.5 hours
* There will be no commercial breaks whatsoever during the radio show
* People may call in during the show at the following number: 916-766-1044
* You can follow GLAAD Senior Media Strategist Andy Marra on Twitter during the broadcast @Andy_Marra
* GLAAD will be releasing our statement on GLAADblog.org and GLAAD.org soon after the show
GLAAD reminds its readers to be respectful and civil when calling into the radio station and expressing your views.
Kim and I would appreciate that too. Remember:
The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.
--Martin Luther King Jr.
And...
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
--Martin Luther King Jr.
As the grass roots, you have been the spokesmodels to both KRXQ and the pertinent advertisers; as a collective group, you have been the talking heads. Kim and I are aware of this -- we only ask that y'all continue to remain the voices or reason in a realm where hate has clouded the starry brilliance of our community's youth. |
