Greets, oh Rambling Masses,
Today marks the day that one of the airwaves' most annoying excrescences is laid to rest, and I for one couldn't be happier. Stan Zemanek, as a garden-variety right-wing racist ignorant redneck Shock Jock, has been spreading his particular message of hate and intolerance to the vapid suburban masses that actually buy into that kind of crap for way too long.
Now you may think that I am breaking a taboo, speaking ill of the dead and all. Or you may think that I am breaking a taboo because he died of a brain tumor. You may even think that my taboo-breaking ways are because one shouldn't speak ill of people who now have no way to defend themselves, and that's your prerogative.
However, I feel that he has it coming to him, considering the number of years he stopped sane educated people from putting their counterpoints across on-air, with his constant insults and judicious use of the call off button. So, here goes.
We live in a country of free speech (kind of), and so everyone should be allowed to voice their opinions. However, I take issue with this when there is a manifest inequality of the power that people have to spread their message. It should fall on media outlets to show at least a modicum of duty of care to ensure that the messages being beamed into our homes, offices and cars are not overly and overtly prejudicial, detrimental, inciteful, or otherwise based on crass misinformation. But then, I haven't believed in the integrity of the press or media for a long time, if ever I did in the first place.
When people (and I use the term loosely) like Stan Zemanek and Alan Jones continue to spread their messages of hate with impunity, I get a little peeved. Self regulation sure as heck isn't doing the job for the industry, and the government isn't doing much either. This is odd, considering the government is currently engaged in a systematic process of erosion of our basic rights, all in the name of fighting terror. Who knows, one day I may get a knock on the door from the Federal Police, inviting me to a quiet chat in a small room without charges being laid for an extended period, and without relatives being told of my whereabouts. Hey, it's all legal with the new anti-terror laws and sedition laws.
And if a court does finally get to hear about it and then clears me of any wrong-doing, or at least releases me in the interim, then they can always revoke my citizenship and shove me in a detention centre. It's all sounding very Guantanamo Bay to me, but what do I know?
Anyway, I digress. Every man and his dog comes out of the woodwork and vigorously jumps all over Sheikh al-Hilali when he once again puts his slippered foot in his mouth and spreads his particular brand of hate message, but when Alan Jones does it, he gets a mild slap from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, and it's back to business as usual.
The ACMA findings stated that Jones was in breach of the broadcasting codes and encouraged violence and vilification against people on the basis of their ethnicity when he added his two cents worth during the Cronulla riot dust-up. Was he at any point called to task over this, and made to accept responsibility for his actions? No. Idiot Shock Jocks like him continue to spread their hateful ignorant statements to the dullards that listen and lap it up (and believe me, there are more of them out there than you think). Sedition? No, not on your nelly. Regard and respect for the disproportionate power that they have in the community? Naaaah, of course not.
Jones gets "punished" to the following extent:
- The Communications Minister Helen Coonan described Jones as an outstanding broadcaster who had made an "indelible" mark on the industry. She supports Jones ahead of the statutory authority (the ACMA) she is supposed to back.
- Jones will continue to entertain our esteemed leader John Howard on his program. Little Beige won't argue with his views. And don't think that the Little Media Whore (Kevin Rudd) is any better - he wants to suck up to someone with such a big audience just as much as the next fellow. 350,000 listeners in marginal electorates is a lot of pull.
So, all I can get out of the passing of Stan Zemanek is that, thankfully, there is one less Shock Jock in the world, and good riddance, I say.
Until next time, oh Rambling Masses, unless the Federal Police get me first. If you ever see that I haven't posted to my blog in over a month, just send a chocolate cake with a file in it, and I will try to make the most of it...
