Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

[Radio_Realist]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

Clearly, none of you work in broadcasting. If you did, then you'd understand the importance of such things as tone of voice and taking statements in context. If all you go by is a written transcript of anything anyone says, without hearing tone of voice, or if sarcasm or irony was conveyed, then you cannot have a true understanding of the message conveyed.

 

[DaleGriffin]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

sorry Dale, we have to agree to disagree.

I'm not saying these guys shouldn't be allowed to say what they want, but they have to take the knocks. IMHO, they were both ugly statements and they should have caught heat from it.

In reality it seems like you agree with me then, you are being consistent. That is all I ask.

 

[evnlee]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

Clearly, none of you work in broadcasting. If you did, then you'd understand the importance of such things as tone of voice and taking statements in context. If all you go by is a written transcript of anything anyone says, without hearing tone of voice, or if sarcasm or irony was conveyed, then you cannot have a true understanding of the message conveyed.

I must disagree.

It's very hard to make the case that Gallagher was being 'sarcastic'.

If history is any judge, he is repeating a bad pattern: doing or saying the wrong thing for the right reason.

When those wackjob Westboro Baptists were going to protest at the Amish funerals after thier slaying, Gallagher offered them an hour of national airtime if they would leave the Amish alone.

Good idea= helping the Amish.
Bad result= more cash for these 'special people', to continue to insult and damage our fallen heroes family.

Now I'm sure Gallagher want's to be united like we were on Sept 12th, but wishing another tragedy to accomplish it is a bad result.

However, I will admit I would have listened to that hour on Gallagher's show out of morbid curiousity, so that probably makes me about as bad as him.

Oh well.

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

It's very hard to make the case that Gallagher was being 'sarcastic'.

Did you actually hear him, or did you just read the transcript of what he said? Do you know first hand what his tone of voice was?

It may be hard to make a case, but it's impossible to state what his tone of voice was if you didn't hear it.

 

[evnlee]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

It's very hard to make the case that Gallagher was being 'sarcastic'.

Did you actually hear him, or did you just read the transcript of what he said? Do you know first hand what his tone of voice was?

It may be hard to make a case, but it's impossible to state what his tone of voice was if you didn't hear it.

Fair enough.

However, a couple points:

1: a couple posters claimed they heard him say it, and he wasn't trying to be 'funny'
2: he posted the exact same comment on his Townhall.com blog, without stating 'just kidding, guys!'
3: his own prior behaviour with the Kansas nutbag poisons the well ( for me )

I'll admit: I didn't hear him say it. But, if he did say it, and wasn't trying to be cute, then I still think he's a jerk.

 

[jellyeggs]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

As far as the Kansas nutbag situation, Gallagher granted the airtime to Shirley Phelps of her husband Fred`s Westboro Baptist Church in exchange for their promise that they wouldn`t stage one of their picketing protests at a funeral for some of the kids killed in the Amish school shooting in Pa. last year. I noticed a couple of posters`ve brought it up.

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

1: a couple posters claimed they heard him say it, and he wasn't trying to be 'funny'

And are those posters people whose judgement you have absolute and total faith in?

I'll admit: I didn't hear him say it.

Then you really can't know for sure, can you? And remember, I'm not just talking about hearing it live. Hearing a recording is just as good.

 

[Those RRRRs]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

Clearly, none of you work in broadcasting.

Clearly, you have demonstrated you don't know what you're talking about. For the record, I have seven stations under my belt...but that has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not I (or any one else) am capable of listening to a particular opinion and deciphering whether or not the person stating the opinion is saying what he/she believes or is quoting someone else entirely.

If you did, then you'd understand the importance of such things as tone of voice and taking statements in context.

[EDIT]

But for the benefit of those who didn't hear the show, rest assured that in addition to what I posted previously, Mr. Gallagher also said that he realizes that it may be himself or his family, or it may be a listener's family but he hopes that America endures another terrorist attack in order to unite us as a people again. This occured toward the end of the particular hour in question, and he had time for one caller to yell at him and deservedly express disgust for the deplorable statement before the news break.

If all you go by is a written transcript of anything anyone says, without hearing tone of voice, or if sarcasm or irony was conveyed, then you cannot have a true understanding of the message conveyed.

There was no sarcasm, there was no irony. The statement was made as I have described it. I have a true understanding of the message conveyed. So did the caller. I have looked for a repeat of the audio online. So far I've found nothing. If I do, I'll post it.



[inflammatory]

 

[Phil Boyce]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

Disclaimer: Mike Gallagher is a personal friend of mine. I hired him at WABC in 1996 when he was in Albany. He did good work for me for years....but then went on to syndication. He has not worked for me since 1999.

Does anybody really think Mike WANTS a terrorist attack on the U-S? Come on now. Of course not. When he said he wished something like that would happen to shutup people like Jane Fonda, he was obviously speaking metaphorically. Was it the smartest way of putting it? Obviously not. But to suggest he should be boycotted or his advertisers boycotted because of it is going too far.

