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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thu, Aug 14, 2008 
WHAM
Lacks Backbone to Remove Lonsberry I respect WHAMs position
on encouraging diverse opinions from LISTENERS. This is part of living in a country
of free thinking people. What I find deeply offensive is WHAM’s support of
an EMPLOYEE, specifically Mr. Lonsberry. They actually pay him money for his on-air
radio skills. And with these skills, he chooses to deliver a blow to our beautiful
city.. His divisive, irresponsible, and immoral comments have an impact on our
home, Rochester. His arrogant and misinformed comments promote beliefs that perpetuate
false ideas, aggravate neighborhoods, promote disharmony and disable unity. I
look forward to his inevitable dismissal from WHAM and this community. I am both
disappointed as well as ashamed that WHAM’s leadership has, up until now,
lacked the backbone to do the right thing. Please, remove this misguided man from
the air. Bruce McLellan Why All The Fuss About Lonsberry? Bob
Lonsberry’s comments were definitely Insensitive, Inappropriate and Inflammatory.
But, it is only one man's opinion expressed to like-minded listeners. I have personally
met and worked with Bob on a couple of occasions and he has never been disrespectful
or racist towards me. I think this energy being spent on trying to get
a man fired for doing what he is hired to do (i.e. speak his opinion), is a waste
of valuable time and effort. I suggest spending this time getting involved with
your child's or neighborhoods’ educational system. Become a mentor to one
of hundreds of borderline children born to teenage kids who don't have time for
them because they are still trying to grow up. This whole incident reminds
me of the story around the Prodigal Son. We celebrate the return or overcoming
youth while the son that stayed the course is often overlooked; which brings the
Black Scholar program to mind. In my mind, a "B" average is average
if you accept the probability that most "D" and "F" students
don't go to or complete college. Going to college with a “B” is more
likely, and therefore worthy of recognition. I believe Mr. Lonsberry was speaking
under the belief that when one is a scholar, they have demonstrated a mastery
in the subject suggested by an "A" average. However, according to the
Merriam-Webster Dictionary a scholar is a student or a learned individual, which
these students clearly exhibit. By promoting Black scholars, we want to recognize
any steps of advancement but understand a "B" is average on the global
scale of achievement. A scale we need to base our efforts on. Again, Mr.
Lonsberry comments were Insensitive, Inappropriate and Inflammatory but he was
preaching in his audience of mostly like minded people. The best thing we can
do is give him less things to talk about by getting busy helping each other do
better. We can do this by stepping out and talking to our young ladies at a young
age and explain what that song they are listening to the radio is really saying
and why you shouldn't embrace that thought. Why you shouldn't dress that way.
Why you shouldn't act that way ... that is, unless you like the idea of struggling
in poverty, you like the idea of standing in lines, you like the idea of being
one of the working poor. You like the idea of being physically and mentally abused
... Mr. Lonsberry is a small matter in the issues that face the American
people of African descent, so let’s move on and fight the battle of raising
our kids, educating our children and protecting our teenagers from drugs. I could
go on but I will stop now. Just so you know, I am a father of THREE daughters
and a brother of five sisters, and a caring member of our community so I am very
aware of what it’s all about. T.C. McCauley | |
Please
give us your feedback, comments, etc...
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To me, the issue is not so much this idiot's comments, it's the lack of a right to respond that counts. If there were still a Fairness Doctrine on the airwaves, Lonsberry's daily idiocies would likely be subject to community dialogue on the air.
If someone will check with the Federal Communications Commission, they will find that in the 1960s, WHAM's license was conditionally restored only after the Federal Communications Commission ruled that the station had prevented a full and fair debate on raising the minimum wage.
If the Democrats win the Presidency and gain seats in the Congress, grassroots elements must press for a restoration of the public's voice on controversial issues of public importance.
mitchell kaidy
i agree with McCauley. we should leave this alone and it will go away. why give WHAM any more publicity
Robert
What concerns me is within Lonesberry’s comments are the many Rochesterians that actually agree and support him and his position. Realizing this is a freedom of speech issues but the concern is the content of his use of that freedom. It provides a significant insight as to who he is and the people he works for and condones his behavior. I wonder what advertisers in the Rochester Area are helping Lonesberry in his “freedom”.
Min. Perry L. Ashford
Rep. Louise Slaughter, who represents Rochester, has introduced legislation to restore a version of the Fairness Doctrine and to minimize the accumulation of radio and television stations by one owner. Slaughter is the chair of the powerful House Rules Committee, implying that she has both the seniority and standing to move the bill.
I've called Louise's office to try to obtain a copy of the bill. Others should too, and support her to move the bill out of committee.
mitchell kaidy
The struggle continues. I am reminded here of the many obstacles to be overcome still, and of other causes that delay our gaining a greater momentum in our progress. The Lonberrys of the world are the result of a history and social climate that black people have had a major part in creating. We may well be our own worst enemy. I speak here about black celebrites like Jay Z and Monique. I had the displeasure of hearing Jay Z speaking in an interview about the use of the word niggah. He, in his own ignorant way, justified the use of the word. Monique did the same in an interview I read on the internet. My comment is this:
A nigger is a niggah is a nigga. No matter how you dress it, the word has a history and it carries an attitude and a direct message. The question then becomes what is the point of ongoing debates, chastisements, and running people out of their career professions when black people like Jay Z and Monique (in particular), and a slew of other black people in general, call each other niggah at every oportunity in nearly every conversation, even in the presence and the hearing range of white people? What is the ruckus about when white people, in a far less volatile manner, make ill-advised comments about the quality of life of black people?
If black people are telling white people, through overheard conversations and comedic references, that black people are niggahs, why shouldn't white people be able to say the word openly and freely or even have a negative opinion about black people? Is it because the word carries a different connotation when white people say it or an opinion awakens a combative spirit?
No one has ever or will ever convince me that niggah carries a qualitatively different meaning when a black person calls another black person a niggah than it does when a white person calls a black person a nigger. A nigger is a niggah is a nigga, plain and simple.
Perhaps black people like Jay Z and Monique feel some special privilege and believe they are on another perch above the socioeconomic and political playing field that is the American society. Even if they were, which they aren't, I don't see any elevation of black people in the continued use of a term of identification that was born in the most derogatory of thoughts in the minds of race conscious white people. Yes. A nigger is a niggah is a nigga. It is no term of endearment. And if we want to put an end to the Lonberrys of the world, we need to begin by respecting ourselves and better utilize our vocabulary when addressing each other. That, I might add, involves a commitment to education and the education of our children and our children's children.
Wallace Mabry
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