As if right on cue this morning, in between a segment with state Senator Denton Darrington (R-Declo) and a discussion of manty-hose, "Zeb at the Ranch" listeners were treated to this:
Clip runs about 0:36
Here's a partial transcript:
Unidentified Caller: And I am concerned that the freedoms that were given to us by our white forefathers and preserved by white blood will be taken away by people of color in the name of fairness.
Zeb Bell: A-and, you know, and no matter what you say, and no matter what I say, we're going to be called automatically racists by a very uneducated, what they call elite, part of our society. They think they're the elitist of our society and they'll hang the racism and the bigotry on anybody that doesn't go along with 'em. And I'll tell you what, sir, I think you are right. Thank you very much for your call.
Tell me how this is any different from the hate spewed by the Aryan Nations in North Idaho that embarrassed this state for decades until finally marginalized and essentially eradicated. Why are we turning our heads and labeling this just some conservative blowhard's version of "free speech" because Zeb Bell and his callers aren't wearing shaved heads and swastikas?
This is no different.
This is not free speech. This is hate speech and Idahoans should be embarrassed that it is being spewed in our state. In 2009 for heaven's sake!
It isn't any different, and it's an outrage. Thank you for continuing to log this hate speech. When will the good people of the Magic Valley rise up and demand that Bell's show be dropped? When will his advertisers feel the pain of boycotts? When will longtime Republican legislators stop appearing on a show that spreads this sort of crap?
Posted by: Julie Fanselow | February 04, 2009 at 07:13 AM
Conservatives, so called are people who say they live by biblical morality. Seems someone neglected to mention the fact that love thy neighbor is part of biblical morality. You can't be a decent conservative if you can't remember that.
Posted by: Joan E. Harman | February 04, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Teh stupid, it burns.
Posted by: Sisyphus | February 04, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Didn't Zeb say that there can be no more racism because of the election of Obama? See, he was right, just not correct.
Posted by: Sisyphus | February 04, 2009 at 03:39 PM
Did y'all see this great write up by Neiwert on the connection between the immigration movement, white supremacists and right wing broadcasters?
http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2009/02/white-supremacism-lies-at-root-of.html
Posted by: Sisyphus | February 05, 2009 at 03:04 PM
You seem to be a little obsessive of this guy. He is obviously an idiot. Have you ever considered that he is as popular as he is because of the attention you draw to him. Its kind of like the survey done on Howard Stern. Most of the people that listened to him hate him. When asked why they listened they said "I wanted to hear what he said next". Granted, that is not the most intelligent thing I have ever heard, but that is the nature of Americans today.
As an avid listener of talk radio I will say that I fully support talkers like Savage and Levin. Most of the time when you guys whine about what they say it has been taken out of context. I don't think this Zeb fool is taken out of context. That "white pride" shit is ignorant. You need to slam the lines at that radio station. Have 20 or so people call everyday and ask him the same question..."do you support the idea of white superiority?".
Call him over and over and over....I am probably the most conservative thinker to ever cross your site, but that guys gotta go. Have you tried reporting this to the statesman? Pitch it to them as a story of the arian nation being alive and well. They could even recall the Ian and Chrissy Johnson story (for those that couldn't figure out who would write them nasty letters about interracial marriage).
Posted by: weeee! | February 06, 2009 at 11:36 PM
Weee, this is an excellent idea and I can't wait to see it implemented. Did you lose your phone? Do you need help with dialing Zeb's number? Yours is a criticism I have heard before, YOU GUYS need to do more than simply blog or write LTE's regarding Bell. Seems to me that this blog has done and is doing a hell of a lot more to out the likes of Bell than you are doing. Some folks are comfortable with verbal confrontations, and some folks are not. But I have to ask, before you make YOUR call to Zeb's program, if not for the efforts of blogs like this, how would you have ever heard the name Zeb Bell? The movement has started, you are a part of the movement, keep it going.
Posted by: Gary Eller | February 07, 2009 at 06:07 AM
I have never heard of this guy because hes not on the radio where I live. But thanks for the smart assery. Do you have the KBAR number posted? Funny I don't see it.
See, this is why I am hesitant to engage liberals in any way. They are usually demeaning. I ran across this site and read some of your dribble. Actually I was looking for a report on Minnicks stimulus bill. When I saw this story it made me angry and I thought I would say that not all conservatives are arians like this douche. I thought I would show my support for your efforts to eradicate him from the airwaves. But now I really don't give a rats ass.
Good luck with YOUR problem.
