Oops that was supposed to be "a radio DJ in Boston WAS FIRED
because..." Here is the letter he is replying to:
Power of words (and radio stations)
November 8, 2006
I AGREE that John DePetro is rude and, in Grace Ross's words, "wildly
inappropriate" ("Talk host gets snidely personal, then gets hook,"
City & Region, Nov. 3). Still, after reading about what was reported
as a "derogatory remark," I was surprised to find out later that one
of the words he had used for Ross was accurate: lesbian.
I am a lesbian. I am also a Jew. I love these words. To me they speak
of pride and identity. I also love the words black and white. They
keep me honest about who I am. Yet often when I use them in my
classroom, that is, when I refer to myself as white or another person
as black, students cringe.
In a society where many are disadvantaged by virtue of an aspect of
their identity, words become weapons, and what should inspire pride
in an individual becomes a badge of shame.
DePetro revealed homophobia on his WRKO show by linking his disdain
for Ross to her sexuality, and for that he was rightfully fired. But
let's not follow his lead. If lesbian -- or Muslim, Jew, black, or
Latino -- become slurs, he wins and bigotry rules. These are
beautiful words; let's use them well.
--- In [email protected], "Ellen"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> A radio DJ in Boston because he called the MA Green Party
> gubernatorial candidate a "fat lesbian." Here is one Boston Globe
> reader's reaction to this incident:
>
> Fired for homophobia? That's fascism
> November 16, 2006
>
> WHILE I agree that John DePetro went too far in his comments on
Grace
> Ross, what disturbs me more is Gina Fried's Nov. 8 letter, "Power
of
> words (and radio stations)," in which she wrote that DePetro "was
> rightfully fired" for revealing homophobia on his WRKO talk show.
>
> Since when should people be punished for being homophobic (assuming
> the word means that one disagrees with homosexuality, thinks it's
> morally wrong, and says so publicly)? Using that definition I am
> homophobic and proud of it. My church is homophobic; my children
are
> homophobic; everyone I know is homophobic. So what? To say that we
> should all be punished for our beliefs is the worst kind of
fascism.
> It's un-American.
>
> Heaven help us if the world of Gina Fried ever becomes a reality.
>
> RALPH FILICCHIA
> Watertown
>
>
> I will post separately the letter to which he is replying; I don't
> recall reading it so I will have to find it.
>
