Ex-COG Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 I'm posting this on a couple of different forums to see what people think. This past Tuesday was the primary elections, which I don't participate in because my state requires you to declare one party or the other, and I'm not willing to claim either of them. So I normally don't pay tons of attention to the news, opinion polls, etc., when primaries roll around. But I received something in the mail on Monday that made me sit up and take notice. When I was a Christian, I used to listen to and support a local Christian radio station that is headquartered in a neighboring small city. By the late 90's I was becoming dissatisfied with them because, like much of the Christian programming they were airing, they were getting too political for my tastes. (I was of the brand of Christian that felt the church should stay out of politics; kind of let God handle things. I didn't even vote back then.) So I stopped supporting them, and no longer listened to them. I would say this happened approximately 10 years ago. The letter I received Monday was from this station. I was surprised when I saw it, as it has been years since I have gotten anything from them, and supposed that I had been dropped from their mailing list. I was even more surprised (and rather angry) when I read it. Here's most of what it said. I've changed names of course; bolded and underlined sentences are as it was written. (Station logo)Dear Friend, As you are probably already aware our profamily friends in your city, led by Joe Moe, have been engaged in a ten year battle against corrupt influences. They have battled to end the pornography industry's hold. Last year they also fought a vigorous battle to stop a pernicious special rights for homosexuals ordinance that your city Mayor Bob Jones publicly urged the Council to pass. After a 7 hour City Council meeting, profamily forces were successful in defeating the measure, but only by one vote! At that time a decision was made to begin to recruit profamily candidates for leadership positions to be elected in this year's City elections. Key leaders shared the conviction that it was important to elect a profamily majority. John Smith was asked to run for Mayor based on his profamily positions on abortion, homosexuality, and pornography. Joe asked John to run because of his extensive economic experience...(a few sentences here on economics and workforce training.) Because some do not want a "values candidate", John has opposition in the Republican primary on Tuesday. The other candidate has been completely silent on issues of concern to the family while John has openly discussed his values and faith. It is vital that John win the primary. He has bipartisan support to win the Fall election. The easiest way to stop John would be in the primary due to normal low voter turn out. That is why I am writing to you today to encourage you to go to the polls on Tuesday, declare as a Republican and vote for John Smith for Mayor in the primary. Please, don't forget this primary...GO and VOTE for John Smith. Several of our current and former profamily elected officials have endorsed John, including (names several area past and present politicians). The Indiana Family Action PAC and CCV PAC have also endorsed John. Joe Moe and I are urging profamily voters like you to unite behind John Smith. With your support he can break the "Good 'Ol Boy anti-family values" hold on our City. Also, please talk with your family members and friends...about voting in the Republican Primary on Tuesday to support John. For more information go to (website address). If you wish to volunteer...call (phone numbers). Sincerely, Fred Blah Radio Station President The "pernicious special rights for homosexuals ordinance" they mention was to be an addition to the city's prohibition against housing discrimination for reasons of race, religion, nationality and such. As quoted, it was defeated by one vote, so gays don't have housing rights in my city. I don't know who "Joe Moe" is, but the more I think about it, it might be the guy who's head of something called Citizens for Community Values (AKA The Morality Police) but I'm really not sure. Hell, why is a Christian organization telling me how to vote?!?!?!? If this station is tax-exempt as a religious organization (which I assume it is), it seems this should be illegal. At first, I was mad, but then I calmed down and thought "Oh I don't have to worry. This town is majority Democrat"; I don't think there's been a Republican mayor since the 70's. The letter did say "John" would have bipartisan support, though I don't know if that's just hype or not. I did hear today than "John Smith" won the Republican primary. I don't want this to sound like a beef against Republicans, I want to discuss the religious aspects of this campaign. Even if this letter had focused on economics, city government, etc. rather than "profamily values", I would still question why a religious group should be able to support candidates and influence the voters. I'm not a person who likes to get involved in touchy situations; I'm very private, but should someone be informed of this? My local newspaper? A government agency or official? The ACLU? I might take the letter with me when I go to the Unitarian Church this weekend, they might have ideas. There's even a guy that works for the city government that attends there. But it all might come to nothing, and bring a lot of problems to me. (Or am I blowing things out of proportion?) What do you think? (Mind you, I HATE things that draw attention to me!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ nivek ♦ Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 ExCOG... Here in my dusty little Eastern Oregon town we have the regions only two titty bars. Was the only one until a second opened six-odd months back.. Fifteen long years back when the bar was scheduled to open up as a noodie place, and they never hid the fact the new owners of building and business were going full nude, the local pentecostal/AOG preacher went around picketing the nacent business. Preacher gave the folks more free advertising and customers than if preacherman would have respected their 1A Rights and kept his complaint within his own congregations. The unintended consequences of preacher's complaint was a refusal by the City to issue the needed liquor permits and licencing. Without that, the figured the bar wouldn't have the *draw*... WrRRRRROOooNG... They simply opened doors to the kids 18+. No booze or beer served, the place was a "juice bar", and anyone of majority could come in. Every weekend the joint was packed with teen boys with hands fulla hot sweaty dollar bills and tons of testosterone. Xtian radio and privately published local media went nuts over the *problem* of the tittybar. What is funny? Decade+ later ALL the xtian media is out of business, titty bar now has expanded to legit sportsbar and pizza delivery, doing as well as the sectarian shit is dead.. Power to the titties! Skippin' church daily kFL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 That would bother me too. I would think you could remain anonymous and still look into the matter so no attention is drawn to you. Family values my ass! