Savage: People with autism are “Brats”, “Idiots” and “Putzes.”
Broadcaster Michael Savage is well known for his attacks on African-Americans, Latinos, minorities, women, gays, liberals and immigrants. In a recent broadcast, he added sick and disabled children to the list of groups that he hates.
During his July 17 broadcast, moment’s after claiming that increased rate of asthma in minority children is the result of a welfare scam, Savage made the following statements:
“Now, the illness du jour is autism. You know what autism is? I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they’re silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, “Don’t act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.”
Savage is clearly unaware of some basic facts about autism:
* Half of all people with autism never learn to speak
* More than half of people with an autism diagnosis have an IQ that places them in the mentally retarded range
* The number of children diagnosed with autism has increased at a rate of about 15% per year for the past twenty years.
* 60 years ago autism was thought to be a psychiatric disorder caused by bad mothers, even though no evidence was ever offered to support that theory. This theory was rejected by responsible observers in the 1960s.
While Michael Savage has a First Amendment right to express his viewpoints, the belligerence and ignorance of Savage’s comments are self-evident.
And broadcasters such as WOR hold their licenses to use the airwaves in the public interest. We question whether broadcasting demonstrably false statements about some of our most vulnerable members of society is in the public interest.
Advertisers on Savage’s program in the New York City-area include Home Depot, Radio Shack, AFLAC, Sears and Budweiser.
We would like to know whether these companies believe that this is the type of broadcasting that they want to associate with their brands.
And if they do wish to associate themselves with Savage, how do they suggest families and friends of people with autism interpret that association?
We are calling upon America’s radio stations to reconsider whether broadcasting Savage is consistent with their duty to serve the public interest.
And we call upon advertisers on Savage’s programs to associate themselves with broadcasts that do not willfully mislead, or direct hatred at the most vulnerable among us.
Here is some contact information for Michael Savage, WOR, and advertisers on the Savage program:
Michael Savage
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Talk Radio Network
P.O. Box 3755
Central Point, Oregon 97502
Phone: 541-664-8827
Fax: 541-664-6250
The Savage Nation
The Paul Revere Society
150 Shoreline Hwy, Bldg E
Mill Valley, CA 94941
Fax: (415) 339-9383
Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio
General Phone Number: 212 642 4500
111 Broadway 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10006Phone: (212) 642 4500
Home Depot
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: (770) 384-4646
Sears
Sears Public Relations And Communications
Phone: (847) 286-8371
contact through their website:
http://www.searsmedia.com/tools/inquires/feedback.htm
Radioshack
Media Relations
Riverfront Campus, Mail Stop #CF7-130_300
RadioShack Circle, Fort Worth, TX 76102-1964
Phone: (817) 415-3300
Fax: (817) 415-2585
E-mail:
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AFLAC
Phone: (800) 99-AFLAC, (800) 992-3522
Laura Kane, 2nd Vice President External Relations
Phone: (706) 596-3493
Mechell Clark, Media Relations Manager
Phone: (706) 243-8004
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Budweiser
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
One Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118
Email through their site:
http://contactus.anheuser-busch.com/contactus/email.asp
Phone: 800 DIAL BUD, (800) 342-5283
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