Posted by: weeee! | February 07, 2009 at 09:55 AM
Actually I am probably the most conservative person on this site, I am certainly not a liberal anything. But I do find it amazing that asking a person to walk their own talk is smart assery. Best to have others bring home the bacon AND fire it in a pan while you sit at the table waiting to be served. There is an entire Zeb Bell page that is a part of the MGR. It has all of the information a serious dissenter could ask for.Find some friends and make that call(s).
Posted by: Gary Eller | February 07, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Racism is everybody's problem. Gary is far from liberal and he has the courage to confront Zeb vocally mostly because he doesn't the bonehead to represent anything to do with Republicans or conservatives. That makes perfect sense to me. Your petulant position does not and you acquiesce to Zeb's screed by your silence. But thanks for illustrating the oxymoron of the day "conservative thinker".
Sorry Gary I couldn't resist. ;-)
Posted by: Sisyphus | February 07, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Let's not get into a pissing contest guys. Especially on somebody else's blog. If I offended you Weee then I apologize. Liberals are not the ones who needs to be critical of Zeb, or Rush, or Savage, etc. None of these conservative talkers pretend to be speaking for liberals. They pretend to speak for ALL conservatives, you and I. If you do not want to abdicate the your conservative voice to people like Zeb Bell then goddamn it man speak up! Don't wait for others to speak up for you!It makes all of us Republicans appear to be complete idiots.Again, go to the Zeb Bell link and start calling!
Posted by: Gary Eller | February 07, 2009 at 11:54 AM
So you would have people from other parts of the state do your dirty work? I don't understand. It seems to me that what happens locally in your own community would be your own problem. I guess if I had nothing better to do than scour the earth for bigotry in an attempt to eradicate it I would be calling this guy. This type of speech doesn't happen in my community because myself and others wouldn't allow it. This hatred does exist in hundreds of other communities across the united states. I fight it by making sure it doesn't exist in my sphere of influence.
As a matter of fact, the mere existence of this guy on the air is a clear indicator that your community is accepting of racism. So ask me again who has the racism problem? This is a typical liberal philosophy. They like to cry and bitch about the problems surrounding them, when others say "why don't you do something?" they reply.."well why don't you?". Its called circular logic.
Just remember, when people drive through your community and hear that bigotry on the radio they aren't going to look at you standing at a bus stop and think "that poor person has to live in this racist town". No, they think "so this is the racist trash that occupies Idaho". I'm sorry that you are willing to live with that. Continue on with your blogsite. Continue insulting people that "reach accross political philosophies" to show support for issues facing you in your community.
I am seriously at a loss. Your site has served it's purpose of informing those that may never hear of this guy that he is a bigot. Now, if his name was ever brought up I would be able to tell others what a piece of trash he is. I would also be able to tell of the blog that exposed him. Where others could go to get the truth about him. Then you proceed to insult and laugh me away? Pure genius!
Posted by: weeee! | February 07, 2009 at 12:00 PM
weeee,
Just as a point of clarification, I am the editor of this blog. I live in Canyon County but was raised in the area Zeb Bell is infecting with his bigotry and hatred. I love Idaho--I'm a fourth-generation Idahoan. Anything that degrades this state or its reputation and anyone living in it, as I see it is my problem. I'm thankful that Gary has been addressing the problem of Zeb Bell locally, and for much longer than I have even been aware of Bell's existence. But racism and bigotry isn't the problem of one or even a handful of people. It takes the effort of everyone who hears it to speak up when they do... that is the purpose of this blog spending time monitoring and exposing Zeb Bell's program. I would never laugh anyone away and would gladly welcome anyone who wants to help in this effort. Thanks for taking the time to speak your mind here and I hope you'll continue to point out bigotry and racism wherever you see it... Idaho is too beautiful and deserves nothing less.
Posted by: MountainGoat | February 07, 2009 at 12:14 PM
I don't know what part of Idaho you live in (or the Nation for that matter) but if you really believe that racism is a local problem in southern Idaho then you, sir, are delusional. To further beleive that people like Bell spewing forth his demented rants has no effect on how the rest of America sees the Republican Party is nonsense in it's purest form. Bell's radio program is carried globally on the internet. If you do not want to call Bell then email him. But don't do nothing and then complain about getting your ass handed to you come next election.
Posted by: Gary Eller | February 07, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Yeah, the whole "sphere of influence" debate is kinds moot in the tubes. As I said from the beginning of this effort, racism must be confronted or it'll fester and people will think its normal as I've encountered multiple times in reddest parts of Idaho. Kudos to Mountain Goat, the Political Game and Gary for omnipresent confrontation.
I think it was brilliant for Obama to elevate Rush as the spokesman for the Republican Party. If you agree with that maneuver then just go and do nothing, Weeee. As a progressive I'd like nothing more. But as an Idahoan whose pedigree is also deep I won't sit idly by while Zeb purports to denigrate our state with the shame of bigotry.
