Nationally syndicated call-in radio program Dawson McAllister Live has come under fire recently after reports emerged that the show’ representatives were directing teens struggling with their sexuality to Exodus International, an “ex-gay” program that purports to “reverse” homosexuality through prayer and Christian-based therapy.
Truth Wins Out, a national program that counters the “ex-gay” industry, has also been vocal against McAllister’ ties with Exodus. “Dawson McAllister Live is sending LGBT youth to programs that have damaged many people and have caused much harm,” said Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out. “If he wants to dole out religious advice contrary to every respected medical and mental health organization in the nation, he should be relegated to fundamentalist radio. It is outrageous and insulting that mainstream radio stations would give him a platform to pose as secular while offering medically unsound and sectarian advice.”
Question for readers: Should Dawson McAllister Live be taken off the air, since it is posing as secular show – when it secretly has a fundamentalist agenda?
As much as I’m disgusted by this guy’s actions, I wasn’t sure how to answer, until I saw this:
“We were concerned about how listener calls to the Hopeline that discussed sexuality were addressed and referrals callers were given to third parties. Clear Channel has a history of making significant commitments to diversity within our own company, and has been honored by the Human Rights Campaign for its policies regarding GLBT employees and business partners. After looking into this matter, we expressed to the producers of Dawson McAllister Live that Clear Channel listeners who call the Hopeline be treated in a manner consistent with our corporate commitments to diversity.”
This seems like a pretty direct command from Clear to knock off the crap. If the guy keeps it up, then I think Clear is well within their rights to take him off their airwaves.