Blitzkreig: "Our leader says we'll hit them so hard and so fast it will be over before they knew what hit them."

The War Rant, Page II, February 28, 2003

Big-time rant coming up right now on war.

How do you feel about war? I probably shouldn't take sides, being privileged as I am to sit --- with your permission --- behind this microphone, but I am going to come right out and admit that I don't care for war. No, it's not the war itself that bothers me. It's the needless killing and starvation and destruction and expense part of war that bothers me.

You might argue with me and say that war is the only way we can control the world's population. You might tell me that birth control is not a good thing but there is nothing wrong with millions of young men dying gloriously on the field of battle defending their country. You might tell me that we've got to have wars because if the population continues to increase at the present rate, in 500 years there won't be standing room on this planet. And I've got to admit that you've got me --- I can't say a word about that.

Let's admit it. You and I know that there are people who do like war. Many of them are the simple flag waving folks who will stand right up in public to show their support for a wimpy looking, weasely faced war monger from way down south who didn't even get most of the popular vote. There. I've said it and I'm glad. But this is public radio so you shouldn't be surprised to learn where I stand. And besides the support from flag wavers, you know that when there's a war every big company stands to make money. So you'll find the unions standing right beside management when you're talking big time war.

It's pretty hard to stop a war when the man --- who calls himself the leader --- wants a war. You'll notice that he starts out by sword rattling --- lets all the other world leaders know that he's got to make a move very soon to protect the safety and well-being of his people --- no matter how far away it is. And if he says the same thing over and over and over there will be a few people out there who say to themselves, "Baaaa. You know, I think he's right. There are some bad guys out there who are killing our people. We've got more planes and tanks and guns and technology than anyone else, so why should we have to put up with it. Our leader says we'll hit them so hard and so fast it will be over before they knew what hit them. And before we are done, we will have restored order and sucked all the natural resources out of an unstable region."

All this while, even though the war-mongering, rat faced wimp knows what he's going to do no matter what, he's making a big public show of talking with the top guys in Russia and France and England --- trying to either get their support or keep them off his back while he blows half the world to kingdom come.

Agh. I've said enough about him. Every time I see him blabbing on TV I wonder how anyone could possibly have been stupid enough to vote for such an idiot. I comfort myself by knowing that most of the people who went to the polls didn't.

I'll bet you don't know that wimpy little weasel face wrote a book in which he very clearly outlines his plans. And it might surprise you to hear me say that if you haven't read it, you should. Got your pencil? The name of it is Mein Kampf.

Please click here if you've never cared for the war-monger you see descibed above

Thank you, Your buddy humble

Robert Skoglund

Humble,

per my earlier email, I do not want us/you taking positions on controversial topics on the air, it damages the objectivity and integrity of this service - we strive for fair, balanced and objective reporting and a neutral stance on controversial issues such as Iraq.

With the situation today, and the wording for your script, most people would absolutely think you were talking about the current US administration. I certainly did. Perception is reality.

We do not want any of these letters your received in response read on the air in your program, nor should you address this issue or any other issue in this fashion again. Again, if in doubt, please give me a call.

Now I've also received a call at home from a reporter who says he has a copy of the earlier email I just sent to you?!? We need to talk Monday, please call me or send me your number. thanks.

Charles L. Beck, Vice President for Radio Services, Maine Public Broadcasting

I was surprised to hear from my friend Charles when I said on the air that I did not care for war and that Hitler was a rat faced wimp.

The following is my apology for saying on the air that I did not care for war and for calling Hitler a rat faced wimp.

Charles, Thanks for getting back to me. As you know I am not an on-air political animal. I am not even a political animal off air. But I saw nothing that would distress or cheer our radio friends by airing my opinion of a man who has been dead and gone for these 58 years. I didn't think we would have one listener who would write you a nasty letter after hearing my opinion on Adolph Hitler. I am blown away by the positive response.

But yes Charles, I would hesitate to say anything bad about Hitler again, because I have never before been hammered with so many love letters from one rant. I've spent many hours trying to answer them and I'm nowhere near the end. They are still coming in. You have, hopefully, read a few of the ones I sent to you. How nice it is to know that from time to time one says on the air something meaningful, something that people want to hear, in such a forceful and economical manner that people are moved to stand and cheer. You might note that, alas, I've only done it once. That wimpy rat Hitler could do it every time he spoke.

