Tossing out old papers in preparation for an upcoming office move, I came across what was probably the best hate letter I've ever received.  It came in response to FAIR's work on talkshow host Bob Grant--who, after FAIR had documented his bigoted, violent rants and promotion of white supremacy, had been fired by Disney's ABC, and prompty hired by rival station WOR. The unsigned fax contained a page of doggerel:

Hey, "FAIR,"

Bob's still here.

Your little plan didn't work so well, so all of you can go to Hell.

Bob Grant lives, he talks, he rules,

And you look like a pack of mules. Or ghouls?

This is the Land of Liberty & it's what I take free speech to be.

When you monitor one, you monitor all, you have some gall,

To single out one to take the fall.

Bob's real name is Bob Gigante,

Don't try to be a vigilante.

It won't work, don't be a jerk,

As you lurk, to find a quirk, in everything he says.

Black & white is not the issue,

A pleasant day I do not wish you.

BOB GRANT RULES THE AIRWAVES!

I wrote "FAIR's Bob Grant Success" (Extra! Update, 6/96) pretty much in response to that poem. But while I disagreed with the critique of our work, I did appreciate the style with which it was expressed. And I do try not to be a vigilante.

Reporting that "reactionary radio host and white supremacist Hal Turner was taken into custody Wednesday after remarks urging Catholics to 'take up arms' against two Connecticut lawmakers and a state ethics official over legislation... regarding the church," independent news outlet Raw Story's John Byrne (6/4/09) deepens the story by recalling that "Turner used to be a regular on Sean Hannity's radio show (the Fox News pundit)":

When Hannity said he didn't have an association with Turner earlier this year, Turner wrote:

I was quite disappointed when Sean Hannity at first tried to say he didn't know me and then went on to say that I ran some senate campaign in New Jersey. In fact, Sean Hannity does know me and we were quite friendly a number of years ago.

When Hannity took over Bob Grant's spot on 77 WABC in New York City, I was a well-known, regular and welcome caller to his show. Through those calls, Sean and I got to know each other a bit and at some point, I can't remember exactly when, Sean gave me the secret "Guest call-in number" at WABC so that my calls could always get on the air.

Here, for your own consideration, is Crooks and Liars blogger John Amato quoting Turner's language that Connecticut Police Chief Michael J. Fallon deemed "above and beyond the threshold of free speech" for "inciting others through his website to commit acts of violence":

"It is our intent to foment direct action against these individuals personally," the blog stated. "These beastly government officials should be made an example of as a warning to others in government: Obey the Constitution or die."

And, the post continued, "If any state attorney, police department or court thinks they're going to get uppity with us about this; I suspect we have enough bullets to put them down too."

Directly referring to the reason such hate speech is such a hot topic currently, the Hartford Courant reports that "elsewhere on [Turner's] blog, the recent fatal shooting of a Kansas abortion provider is called 'a righteous act.'"