Worrying about the wrong thing
"Radio and television programming that does not promote the life and cohesive development of the entire human family, alas, one program at a time, destroys it." — Irving Elmer Bell
On August 12, I read Ted Migchelbrink's "Radio's mindless morning drive" in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. In that article he wrote of the shameless and sometimes sordid competition to be found in morning radio programming. I can agree with him on that.
Migchelbrink's anger came about when he heard ongoing conversations between the radio station's two program hosts and a mother-daughter call in team in which the daughter had the audacity to ask her mother when she had last had sex. The mind boggles at what radio program directors will allow to be sent over the airways.
However, my greater concern is that, inadvertently or not, in Migchelbrink's article there is a less than subtle distinguishing of black programming (via the repeated use of the term "home girl") from white programming (where terms like "yeah baby" and "dang burn" were used). I can only speculate that he was attempting to be even-handed in his criticisms. He went on to criticise a couple of television talk shows as well.
The article took on a holier than thou air that I found offensive. There are far, far more important criticisms to be made about the radio industry, but he never mentioned them. My argument has been made before, but I doubt from a prisoner's perspective.
Where I am held, at the Jackson State Prison, I am subjected to what can only be referred to as racist radio. There are two such radio stations being broadcast at this prison 24 hours a day. The majority of white prisoners listen to one or both of those stations. One of the stations has a program called the John Boy and Billy Big Show. I have heard but a few of the racist remarks and commentary that issue from that program. I dare say that you could not find more hate-filled rhetoric at a Ku Klux Klan meeting.
Little wonder that US prisons are such fertile recruiting grounds for hate mongers and the groups they represent. A recent study by the Ford Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation refers to such radio programming, and those people who so intently listen to it, as dangerous, "powerful, pernicious and homogeneous".
I agree because I know there are a large number of Hitler types, not only in this prison's cells and dormitories, but in many of its administrative offices as well. Like little robots, they go about their daily business parroting and acting out the racist rhetoric they listen to, to the extent that they can in a prison setting where African-American men make up 70% of the population.
Conversely, there is only one radio station broadcast at this prison that is directed at black prisoners and the black experience. To its credit, I have never heard it promote any racist attitudes in its programming. In fact, it often promotes the all-inclusive unification of the human family. So if I could speak to Migchelbrink regarding his anger at morning radio programming, I would tell him that he is worrying about the wrong thing.
[The writer is a prisoner on death row in the United States. He is happy to answer letters commenting on his columns. He can be written to at: Brandon Astor Jones, EF-122216, G2-51, Jackson State Prison, PO Box 3877, Jackson, GA 30233-7800, USA. Australians Against Executions is raising funds to pay for a lawyer for Brandon's resentencing trial. If you can help, please make cheques payable to the Brandon Astor Jones Defence Account and post to 10 Palara Place, Dee Why NSW 2099. Donations to the Brandon Astor Jones Defence Account may also be made at any Commonwealth Bank, account No. 2127 1003 7638.]