WASHINGTON - November 25 - In response to Media Matters for America's recent report on "radioactive smears," which exposed the prevalence of hate speech on a wide variety of topics on local and regional radio stations nationwide, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (WI-02), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and Neil G. Giuliano, President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), released the following statements:

"This kind of hateful speech is more than offensive," said Rep. Baldwin. "I applaud Media Matters for conducting the study 'Radioactive Smears' and exposing the homophobic comments that aim to divide our nation and deny equal rights for all Americans."

"No fair-minded person can look at these statements and believe that these prejudices have a place in our media. The dangerous message that programming departments and producers send by continuing to embrace this anti-gay rhetoric is that there is no downside and considerable benefit for those who use vulgar slurs and promote homophobia," said Giuliano. "We call on other media outlets to continue to take broadcasters to task when they promote these kinds of vulgar slurs toward any group of people."

The Media Matters report demonstrates a pattern of homophobic rhetoric that extends across multiple radio hosts, stations and syndicators:

• Michael Savage: "If you're insane, hate the family ... hate your mother and father, hate the Bible, hate the church, and hate the synagogue," you oppose CA gay marriage ban

• Jim Quinn: "Gay sex produces AIDS"; "They should charge homosexuals more for their ... health insurance"

• Dan Caplis again asserted that gay "conduct is not natural" and is "immoral"

• Brian Sussman invited guest to talk about his claim that "gay and lesbian radicals actively recruit through our schools and the media"

• Michael Savage: "The children's minds are being raped by the homosexual mafia"

Since the release of the "Radioactive Smears" report, Media Matters has also documented the following radio attacks against gay, lesbian, or transgender Americans:

• Chris Baker: Media have "blood on their hands" for murder of transgender woman because they created "false sense of reality"
• Bill O'Reilly suggested that without Prop 8, "a man can have 27 wives"; CA Supreme Court disagrees
• Jim Quinn trivializes same-sex marriage effort, claiming: "[G]ays never wanted to get married until ... about five years ago"

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