I did find one thing rather distressing about the great response. When people who tuned in late or only half heard me talking about a wimpy, rat faced war monger, some radio friends thought I was talking about the President of the United States. Charles, when people can hear someone on the radio talking about a wimpy, rat faced war monger and immediately assume that the narrator is talking about our President, our country is in big trouble.

You say that even you thought I was talking about Bush. You certainly don't think he is a rat faced wimp who wrote a book called Mein Kampf. Do you? Whatever could I have said that made you think I was talking about Bush? Please tell me. I'd like to know.

I do admit that I don't like wars, and I thought that was a pretty safe comment on public radio. If I have listeners who love Hitler and like war and I alienate them by saying that I don't care for Hitler and I don't care for war, so be it. I don't care if the NeoNazis listen to me or not. It might be nice if they did, of course, because they might learn something.

I understand that you can't feel that way, because a NeoNazi's pledge at fundraising time is just as good as that from a whining liberal.

You are right, of course. A balanced, fair and objective radio station cannot have a person on there blabbing to whomever will listen that he doesn't like war. Being public radio, we should offer no opinions whatsoever about war being either good or bad, but should let our friends in the audience decide for themselves.

One of the great things about public radio is that the programming is in no way biased, and you are correct in wanting to keep it that way.

You mention that you are hearing a lot about "this" right now. Do you mean you are hearing a lot about what I said about not caring for war? Or do you mean you are hearing a lot about my commentary on Hitler? Or do you mean you are hearing a lot about something else that might not concern me? I'm glad I'm not carrying your weight on my shoulders.

Thanks again for your support. If you'd like to see some good come of this, ask me to read that war rant or something similar again during pledge week. From the response I've received from it so far, the tainted money would pour in.

Yr obdnt srvnt

humble

Radio Friends,

Thank you for writing the letters below and thank you for listening.

I want to thank my friend Charles, and the two radio friends who wrote who were not pleased with my comments about Hitler, for setting me straight. I apologise to everyone and will never again abuse my position as a host by saying that I don't care for war.

I regret what I said Friday night, as I have done nothing since but apologise to friends, who not hearing what I said, stood on chairs and cheered.

I also want to thank my friends at public radio for not contemplating disciplinary action against me for saying that Hitler was a rat faced wimp.

+ + +

From today's Village Soup (www.villagesoup.com): 'Because Skoglund is the host of a music show and "not a political commentator," Beck said, speaking out against war "is not for him to do."'

The heck you say. It is for EVERYONE to speak out. You keep doing what you do, as long as you can get away with it. Your show is a bright star in an otherwise terminally dreary radio sky.

-Rob

Belfast, ME

Go Humble,

Think your broadcast was "Right On".

it seems to me that National Public Radio and MPBN have signed on to the presidents program lock stock and barrel. How can there be a pro and con for war? This whole country has gone haywire with it's killing attitude. We all have to stand up, take the heat, put a stop to this terrible trend.

Thanks for speaking up.

Etienne

Subject: right on

humble,

I'm extemely sorry not to have heard your anti-war rant which apparantly has caused more ansgt at Maine Public Broadcasting than Al Diamon and Tom Hanrahan (not sure I spelled his name right) ever did.

[David, you spelled Hanrahan right but missed angst.]

But it's probably a good thing I didn't hear it as I likely would have broken the table or steering wheel by pounding it with my fist while shouting "yes, yes, yes."

For a guy who can't stand smoke you sure know how to light a fire.

Illegitimum non carborundum.

bright

p.s.

Interesting that the lead item on the www.mainepublicradio.org page as I write this is:

Special: Humankind: Beyond War Tuesday at 1pm, we'll broadcast a special program from PRI's Humankind series. The program is called "What War Really Means." Veterans, historians, peace activists, military officials, and others weigh in on the true meaning of warfare.

Hello Robert,

Saw an article about you on VillageSoup today; I suppose you've seen it as well. Some sort of a fracas over something you said. http://belfast.villagesoup.com/Community/Story.cfm?StoryID=14992

Wanted to lend my support. First, I acknowledge we are all currently watching a frightening tableau unfold in world affairs, and some people are very nervous as a result. I read your comments; I have no problem with your comment; I can appreciate the theatrical effect you sought to evoke with your comments. I understand your artful restatement that this world drama has been played before. By holding back on names and using thoughtful references which have resonances, you allow us to, perhaps, consider another viewpoint. Isn't that what we should be doign right now?

