Mike Gallagher compares Obama to Hitler - How hate radio works

Mike Gallagher is a nationally syndicated hate radio host. Some of you may know him.

He had a caller who claimed to be a Holocaust survivor say that children singing a song for Obama reminded him of Nazi rallies. Gallagher agreed and took another caller who tried to explain that the comparison was a bit of a stretch. The caller was labeled an anti-Semite and both calls were then used as a springboard to show how adulation for Obama and the fact that he's a great orator ("fork-tongued") was analogous to Hitler and his rise to power. He went further by 1) playing the children singing and laughing at how bad they sounded and then 2) said that Obama's campaign was anti-semitic because it is "supported by Hamas and Farrakhan". Gallagher ends the segment by insinuating that supporters of Obama are likely anti-Semitic and that you wouldn't find such hatred of Jews with McCain supporters (Palin and her preacher anyone notwithstanding).

I wrote this out really because I just wanted to point out two things:

1) The hate radio formula is incredibly easy to understand and I don't know why more listeners don't see through it.
2) How bad must it feel internally to be a republican and think this way? What thoughts go on in their minds to come up with such silliness?

I am sorry to say I share the same faith as him

CB

... and taking them seriously because of older reports that show that as many as 1 in 5 may be getting their news from these kinds of shows. I'm also torn on the Fairness Doctrine but I do wish that at the very least radio stations would be required to run disclaimers that let their listeners know that the show is for entertainment purposes only and that the views and opinions expressed are not necessarily that of the station et cetera, like what happens with infomercials.

I've studied propaganda. That's why I'm not torn.

Hate radio is a clear and present danger to our democracy. I do not equivocate on that in the least. It would be nice to believe that humans are rational actors, or perhaps will be if only they put a little more effort into it.

But the ideal of unrestricted "free speech" fails on exactly same shoals the "unrestricted free market" runs aground on. Listeners to these shows are not purely rational beings, will never be purely rational beings, and they most certainly don't have the infinite knowledge which would permit them to critique all of what they hear.

If you want freedom, you must, seemingly paradoxically, regulate speech. Not at the level where all truly have an equal say (such as the internet) -- here, there are competing voices that dilute the effect of propaganda. But the broadcast media, including cable, must be regulated to insure that:

A) Hate-spewers may not use the medium to promulgate lies with intent to incite. It is absolutely essential that what is broadcast be held to some standard of truth, and to some standard which prohibits hate speech. The standards need not be onerous. Any point of view which cannot be expressed without spewing hate, or which cannot be expressed without spewing outright fabrication, is not an honest point of view, but is the deliberate manipulation of listeners by broadcasters -- indistinguishable from fraud.

B) The medium must carry a diverse range of voices, perhaps within a channel, perhaps within the range of channels available. Anything less is tantamount to handing control over our political processes to a handful of individuals.

i never thought i'd see in america...but a black american being compared to hitler has knocked the defense of torture out of my #1 spot

And this guy's got 3M or so weekly listeners. That's not a lot I understand, but if just 5%-10% of them could be convinced otherwise, those would be helpful votes.

That's the only defense they've got. They are just insanely jealous that Obama is so beloved.

"The other white meat" (hint hint, PORK!)

friends. I'm the political radical - they shut me down when politics comes up. The other night, they were calling Obama the anti-christ as found in the prophecies of the bible and got angry with me for calling them on it and refuting their facts.

Just my opinion. You're not going to change them, and they can only cause you more grief!

Anyone who talks like that does not share my values AT ALL. My politics are not just a matter of opinion (I like blue, you like red). No. Anyone who can side with bullies and bigots and torture and prolonged war, I just don't consider a person of character. And if you don't have character, what do you have? Republicans have effed up this country enough. I don't need them in my house, too. Going along to get along is what got this nation into this mess.

differ and the life experiences and knowledge. They are ill informed and when they try to become informed, they get scared or frustrated. They once all supported GWB, they now hate his guts and blame him for the mess we are in.

Oh, and it is the divide you create that makes the chasm so real and dangerous.

I believe calling Obama the anti-christ is dangerous. I don't need that negative energy in my space. If you can handle it, you're a lot stronger than me, and good for you.

I hope you do enjoy your time with your friends. But you were the one here grousing about them, not me.

I'm a big person, negative energy is all around me, if I had run from it I would have given up a long time ago. My spirit is brighter, as am I, than that.

Boy oh boy.

