Gay leaders seek apology from Wilson, KGO

Stan de SD

2006-10-15 22:23:11 UTC

They want a public apology from Wilson and KGO, as well as the
station's help to "educate the public about the diverse families
that call San Francisco and the Bay Area home," the press release
said.

I can see all sides on this issue. I can see Tom Ammiano's point, as
he is a parent who was in a similar situation and raised a very nice
daughter, who is now doing well in college. I can see Pete Wilson's
point about experimenting in relationships that might be more about the
parents than about raising the kid properly.
Regardless of how I or anyone feels about the actual topic, what about
the response? At what point, to what degree should a talkshow host be
allowed to go before it is considered proper to demand an apology?
At what point should listeners ask for an apology from a talkshow host?
When they give an opinion the listeners don't like? ("This is a
travesty.") When the host calls for action they don't like? ("Boycott
Carl's Jr.") When they advocate breaking the law? ("We should stage a
sit-in at Sproul Plaza until the U.S. gets out of Iraq.") Or when they
advocate breaking the law and inflicting grievous harm ("Kill all the
Canadians.")

I disagree with David on a lot of issue, but he brings up a question that
many in the SF Bay Area need to consider before launching in knee-jerk
condemnation mode. Certaain people on the left who make a full-time
avocation of foaming hysterically about Bush, conservatives, the GOP, et.
al. seem to have awfully thin skins when their own pet mascots/causes are
the ones being criticized. AFAIK Pete Wilson isn't engaged in libel,
slander, physical threats of violence, or divulging personal confidential
info on the air. He's simply one man with an opinion, exercising his First
Amendment rights...