Monday May 15, 2000
DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER VICTIM OF HOMOSEXUALIST CENSORSHIP
OTTAWA, May 15 (LSN.ca) – Last Wednesday the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) ruled against the immensely popular pro-family radio talk-show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger, calling her “abusively discriminatory” and suggesting that her views “fertilize the ground” for “brutality.” In a remarkably extremist statement for an alleged defender of independent broadcasting, the CBSC ruled in favour of complaints about the Dr. Laura show submitted by homosexual activists. One such complaint came from Ian Crowe of Halifax, Nova Scotia, a member of the leading activist group Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere.
The decision of the CBSC pressures stations to promise to censor her comments when they are deemed inappropriate. However, some radio stations are vowing to continue airing the popular show unedited. The CBSC is a voluntary trade association, so its decisions are not binding, however, its rulings are deemed significant enough by the CRTC that stations which refuse to abide by its rulings do run the risk of not having their licences renewed by the federal agency.
The decision is very disturbing to pro-family Canadians as well as others who respect the findings of peer reviewed scientific and medical research. Dr. Laura identifies homosexual acts as “aberrant”, “deviant”, and “disordered” in keeping with her Jewish Orthodox faith, but demonstrates her own brand of hard-nosed concern for the individuals who engage in such practices. Nevertheless, the CBSC would not recognize this separation of behaviour from the person: “Since the sexual practices of gays and lesbians define them as homosexuals and are inseparable from their personas, any attempt by the host to justify her statements on the basis that she is speaking about the practices rather than the individuals must fail.”
The CBSC decision can be found at:
https://www.cbsc.ca/english/decision/000510.htm
To express your concerns with this ruling to the CBSC: Canadian Broadcast Standards Council P.O. Box 3265, Station D Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6H8
Call them at (613) 233-4607 or fax them at (613) 238-1734.
E-mail addresses: Ron Cohen, National Chair: Ann Mainville-Neeson, Executive Director: