Morning Demonstration Targets Racism on the Public Airwaves

Morning Demonstration Targets Racism on the Public Airwaves;
WHAM announces Lonsberry has been fired

Morning Demonstration Targets Racism on the Public Airwaves
WHAM announces Lonsberry has been fired

Demonstrators held a rally late Monday morning at Midtown plaza, downtown Rochester, NY to protest WHAM 1180’s statement that it would allow Bob Lonsberry to continue his radio talk show, despite racist remarks he made referring to African American mayor Bill Johnson as a Orangutan. Shortly after the demonstration, WHAM announced that Lonsberry had been fired.
Twice in the past month, Lonsberry has made racist references to Rochester’s Mayor. In the first incident he said; “Headline: Orangutan escapes from Zoo, runs for County Executive. Fascinating stuff.” The second time, Sept. 18th he responded to a listener: [JUNGLE MUSIC] “Freakin’ monkeys loose up at the zoo again. That’s really fine, really fine. Yeah, yeah, and he’s running for County Executive. What is with that? I think we better go now.”
Monday’s demonstration was organized by Rochesterians Organized Against Racism. Some of the banners carried by demonstrators read ; “WHAM is Racist”, “Boycott Wham Advertisers”, “Enough is Enough”, “Lonsberry, We Won’t back down”. Many participants voiced concerns that remarks such as those Lonsberry made are part of a trend in talk radio.