Rush Limbaugh Protested At Portland Radio Station
Petition Handed Over To Radio Station General Manager
Updated: 11:17 AM EST Mar 8, 2012
Protestors showed up at WGAN radio in Portland Thursday with more than 5,000 signatures on a petition calling for the station to not air the Rush Limbaugh show.Limbaugh recently made degrading remarks about a womanThe protestors hand-delivered the petitions to Cary Pahigian, president and general manager of Portland Radio.The petition states: "Rush Limbaugh's anti-woman rants have gone so far that it is unacceptable for WGAN to profit from filling Maine's airwaves with his hate and misogyny. Limbaugh called a law student who testified on behalf of insurance coverage for contraceptives a "slut" and a "prostitute" and publicly suggested that she post videos of herself having sex on the Internet. If Rush were using such blatant and unabashed slurs about a racial or ethnic group, his repulsive vitriol would never be broadcast. We request that WGAN, which currently has one female host and 15 male hosts, show its support for the women of Maine by pulling Limbaugh's show from the airwaves effective immediately and replacing his noon to 3 pm radio show with one that has a woman host."Pahigian told News 8 that WGAN will continue to carry Limbaugh's program. "I do believe he crossed the line," Pahigian said. But there also is an issue of free speech, he said. "What is the line? And who is the arbiter of the line?"Pahigian also said that none of the people involved in the petition has communicated to the station directly to express their concerns.WGAN has aired the Limbaugh program since it was launched more than 20 years ago, Pahigian said.Three local businesses have stopped advertising on the Limbaugh's show: Cunningham Security in Yarmouth; RSVP Discount Beverage in Portland; and Downeast Energy in Brunswick.
Protestors showed up at WGAN radio in Portland Thursday with more than 5,000 signatures on a petition calling for the station to not air the Rush Limbaugh show.
Limbaugh recently made degrading remarks about a woman
The protestors hand-delivered the petitions to Cary Pahigian, president and general manager of Portland Radio.
The petition states: "Rush Limbaugh's anti-woman rants have gone so far that it is unacceptable for WGAN to profit from filling Maine's airwaves with his hate and misogyny. Limbaugh called a law student who testified on behalf of insurance coverage for contraceptives a "slut" and a "prostitute" and publicly suggested that she post videos of herself having sex on the Internet. If Rush were using such blatant and unabashed slurs about a racial or ethnic group, his repulsive vitriol would never be broadcast. We request that WGAN, which currently has one female host and 15 male hosts, show its support for the women of Maine by pulling Limbaugh's show from the airwaves effective immediately and replacing his noon to 3 pm radio show with one that has a woman host."
Pahigian told News 8 that WGAN will continue to carry Limbaugh's program. "I do believe he crossed the line," Pahigian said. But there also is an issue of free speech, he said. "What is the line? And who is the arbiter of the line?"
Pahigian also said that none of the people involved in the petition has communicated to the station directly to express their concerns.
WGAN has aired the Limbaugh program since it was launched more than 20 years ago, Pahigian said.
Three local businesses have stopped advertising on the Limbaugh's show: Cunningham Security in Yarmouth; RSVP Discount Beverage in Portland; and Downeast Energy in Brunswick.