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alp227

(31,962 posts)
Fri Apr 12, 2013, 10:26 PM Apr 2013

Ed Schultz is getting flak over his comments about Fargo, ND kids making sandbags

I was listening live to the Ed Schultz show on Thursday and Friday. I think one of those days, Schultz was referring to local media reaction to some controversial comments he made on Tuesday (I don't recall if I even listened to Ed on Tuesday.) According to Fargo TV station WDAZ:

“Consider the source,” Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker said. “All the kids have permission slips from their parents. They are fed extremely well. They are enthusiastic in contributing to their community. So, I think the term ‘slave labor’ is incorrect, totally.”

According to a clip posted on Newsbusters, a right-wing website devoted to “exposing liberal media bias,” left-leaning Schultz teased on-air to his syndicated radio show Tuesday with these comments:

“Broadcasting from the city that has no bones about asking eighth-graders to come down to the facility and start making sandbags so the wealthy people don't have to pay for a dike,” said Schultz, who got his start in broadcast in TV sports in Fargo before hosting radio shows locally.

“Good ’ol Fargo, Nort’ Dakota. That’s how they flood fight. It’s called slave labor. Make ’em think they’re really building character. In fact, they have to build character every spring. The college kids, I think, have figured it out. Screw you! So now they’re picking on the eighth-graders.”

Schultz did not respond to an email seeking comment or return messages left on his cellphone Wednesday.

The eighth-grade classes of Ben Franklin, Discovery and Carl Ben Eielson middle schools will each spend two days helping to fill sandbags at Sandbag Central during the 10-day campaign to fill about 1 million sandbags.


In an editorial, the Grand Forks Herald commented: "...Schultz should know better, given his long history in sports and broadcasting in the valley. To ignore those years of experience and to mischaracterize what’s going on so completely — well, if that’s the way Schultz reports on an utterly harmless civic event in his old hometown, why should listeners trust what he says about much more controversial votes and decisions in Washington?"

However, a Minnesota Public Radio blog comments in Ed's defense:

But Andrew Lindner, of Fargo, says he's got a point, though the term "slave labor" was ignorant. He's a sociology professor at Concordia, one of the schools encouraged to cancel class so the students can help keep the Red River from overwhelming neighborhoods.


However, as a matter of policy, expecting college students to help is a bad idea. What Fargo and Moorhead ought to do is play hard ball with these stubborn homeowners. They should say "accept a buy-out or we will assess the costs of the flood fight to you in property taxes." They could then pay work crews to protect the homes of the people who insist on staying (creating jobs along the way). Instead, the Cities have chosen to levy a one cent sales tax (shifting the burden disproportionately to the poor) and rely on volunteers to protect the homes. Think for a second how outrageous it is that the City of Moorhead's policy for dealing with floods is to ask Concordia to cancel classes and give them free labor. The students of Concordia spend a lot of money to be educated. We have a responsibility to provide an education - no matter how much less fun than all pitching in class is.


Did Ed go too far with those comments, so much his point about rich people & taxes was weakened? And with those comments, it shouldn't be hard to know why KFGO (Ed's former flagship in Fargo) or other North Dakota radio stations don't carry Ed's show anymore.
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Ed Schultz is getting flak over his comments about Fargo, ND kids making sandbags (Original Post) alp227 Apr 2013 OP
Ed didn't go too far at all. FoxNewsSucks Apr 2013 #1
"Big Ed" is a dolt, imo. Forbid that these kids are doing something productive other than sexting Purveyor Apr 2013 #2
Nice stereotype neverforget Apr 2013 #4
Indeed. eom Purveyor Apr 2013 #5
+1 russspeakeasy Apr 2013 #6
It's a clumsy point better illustrated by Andrew Lindner. Brickbat Apr 2013 #3
Ed is right Mnpaul Apr 2013 #7
Slave Labor? It is fortunate that Ed has never seen Riftaxe Apr 2013 #8

FoxNewsSucks

(10,378 posts)
1. Ed didn't go too far at all.
Fri Apr 12, 2013, 10:39 PM
Apr 2013

He's exactly right. I heard the original show and his talk about the crap stirred up by Newsbusters.

 

Purveyor

(29,876 posts)
2. "Big Ed" is a dolt, imo. Forbid that these kids are doing something productive other than sexting
Fri Apr 12, 2013, 10:41 PM
Apr 2013

or playing violent video games that glorify 'blowing people away'.

Are they forced to do this, lard-ass Ed? No more than anyone is forced to listen to your tripe and hence your exit from TV and few did.

Impossible to build 'something' to protect 'everybody' from natural diaster...shit happens and it is great to see people actually stepping up to help one another out.

Those that built and live there, they knew the dangers...or should have by now.

Just saying...

Mnpaul

(3,655 posts)
7. Ed is right
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:00 AM
Apr 2013

This flooding occurs almost every year. The homeowners should take action to protect their property or accept a buyout. They should not count on everyone helping them out for free year after year.

Riftaxe

(2,693 posts)
8. Slave Labor? It is fortunate that Ed has never seen
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 04:18 AM
Apr 2013

12 & 13 year olds working on a farm or in a small non franchise restaurant/store.

This pales in comparison to the utter and complete indentured servitude practiced in urban communities where children are forced! to wash dishes and take out the trash!

I hear people in some communities even call ambulances and fire departments when needed for their neighbors with no recompensation for their time or effort!!

The practice ED has brought to our attention obviously has the blatant approval and participation of the Red Cross and Salvation Army, both known only for deeds of outrageous evil.



I usually only get to catch Ed a few times a week, but he is always better then when Robin Williams does his stand up routine.
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As far as tax structure goes, it's unbalance is something that has long needed redressing to make it more equitable for the lower and middle classes; However, yellow journalists are hardly ever in it for societal causes, they are in it for ratings.

About the only truly good thing they do is bring attention occasionally to topics that need it (while the distortion they present when doing it, pretty much prevents anything from being done).

So do you blame the Highly paid media demagogue or the audience for the result?

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