Posted by: Sisyphus | February 07, 2009 at 12:41 PM
The problem is local Gary.
People have jobs and obligations to their own communtities that might prevent them from a campaign against a radio talk show host. I have my own hands full with the ignorant rants of Boise host Nate Shellman(the guy that claims that if the problem doesn't effect him he doesn't care). The bottom line is that obviously (gary) your community is enabling this man. While I oppose hate speech on the radio, first amendment speech is something I hold near and dear. While this Bell guy may be a racist ignorant douche I fully defend his right to say it. Who am I to attempt to influence your community?
Like I said Gary, your community enables this man to do what he does. Think of it this way Gary, and if of course you are a true conservative thinker you will understand. Lets say the ACLU sweeps in and says your local Boy Scout chapter can no longer use a state park as a meeting place (not beyond the pale, this happened in California). How would you feel about this? How would your community feel about this? An organization or a group of people coming into your town and telling you how to handle your affairs. Telling you what is good for your community and what is not. Telling you what you can value and what you cannot. I will not be that person. I believe that this is a fundamental difference between liberal and conservative philosophies. Liberals feel that everything is their business, their problem. Conservatives believe in leading by example. Allowing people to live their lives in whatever manner they see fit(within the limits of the law of course).
What your community values is fairly clear. You cannot deny this Gary. If it was not true he wouldn't be on the air. He is on the air because he is profitable. And while I may disagree with it and deplore the words of this man, that does not necessarily make it my duty to change this. Free speech can be a great thing. It can also be vile. If your community is truly sick of this guy then they will stand up with you and do the right thing. If not(which appears to be the situation) then all you can do is continue your crusade.
Having said all that, knowing that his show is carried online has now created a problem for me. Now I will have to write in and find out when his show is broadcast so I can call in live. I suggest that you write a form letter including some examples of racist comments. Post it here and have people print and sign it. Then send them to the parent company as well as all major Northwest media outlets. I am not familiar with online documents, but I thought there was a way to gather signatures online. Would probably be the easiest method of doing this.
Posted by: weeee! | February 07, 2009 at 01:10 PM
weeee,
Click the Zeb Bell tab at the top of this page and you'll find everything you need to know. Thanks again for your ideas and thoughts.
Posted by: MountainGoat | February 07, 2009 at 01:13 PM
While everybody is being cordial and friendly about it, I'm not going to be. Too damn much work has gone into the Zeb Bell page for weeee! to continue ranting about the number for KBAR and the time the show runs. Click on the tab for crying out loud!
Posted by: thepoliticalgame | February 07, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Here's just a little something to chew on as well: would the South have ever ended slavery without a little outside intervention?
Posted by: MountainGoat | February 07, 2009 at 01:45 PM
Weeee, How did you come to the conclusion that Mountain Goat is obsessing on Bell if you only saw this one post? Just curious, I'm not implying anything. Your ideas are good ideas and I would like to see them implemented, if not by you then by others. Maybe I overreacted to your suggestion that this blog is not doing enough to stop people like Bell when they are, quite literally, busting their collective asses while everyone else, and ESPECIALLY conservatives suck their thumbs. As Idahoans this is our fight, right here in our state, as Americans we must all confront this bullshit whenever and wherever we find it. By the way, what you are trying to do by labeling me a "liberal" and thus irrelevant is precisely what you also accuse the left of doing to conservatives. Pot, meet kettle!
Posted by: Gary Eller | February 07, 2009 at 02:02 PM
So here are a few questions....
Does this radio station broadcast any University of Idaho or Boise State sporting events?
Do they broadcast high school sporting events?
Are they a sister station to KBOI or KIDO?
Who is their parent station?
Who are their MAJOR sponsors.
Has this guy had any prominent politicians on his show (Preferably Governor, Lt. Governor, or Idaho Representatives.
Also, some advice for MountainGoat:
The page you have on him is too wordy. It also focuses to much attention on some of the stupid things said by callers. It is not against the law to be ignorant. It is however a violation of a stations moral standards to promote a host that prepetuates arian principals. So posting callers that suggest "white power" ideals is ok as long as the host suggests that he agrees with the caller.
I think you will find the task more difficult if you focus it against the listeners of the show. Once again, you need to remember that these people are the way they are and that they truly believe the things that they say. Like it or not, there is nothing you can do about that. You can however suggest that the host be held responsible for allowing the comments to be broadcast on the airwaves without him denouncing them.