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprus Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 If you really want to do something about this radio station EX-COG, start by verifying if they have any special exemption for being a "religious" organization according to the tax code. If they do, based on that letter it looks like they've violated their tax-exempt provision by taking part in political activity. If that be the case, turn their asses over to the IRS. The tax-man cometh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Why change the names on a spam email... it's public domain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 Why change the names on a spam email... it's public domain... This wasn't spam email, it was a letter delivered throught the postal service. This radio station calls its supporters "Friend" as in "Be a Friend of WXYZ." So I doubt this was mailed to everybody in the voting area, though I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 If you really want to do something about this radio station EX-COG, start by verifying if they have any special exemption for being a "religious" organization according to the tax code. If they do, based on that letter it looks like they've violated their tax-exempt provision by taking part in political activity. If that be the case, turn their asses over to the IRS. The tax-man cometh! I'll have to look into this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Why change the names on a spam email... it's public domain... This wasn't spam email, it was a letter delivered throught the postal service. This radio station calls its supporters "Friend" as in "Be a Friend of WXYZ." So I doubt this was mailed to everybody in the voting area, though I could be wrong. But the station has sent it to you... thus if you chose to make it public, they can't claim they didn't send it... And I call all crap I get in my mail 'spam'... don't care the medium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 ...was a refusal by the City to issue the needed liquor permits and licencing. A few years back, the Morality Police tried to do push the City to deny liquor permits to the strip bars in the area. They failed. Xtian radio and privately published local media went nuts over the *problem* of the tittybar. What is funny? Decade+ later ALL the xtian media is out of business, titty bar now has expanded to legit sportsbar and pizza delivery, doing as well as the sectarian shit is dead.. I wish all the xtian media would go out of business in my area of the Hoosier woods, but with at least 5-6 radio stations and a local TV station, the Xtians seem to be going strong. What needs to be done is better management of the strip clubs, which is what much of the pornography accusation are aimed at (along with the Adult Bookstore). They are limited to a poor side of town, in a mixed small business/industrial/residential area. 80% of the prostitution in the city operates around this area, which is also on the main drag into the south end of the city; thus presumed to be an eyesore to visitors (although it might be what attracts them!). I don't think banning everything will be helpful; as we all know, pornography and prostitution have probably been around since humanity first understood the concept of exchanging goods for sex. Rather clean it up (they are rather seedy establishments), perhaps move it away from the residential area, and monitor it like any other business. But that won't satisfy the Morality Police, I'm sure. In case anyone wants to check out the station that sent the letter: WFRN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted May 11, 2007 Author Share Posted May 11, 2007 Yikes! I looked up the station's webpage, and found this page which urges people to contact their political representatives to defeat the Hate Crimes Legislation. http://wfrn.com/action/ Wow, they called homosexuals "people with gender-identity confusion"! That's a new one! I found the station's page on political and legislative guidelines. http://wfrn.com/churchguidelines.html A church cannot endorse or oppose candidates, but the pastor can. I wonder if this letter, being signed by the station president, it aiming at that rule, thinking that the president is a similar position to a pastor. It is true that, while the station logo is at the top, no where in the letter itself does it say "WFRN supports John...." It's a fuzzy line, to me, but a lot of laws are. The only catch I can see is that, according to the page's footnotes, it says "A pastor may include title and church affiliation in a personal endorsement along with the following notation: "Title and affiliation for identification purposes." They did not include this statement. So I'm not sure that there is much to be done, though it looks like I need to call my senators and ask them to vote FOR the Hate Crimes Bill. Then I should contact the station and tell them what I've done. (tee hee) I might email my gay cousin; he's active in the gay rights movement and may have some more ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli Posted May 12, 2007 Share Posted May 12, 2007 I'm very familiar with this station. They are not a non-comm so technically they have the right to say whatever they want. Even if they were a non-comm you'd be hard-pressed to nail them for anything. You can write letters to the station expressing your concern and they must retain your letter in their public file if it contains negative comments. Not that it will get you anywhere, but it might make you feel better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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