By Dan Mason
The 2016 presidential campaign is a pretty good reflection of how well our political process is working (or not working) and how intolerant we’ve become. For Democrats, the choice is between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the establishment versus the anti-establishment, a woman versus a man. For Republicans, there’s the insider conservative politician, Ted Cruz, and the outsider populist businessman, Donald Trump. (5/3 Update: Yes, Cruz is out, but Kasich, a career politician with no hope of winning, is still in. Regardless, my message below doesn’t change.)
Too many people have decided that anyone who doesn’t see things their way must be the Devil. The ability to listen to opposing opinions without vitriol, name calling and personal attacks is becoming a relic of the past. We see it between Trump and Cruz and among those who dislike them, some of whom come from within their own party. We see it with the House Freedom Caucus, a group of Republicans who often dispute the direction party leadership pursues, and we see it regularly with Democrats and Republicans in Congress. It’s a large reason for the huge negative ratings they receive.
As your talk show host, I am guilty of it myself. My anger over the ineffectiveness of our government and the narrow-minded attitudes of far too many in the media and Washington make it hard to keep my cool. That, plus I think Democratic policies have hurt our country. Sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade, and that’s when the Mad Dog comes out!
You may have noticed I’ve chosen not to share who I support for President. I have, however, been clear that neither Clinton nor Sanders will get my vote, period. I support smaller government, lower taxes and less debt. They don’t. It’s not a difficult choice for me. My rationale is clear. If you feel differently, that’s fine. You’re entitled to vote for the person you feel is best for you, your family and our country.
When I wear my other KOH hat, that of station program director, I struggle to grasp some of the partisan emails and phone calls I receive from listeners. It seems almost daily I get one that goes like this: “I hate Mark Levin because he keeps bashing Trump!” Or, “I hate Michael Savage because he supports Trump!” Both often start with “I’m a loyal listener,” and end with “I’ll never listen to KOH again unless you get rid of his show!”
Honestly, I appreciate everyone who listens to KOH. I know you can choose from many other options for your entertainment, be it on the radio or somewhere else. But trying to convince me you’ve been a “loyal listener” while threatening to go away if I don’t get rid of shows you don’t like is rather confusing. If one host’s opinion you don’t share is enough to cause you to “never listen again,” I would suggest you probably weren’t terribly loyal to begin with. And that is the problem we face in America today. Be it Black Lives Matter, transgender bathrooms, various religions and political candidates, blind obedience to our ideologies is getting in the way of finding real solutions.
Talk radio is designed to share varied opinions. As hosts, we are not clones, and it would be rather boring if we were. I believe in delivering information and opinions to you as best we can while encouraging you to do your own research. If you agree with the views presented on KOH, great! If not, that’s okay too. Just realize that the free expression of a variety of ideas is the foundation upon which America was built, and we’re going to keep airing them.
