1,000 signatures reached
To: Mark Jaycox, General Manager, Len Howser, Program Director, Salem Communications Corporate, CEO, and Name, Title or Position (optional)
WHKW - Hate Speech in the Name of God Crosses Line
“Pastor” Ernie Sanders is heard nightly over a nationally-syndicated program originating with WHKW in Cleveland in affiliation with Salem Communications. While he enjoys the right to preach what he pleases to his own congregation, his overtly offensive message of vile hatred, intolerance and slander does not speak well of a station and network purporting to bring people to Christ. Sanders is a classic example why many have come to believe that all Christians and people of faith in general are delusional right-wing extremists. He is one-step removed from Westborough Baptist. It’s time we stood up against the hate.
Recent examples of Sanders’ vitriolic tirades include:
• References to all women seeking affordable healthcare and workplace equality as “whores”
• Routinely referring to the president as “Obamanation”, the anti-Christ and a communist
• “Parodies” of well-known hymns, praise songs and popular songs (many under federal copyright protection) – perverted into grotesque slander of everyone Sanders hates
• A pro-gun rights agenda that stops just short of advocating armed revolution
All Democrats and liberals are “stupid” and “communists” according to Pastor Sanders. One can’t help but wonder how many “stupid communists” are fighting and dying in Afghanistan so that Sanders and others like him can have the freedom to personally attack and belittle them over nationally-syndicated airwaves. Name calling? That’s what schoolyard bullies do. What kind of Christianity is that?
Sanders never teaches anything remotely resembling Christian love and forgiveness. He recently informed his listeners that God not only hates sin, but the sinner as well. “Love your enemies” and “judge not lest ye be judged” are passages evidently missing from his King James edition. He does claim, however, to pray for his enemies – specifically their imminent plummet into perdition. He regularly slams fellow-Christians of other denominations and ridicules other clergymen. At the very least, sponsoring this type of programming does not speak well of a Christian radio network. One would expect them to aspire to a higher standard.
WHKW distances itself from each broadcast with a standard disclaimer. Pleas for reasonability to its management have fallen on deaf ears. Their silence speaks volumes.
At this critical juncture when Americans need to come together for the betterment of all, we the undersigned demand the removal of Ernie Sanders from WHKW AM and Salem Communications.
Recent examples of Sanders’ vitriolic tirades include:
• References to all women seeking affordable healthcare and workplace equality as “whores”
• Routinely referring to the president as “Obamanation”, the anti-Christ and a communist
• “Parodies” of well-known hymns, praise songs and popular songs (many under federal copyright protection) – perverted into grotesque slander of everyone Sanders hates
• A pro-gun rights agenda that stops just short of advocating armed revolution
All Democrats and liberals are “stupid” and “communists” according to Pastor Sanders. One can’t help but wonder how many “stupid communists” are fighting and dying in Afghanistan so that Sanders and others like him can have the freedom to personally attack and belittle them over nationally-syndicated airwaves. Name calling? That’s what schoolyard bullies do. What kind of Christianity is that?
Sanders never teaches anything remotely resembling Christian love and forgiveness. He recently informed his listeners that God not only hates sin, but the sinner as well. “Love your enemies” and “judge not lest ye be judged” are passages evidently missing from his King James edition. He does claim, however, to pray for his enemies – specifically their imminent plummet into perdition. He regularly slams fellow-Christians of other denominations and ridicules other clergymen. At the very least, sponsoring this type of programming does not speak well of a Christian radio network. One would expect them to aspire to a higher standard.
WHKW distances itself from each broadcast with a standard disclaimer. Pleas for reasonability to its management have fallen on deaf ears. Their silence speaks volumes.
At this critical juncture when Americans need to come together for the betterment of all, we the undersigned demand the removal of Ernie Sanders from WHKW AM and Salem Communications.
Why is this important?
“Pastor” Ernie Sanders is heard nightly over a nationally-syndicated program originating with WHKW in Cleveland in affiliation with Salem Communications. While he enjoys the right to preach what he pleases to his own congregation, his overtly offensive message of vile hatred, intolerance and slander does not speak well of a station and network purporting to bring people to Christ. Sanders is a classic example why many have come to believe that all Christians and people of faith in general are delusional right-wing extremists. He is one-step removed from Westborough Baptist. It’s time we stood up against the hate.