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amadiTo: pr@ckr.com, trcigar@aol.com, christine.wilcox@albertsonsllc.com, enewswire@fypower.org, info@fypower.org, Darryll.harrison@nissan-usa.com, john.britton@att.com, walt.riker@us.mcd.com, heidi.barker@us.mcd.com, rmckenney@barkleyus.com, corpcsf@wellsfargo.com, info@LASIKworld.com, procity@procitymortgage.com
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am writing regarding your company's advertising on radio station KRXQ "98 Rock" in Sacramento, California.
As numerous e-mails you've received have brought to your attention by now, on May 28, the morning hosts on the station began discussing the case of a child in the midwest who has come to the public light because of gender presentation issues. In that lengthy discussion, the hosts devolved into a heated tirade in which they advocated that the child in question, and any other child who failed to conform to stereotypes of their gender in regards to dress and behavior, should be beaten for doing so.
Advocating violence is never acceptable. Advocating violence against children is reprehensible.
Advocating violence against children for exploring -- which is what childhood is for -- their identities and determining who they are meant to be is, quite simply, hate speech.
The hosts, Rob Williams and Arnie States, have refused to apologize for their behavior or their statements. They have said that they were "joking" and that people complaining need to lighten up.
But violence is never a joke. There's simply nothing funny about what these men said. I wonder if Mr. Williams and Mr. States would like to talk to the families of Brandon Teena, Gwen Araujo or Angie Zapata and call those murder victims "freaks" and "weirdos" and suggest that the violent deaths that they suffered at the hands of people who expressed the exact same sentiments as Williams and States were in any way humorous.
The management of the station is standing behind the hosts and has gone so far as to suggest that the protests of those who are offended by the call to violence are engaging in censorship.
Thus far, Sonic Drive-In restaurants, Snapple beverages and Chipotle restaurants have agreed that the comments of the hosts and the reaction from the station management are unacceptable. The three companies have pulled their advertising from the station.
I urge you to stand with Sonic, Snapple, Chipotle and the thousands of people in the Sacramento area and across the country who are outraged by the comments of Williams and States.
Please pull your advertising from this station. Please state unequivocally to the public that you do not stand behind violent appeals and do not condone those who make them.
Thank you,
[Real Name & Phone Number]
I grabbed the list of e-mail addresses from GLAAD's blog. I pulled the address of the representative of Sonic from the list, since they've pulled their advertising. (I'll be sending them a thank you later, and buying a cherry limeade this weekend.) I also pulled the address of the Verizon Wireless representative (Debra.Lewis@VerizonWireless.com) because I will be sending a message that indicates that I'm a Verizon Wireless user and I'm already thinking of taking my business elsewhere. This could well be a deciding factor.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am writing regarding your company's advertising on radio station KRXQ "98 Rock" in Sacramento, California.
As numerous e-mails you've received have brought to your attention by now, on May 28, the morning hosts on the station began discussing the case of a child in the midwest who has come to the public light because of gender presentation issues. In that lengthy discussion, the hosts devolved into a heated tirade in which they advocated that the child in question, and any other child who failed to conform to stereotypes of their gender in regards to dress and behavior, should be beaten for doing so.
Advocating violence is never acceptable. Advocating violence against children is reprehensible.
Advocating violence against children for exploring -- which is what childhood is for -- their identities and determining who they are meant to be is, quite simply, hate speech.
The hosts, Rob Williams and Arnie States, have refused to apologize for their behavior or their statements. They have said that they were "joking" and that people complaining need to lighten up.
But violence is never a joke. There's simply nothing funny about what these men said. I wonder if Mr. Williams and Mr. States would like to talk to the families of Brandon Teena, Gwen Araujo or Angie Zapata and call those murder victims "freaks" and "weirdos" and suggest that the violent deaths that they suffered at the hands of people who expressed the exact same sentiments as Williams and States were in any way humorous.
The management of the station is standing behind the hosts and has gone so far as to suggest that the protests of those who are offended by the call to violence are engaging in censorship.
Thus far, Sonic Drive-In restaurants, Snapple beverages and Chipotle restaurants have agreed that the comments of the hosts and the reaction from the station management are unacceptable. The three companies have pulled their advertising from the station.
I urge you to stand with Sonic, Snapple, Chipotle and the thousands of people in the Sacramento area and across the country who are outraged by the comments of Williams and States.
Please pull your advertising from this station. Please state unequivocally to the public that you do not stand behind violent appeals and do not condone those who make them.
Thank you,
[Real Name & Phone Number]
I grabbed the list of e-mail addresses from GLAAD's blog. I pulled the address of the representative of Sonic from the list, since they've pulled their advertising. (I'll be sending them a thank you later, and buying a cherry limeade this weekend.) I also pulled the address of the Verizon Wireless representative (Debra.Lewis@VerizonWireless.com) because I will be sending a message that indicates that I'm a Verizon Wireless user and I'm already thinking of taking my business elsewhere. This could well be a deciding factor.
