Racism and 2GB

2GB's the station I love to hate. Each presenter has his own flavour of hatefulness (I say `he' because they tend to be blokes, though former NSW Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski was trialed over the holidays - astounding in some ways, but in others ... meh, at least they're admitting their bias). The snotty officiousness of Alan Jones, the foam-spittled gobble of Ray Hadley, the sexist, uninformed drivel of Chris Smith ...

I groaned when I saw this week's headlines about a Lakemba's `Shelves of Shame' stoking the deadly fires of terrorism. Here we go, I thought. Talkback's gonna LOVE this.

And it has. But while Chris Smith (sending boneheaded Channel 10 news director Jason `Kiss Me Clover' Morrison to the scene of the crime) has contented himself with loudly whinging about `junior police officers' giving assembled media a `lecture' about keeping away from the bookstore in question (given that it's private property and all), it's been Drivetime host Phillip Clark whose behaviour towards Muslim callers has been the worst - and it's nothing short of atrocious.

Consider a call during yesterday's show at around 5:15 from a young Muslim man, Sam, who attempted to argue that Saddam Hussein was not an active Muslim (true) and that the war in Iraq was fought on false pretences. This meant Sam was a `sympathiser' of Hussein's and that he `would not have a clue'. A Lakemba resident, Gus (who appeared on other talkback yesterday), was accused of conspiracy for saying it is better for local residents to keep quiet than talk to the media about the controversial local bookshop.

It's not surprising that in an environment of such casual racism, the following ad can go to air:

`Have you ever experienced unprofessional, unreliable service or non-English speaking security guards? Call ****** for an obligation free quote on your business security.'

And what were Clark and his gang of idiots railing against, ostensibly? Incendiary and influential figure attempting to incite racial hatred and violent acts.

The irony.

It's difficult to know who to complain to, given the ACMA (formerly, the ABA) is so toothless, but the issue shouldn't be taken lightly. The idiocy that followed the Schapelle Corby verdict showed the deep impact the sensationalist shit-stirring of morons like Clark can have.