Oh boy -

I work in the justice system, you can hate the crime and still like the criminal.

So I'm not the one with something to worry about.

Wait, I take that back. Someone like you working in the justice system is a little disturbing.

And I'm grateful you are just pixels on the screen, your extremism and lack of understanding is as dangerous as any racist I have ever met.

Whether or not they've got their sheets back at home in their hope chest is irrelevant.

"And I'm grateful you are just pixels on the screen, your extremism and lack of understanding is as dangerous as any racist I have ever met."

I guess you're the expert. Sounds like you're friends with plenty.

and they are closed minded, but they are not the Klan, they are no where near the Klan. As I said, your failure to understand or try to understand makes you as bigotted as they are. Good job.

"As I said, your failure to understand or try to understand makes you as bigotted as they are"

No, see, I'm judging them because they're human scum. Who do I know they're human scum? You already told me in your first post. I'm judging them based upon the content of their character. Just like I'm judging you.

It is you that is as hatefilled and low as you think they are.

They're too stupid to know any better, they're not really bigots. Right, right. Heard it before.

"It is you that is as hatefilled and low as you think they are."

It's true. I hate bigots. And the people who don't do the actual lynching, but just show up for the festive party atmosphere.

better to keep trying to reach out to them and tell them the truth than to let them remained closed minded. Outside of politics they are good people, just not informed and easily swayed by their parents (yes, even at their ages) - conservative and proud. I think my influence will result in them not voting for either candidate. They were never going to vote for Obama (pssst, he's a black man you know), but I have them so fed up with it all, they just won't vote for either one. ;)

Maybe on election day they'll just decide it's not worth it to go out of their way to vote for someone they're not all that crazy about. That's almost as good as persuading them to vote for Obama.

Are your friends racists? Wow. You are one tolerant soul.

souls. Most don't think they are racists. After all, we don't have the seperate water fountains, bathrooms, classrooms and lunch counters any more. But the cultural ignorance tied to the classism that is a part of every society added to the deep seeded racism of "the elders" (parents and grandparents) causes the buried racism to bubble forth and they don't even realize it. But to be honest, it is not just whites feeling superior to blacks and not trusting them, it is blacks not trusting whites and treating them differently. Then you have the mix of the Vietnamese and the Mexicans into the communities and you are left with little doubt that far too many members of all races suspect and feel superior to and distrust other races. Man is a complicated and insecure creature. Not a one of us is perfect.

I'll be satisfied if I can keep them from voting McCain. That will be a victory in my book.

And if you can impart just a little bit of love and hope into their souls, then you are advancing the cause. I wish you all the best, really.

I was blessed with loving and open minded parents.

Thank you for the well wishes, I extend the same to you.

in positions of power in business mean nothing to them?

who actually within a few days of 9/11 said it was THEIR OWN FAULT when they died, as firefighters should have known to not be in the Trade towers, so we should not be sympathetic at all because they were idiots, and their families...too bad so sad. I actually heard that (paraphrasing) myself with my own ears (there was no left talk radio here then, you listened to anything to get news about the attacks). I myself called the Ohio firefighters state union office to tell them about what that asshat said, and they told me they were getting flooded with calls on it.

Gallagher is as Flamethowing as they come. He is NOT interested in anything except "outrage journalism"

Plus, it is ALL about him, like it always is with these types.

Don't waste your time listening.

My children have been busy at home, using the computer/printer to make "transfers" for Obama t-shirts and sweat shirts. My daughters were amazed to find a few things on "google images" that compared Obama to Hitler. There are a lot of sick people out there.

I've seen other right wingers compare this to the masses singing for Hitler and Mao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9b0xr06qA

So that they would have the nerve to do it themselves proves once again they are asswipes.

And Chimp really did try to take more power for the executive branch - a plan Cheney has probably had since he worked for Nixon. No Democrat does that. So it's ridiculous on the face of it.

And just for being eloquent and popular? Then why wasn't Reagan comparable to Hitler? Never bother a right winger with logic.

They had to apologize when two - out of hundreds - of member submitted anti-Bush commercials made references to Hitler.

Or, when Dick Durbin compared the US torturing people and using Gitmo to concentration camps & gulags, he had to tearfully apologize.

so are you really surprised RW'ers compare Obama to Hitler?

Personally, I find comparisons to Hitler childish. They demean the true evil that Hitler was, and demean the suffering that the Jews and others went through at his hands.