Also, the blog posts should be put consolidated to a single link. While your bloggers may offer some valueable thoughts on the subject, it really makes the page long and difficult to decipher. Put the most blatent violations on top, front and center, then follow with your opinions or blogs. A big part of this will be convincing the community that this guy is truly a detriment. So, remember your audience. Catch their attention, get them to consider his actions, and then explain to them your opinion on the matter.
If you want to succeed you really need to find an angle to push. If in fact they broadcast(or re-broadcast) a university's athletic events, then you can take a form letter to that school and pressure them to refuse broadcast rights to the station. The same idea if they broadcast high school events. You can also pressure anyone that has appeared on the show. If they ignore you, then the Boise stations will surely pick up the story. We are home to the statehouse, and these stories gather a little more traction here.
Just some thoughts. Let me know if they have any ties to those I listed.
Posted by: weeee! | February 07, 2009 at 05:32 PM
@ mountaingoat:
Yes, slavery would have been killed by the industrial revolution. Does that mean it would have been acceptable to allow it to continue?
Then you also have to ask if it was worth it. How many hundreds of thousands died in that war? Despite what most think, the majority of young men that fought for the south could have cared less about slavery. They were so damn poor the prospect of owning a slave never crossed their minds. They were sold on an idea that Abe Lincoln and the yanks were coming to steal their rights away(by big business). You have to remember that being a citizen of the state of Virginia was more valueable to them than being an American.
I believe that Lincoln was upholding the law. The south was in clear violation of the Constitution. While the phrase "All men are created equal" does not appear formally in the constitution, it did appear in a successful court ruling (Brom and Bett V Ashley 1780) regarding slavery. This makes it the federal law of the land.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that the south was breaking the law. Lincoln was the enforcer. The thing I find interesting is that the same people in the north who pushed to end slavery are known today as the "religous right". The group that the left absolutely despises. Funny how quickly your stock can drop!!lol
Posted by: weeee! | February 07, 2009 at 05:52 PM
Weeeee, It is no wonder that you have such a skewed interpretation of history when you spend all your time writing and no time reading. We've told you to read the page, yet you waste much time listing out questions and giving stale advice that you would have seen was unnecessarily duplicative had you merely done so. On the one hand you say there is nothing to be done about the ignorance and on the other you say its up to the community to police it. Stop the coffee, pop some ridilin, and read. Then if you have some ideas to help get his screed off the air we're all ears. We've already targeted his sponsors, his prominent guests, and his audience. We've also rattled every media cage in the area.
Posted by: Sisyphus | February 08, 2009 at 03:38 PM
OK Sisyphus...you win. Some stale advise for you first. I suggest you read a book called The Approaching Fury. It gives a great overview of the politics surrounding the Civil War. As for your Zeb page, tell me what I said that wasn't true. It is supposed to be a page to expose him and yet his words are at the bottom? There is no listing of the shows sponsors on the page. The parent company and affiliations are not listed. If anything I would guess that the page is a half ass attempt to get your blogs read. Yea, nothing can be done about the ignorance, and if your community is sick of it then it is their obligation to do something.
I can tell your hatred runs deep for those of opposing viewpoints. I would pay a dollar to read your bumperstickers. Apparently that is all the more action you are willing to take. Just out of curiousity, what does your anti-zeb sticker say? This is amusing to me. The left screams about how obama has offered an olive branch to Repulicans, and how they snubbed him. How do you spell HYPOCRITE sisyphus?
I was waiting to help yall out. I was ready to offer my assistance in creating a form letter and a collection of signatures. Ready to focus in on advertisers and public affiliations with the question "does your company support the arian nation?" But you have made it clear that you are truly enablers. Go stuff your head in the sand fool. God what I would give to see the bumperstickers on your subaru.
Posted by: weeee! | February 09, 2009 at 12:09 AM
Goddammit weeee, you've pissed me off--and that's not easy to do. We don't get jack-shit if anyone reads our blogs (in fact, I'm *paying* money every month for this blog space). We don't get jack-shit for the hours spent listening to this crap or for the hours spent writing about this crap. If you'd read the first paragraph of the Zeb page you'd see who owns the station. If you'd bother clicking the links on the June 19th blogs, you'd see *every* single sponsor listed... with addresses and phone numbers! Get off your ass and do something besides whine about this page not being what you think it ought to be. Write a petition using some of Zeb's words and take it to his sponsors--it's a great idea. Do it! For God's sake, along with a few others, I am already spending hours of time everyday that I don't have, trying to document and expose this crap and if you need your hand held to participate, I'm sorry, I just don't have that kind of time.
It isn't about left and right or conservative and liberal. Anyone who has a conscience should give a crap. You've got some great ideas. Take a little initiative and do something!
Posted by: MountainGoat | February 09, 2009 at 07:37 AM