Radio shock jocks apologize for advocating child abuse after losing advertisers

June 11, 6:25 PMInternational LGBT Issues ExaminerKelvin Lynch

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Rob Williams and Arnie States, co-hosts of Sacramento's KRXQ radio show Rob, Arnie, and Dawn in the Morning, apologized on air today for telling people to beat their children.  The apology came after AT&T, Bank of America, Carl’s Jr., Chipotle, Guitar Center, McDonald’s, Nissan, Snapple, Sonic, Verizon and Wells Fargo all pulled their advertising from the station because of the comments.

On the show's May 28th broadcast, Williams and States made several defamatory and dehumanizing comments about transgender people, including advocating child abuse of transgender children. 

States said,

"If my son, God forbid, if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes. I would throw a shoe at him. Because you know what? Boys don’t wear high heels. And in my house, they definitely don’t wear high heels."

Williams responded,

"They are freaks. They are abnormal. Not because they’re girls trapped in boys bodies but because they have a mental disorder that needs to be somehow gotten out of them. That’s where therapy could help them.  You know a lot of times these transgenders were molested. And you need to work with them on that. The point is you don’t allow the behavior. You cure the cause!  I look forward to when they go out into society and society beats them down. And they end up in therapy.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) issued a call to action on June 2nd, and demanded the two apologize for their remarks.  However, the two hosts spent the entire June 3rd program addressing the issue, but failed to apologize for their comments, according to TipsQ. 

Since then, advertisers steadily dropped their support of the station, prompting today's apology.  On this morning's show, the shock jocks asked numerous questions of transgender activists, took listener calls, and oversaw a robust discussion about transgender people and issues.

States said,

"I didn't realize that my words could really affect and hurt as bad and as negatively as they did – not only to the transgender community but also to our audience – our listeners, our backbone, if you will. My ignorance prevented me from understanding how hard a transgender's life is day to day -- I never understood that and I'm very sorry for that. I ignorantly thought that name-calling was just that – name-calling. And due to my ignorance, I was wrong about that."

Williams added,

"Our audience made it clear that we had actually made it seem as though we endorse or allow, or in a worst case scenario from some of the comments I've heard from our fans, encourage the harming and abuse of children, the bullying and vilifying of those who are different and singling out of transgenders for harm and/or mocking. And for that, for the education that our audience has supplied to me, I want you to very clearly understand that I proudly and fully apologize, apologize for those comments completely. I'm sorry that this show in any way made it sound like we would ever tolerate any of those things that I described."

Whether or not we are to believe States and Wiliams were sincere is a matter of debate.  After all, the grudging apologies obviously came only after pressure from station managers due to advertisers dropping like flies. 

GLAAD director Rashad Robinson said, “Today’s episode of Rob, Arnie & Dawn in the Morning was an important opportunity to have a conversation about transgender people and lives, and we are encouraged that the hosts used their platform as a forum for education about these issues in a way that resonated with listeners.  We are looking ahead to ensure that the kinds of remarks that sparked such concern and anger among community members and advertisers are not repeated, and we hope that today’s conversation continues to promote constructive dialogue and greater understanding.”

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