As a guy who manages talk show hosts for a living, I undertstand how something can come out wrong. It is the heat of the moment...it is live radio...and you don't have a chance to take something back. Intent should always be considered. I know Mike would never suggest a terrorist attack would be a good thing. However, shutting up the likes of Jane Fonda would be in his mind a good thing, in his mind.

There are professors on college campuses blaming the U-S for 9/11. Some of these professors actually claim that the United States blew up the World Trade Center, as some evil plot by George Bush to give him an excuse to attack muslims. I know...ridiculous. But these people are really SERIOUS. They really believe it, and are paid by taxpayer dollars to teach our college students what they believe. THAT is scary to me.

Mike Gallagher's suggestion is not scary to me...because I know he does not want another terrorist attack. That is just silly.

pb

 

[Those RRRRs]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

Does anybody really think Mike WANTS a terrorist attack on the U-S?

It doesn't matter what anyone thinks, what matters is what he said.

I undertstand how something can come out wrong. It is the heat of the moment...it is live radio...and you don't have a chance to take something back.

I understand that too. When I was on the air years ago, plenty of things came out incorrectly. But I never pontificated for 15 minutes about wishing for another attack on American soil. That was left to Mr. Gallagher.

There are professors on college campuses blaming the U-S for 9/11.

Point well taken. But that has little or no bearing on this topic. Therefore, you can not use that as an example to support your conclusion.

I know he does not want another terrorist attack. That is just silly.

If you say you know he does not want another attack than you either did not hear that portion of the show or have talked to Mr. Gallagher about this subject and he has since privately recanted. There was nothing silly about what he said, nor is there anything silly about someone drawing the conclusion that he meant what he said. If you had heard the audio, you would either agree or be lying.

If you doubt the veracity of my conclusions about what Mr. Gallagher stated, than please find a copy of the entire segment to post here for the benefit of those who didn't hear it. Anyone with even a slight degree of deductive reasoning capability will understand how inflammatory and disgusting the statement was.

Thank you for your input.

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

But for the benefit of those who didn't hear the show,

Did you hear the show, or are you working only from a transcript?

If you doubt the veracity of my conclusions about what Mr. Gallagher stated, than please find a copy of the entire segment to post here for the benefit of those who didn't hear it.

Did you actually hear what he said and the way that he said it? Or are you going strictly from a transcript?

I no longer work in radio, but for several years I earned a fair living as a member of AFTRA working as an actor. It's not at all difficult to deliver a line in such a way as to totally change its meaning simply through inflection and tone of voice. Anyone with any acting skills can turn a statement into a question by shifting the vocal inflection. It's also incredibly easy to make a statement with a tone of voice that makes it perfectly clear that one means the exact opposite of the actual words.

So, I repeat my question. Are you basing your opinion on actually hearing the way he spoke the words, or are you just going from a written transcript?

 

[jimwalsh2001]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

Gallagher is the perfect representation of what the suits who run the industry (along with Wall Street) think a "talk radio host" is supposed to sound like. Just in case you're wondering why the biz is in the godawful state it's in...

 

[evnlee]

Re: Mike Gallagher states "wish" for "another terror attack on American soil"

But for the benefit of those who didn't hear the show,

Did you hear the show, or are you working only from a transcript?

If you doubt the veracity of my conclusions about what Mr. Gallagher stated, than please find a copy of the entire segment to post here for the benefit of those who didn't hear it.

Did you actually hear what he said and the way that he said it? Or are you going strictly from a transcript?

I no longer work in radio, but for several years I earned a fair living as a member of AFTRA working as an actor. It's not at all difficult to deliver a line in such a way as to totally change its meaning simply through inflection and tone of voice. Anyone with any acting skills can turn a statement into a question by shifting the vocal inflection. It's also incredibly easy to make a statement with a tone of voice that makes it perfectly clear that one means the exact opposite of the actual words.

So, I repeat my question. Are you basing your opinion on actually hearing the way he spoke the words, or are you just going from a written transcript?

I'm going by what he posted in his townhall blog, and the post in question is hard to defend:
Seeing Jane Fonda Saturday was enough to make me wish the unthinkable: "..it will take another terror attack on American soil in order to render these left-leaning crazies irrelevant again. Remember how quiet they were after 9/11? No one dared take them seriously. It was the United States against the terrorist world, just like it should be."

Translation: I hate Americans who oppose the Iraq War more than I hate the mass-murdering military, insurgent and terrorist enemies of the United States, and I just wish that the latter actually succeed in some mass murder of Americans here so the former will suffer an embarrassing political defeat. Sincerely, Mike Gallagher.

To call for the mass murder of Americans is anti-American; to do so even in jest or as hyperbole is beyond tasteless. People of good faith disagree about the Iraq war. People of good faith disagree about a lot of things. Had Jane Fonda announced her wish for the mass murder of Americans, Gallagher would not have gone a-puking but would have called for her criminal prosecution. A pox on both thier houses, on hers from her anti-American activities in the 1970s and on his now!!