It was an amazing shock yesterday, when I went to listen to my favorite podcast and web cast, and found it off the air!! I was so disappointed. These folks, Stephen Cohen and Kenny Hassan, were like best buds. I would say like 'best mates' but that would sound too Anglophile.
We can thank the rat-bastards that support Liverpool FC for this loss of the only daily soccer show in America. It's always been known that Steven despises Liverpool fans for their historical hooliganism and he has never been shy about voicing his opinions on his show. But when he expressed his opinion on the Hillsborough tragedy (as factually incorrect as it may have been), all the Liverpool FC fan base went nuclear. They began a massive boycott effort against Fox Soccer Channel and against WSD. They succeeded in removing Cohen from Fox Football Fhone-in (FFF), but since WSD was co-owned by Cohen, it was more difficult.
When they couldn't get all the sponsors to stop supporting WSD, many of the 'fans' turned personal, attacking Cohen directly with anti-Semitic vitriol as well as attacking his family. It was these attacks on his family that became the last straw, so he pulled the show from the air.
While I didn't agree with Cohen's view of Hillsborough (in which 96 people died in a stampede caused by local officials), the thought that free speech has been gagged due to a few thugs is chilling. If you don't like a program on radio, TV or podcasts, then TURN IT OFF. What they have done is throw such a tantrum that ruined an otherwise excellent soccer program.
Here is an excellent post from Mark Sawyer who tried to mitigate a resolution btwn Stephen Cohen and Mel Abshier, the main drive behind the witchhunt. Even as a veteran of conflict resolution, he was disappointed with Abshier's actions.
I am truly sad about this loss...
Here is WSD's final show:
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