I fear Maine Public Radio is wrong in acting to chastise you, and I need to express my disappointment with them. I thought public radio was about free speech and people's access to the airwaves we own. Is this free speech too threatening to corporations, and is MPR too beholden to their corporate sponsors? Why does Charles Beck think speaking out against war is 'not for you to do'? Why can't someone who hosts a musical program take a stand or have an opinion? Doesn't music take stands and have opinions? I seem to recall a soundtrack for civil rights, ERA, labor movements, opponents of Apartheid. I wonder, is hosting a musical program really what you do? I've listened to you frequently, and I don't tune in for the music. I listen for the sly, the overt, the too far round the bend narrative you create.

I have every confidence that your words were the least strident of those spoken that evening across all the frequencies available to listeners in Maine.

Look forward to your return from citrusville, another sure harbinger of spring.

Bill

First, I want to say that I've enjoyed MOST of your programs over the years, but this War rant is absolutely, totally disgusting!! People like you do nothing but strengthen Sadam Hussein. Does that make you proud?

Mary

My reply to Mary:

Hi Mary,

Thanks for writing. I'm so glad to hear from you because you are the first person, out of dozens of people who have written me, to be annoyed with my war rant. So many wrote to say that they stood and cheered, that my computer locked up and won't let me put more on that web page. One radio friend of many years did write to say that he was unhappy with my comments --- his letter is on my web page --- but he immediately wrote back to apologize -- which is also on my web page, when I sent him a copy of the rant so he could see what it was I had said. He had only heard part of it and was confused. You can read it on my web page.

http://www.thehumblefarmer.com/WarRant.html

I am very sorry I said I didn't care for war and that Hitler was a rat faced wimp.

I am very sorry to have said something that made so many people cheer and one (you) to be upset. But this only happened because so many hadn't listened to what I said. But when they read what I had said I'm sure there was no reason to cheer, and when you read what I said I'm sure you will have no reason to be angry.

Perhaps you haven't read the rant which I have posted on my web page. When I got dozens of letters comparing me with Margaret Chase Smith and saying that I deserved a Pulitzer prize it was clear that many people hadn't heard what I had said. They were like the hunter who shoots a person for a deer. He wanted so bad to see the deer that he really did see the deer and he pulled the trigger without taking a closer look.

Every week I do a rant so I didn't think this one would be any different than any other.

Because most people don't care for war I thought I was safe in saying that I didn't care for war and because most people don't like Hitler I thought I was safe in calling Hitler a rat faced wimp. How wrong I was. I don't know of anyone in the world whom I thought it might be safer to say bad things about than Hitler, but I was wrong.

So you see that I agree with you and that this has been a valuable lesson for me. Thank you for contributing to my education.

Charles Beck should also be thanked for his good work in making sure that public radio continues to be completely objective in its programming.

Hope you'll come have a cookie and milk with us at the farm this summer.

Thanks for writing and thanks for listening.

humble

Humble,

I've read your "rant" and must concur. Hitler indeed was an evil man!

Thank you for having the temerity to speak out against the evils of a short sighted administration that obviously is willing to sacrifice the lives of thousands to further their own place in history. In my opinion the leaders of this country have placed themselves squarely under the privy seat of the world and will soon find out (two short years from now) that the few votes they received in 2000 were indeed NOT the majority!

Keep up the good work if Mr. Beck would like to contine to receive our support tell him to allow a bit more "opinion" in your show.

Nat

Jackson, NH

soon to be Winterport.

[Next a note below from the other unhappy radio friend who wrote. The unhappy friends amaze me. If I overheard someone whispering about a shameless slut, I wouldn't assume they were talking about my wife. humble]

There is no question in my mind that the inference in your "rant" was our President. That's the way I see it. Perhaps it was your timing. A year ago, your message would not have been heard. By the way I hate war -- have lost many friends -- but somehow I appreciate their sacrifice.

Bob

Good Friends,

I can never thank you enough for permitting me to entertain you (and perhaps even contribute to your education) over these past 25 years.

It somewhat distresses me to know that when Hitler spoke, people stood on chairs and cheered.

I have spoken to hundreds of live audiences, and I thank you for permitting me to entertain you with my commentary on more than 1300 radio shows. But the only time my friends stood on chairs and cheered at my words was on February 28th --- when nobody seemed to hear what I was saying.

Please remember that I have learned much more from you than you have from me.

Thank you again for writing and thanks for listening.

Please stop in at the farm this summer for a glass of milk and a cookie. Marsha, The Almost Perfect Woman, and I are always glad to see you.

humble

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