FORGIVE BUT NOT FORGET
I believe our resounding and unified message has been heard. Our public airwaves should not be safe havens for any form of hate speech, ignorance, and insensitivity. Our deep sense of justified outrage has been communicated effectively. Mark Belling�s audacious comments have been properly and strongly condemned.
Honor, integrity and character are our base principles. Our hard work ethic, deep religious convictions, strong family values, determination and an unmistakable entrepreneurial drive characterize our Hispanic culture.
We have been most successful on many fronts:
- The Hispanic community mobilized under one banner of solidarity;
- The Belling Radio Show has been temporarily suspended;
- Certain Belling Show advertisers have pulled their ads in addition to other general radio and billboard advertisers;
- The CBS 58 Belling television broadcast has been put on hiatus;
- Belling has been humbled and clearly recognizes that it will never again be �business as usual�;
- Belling has learned a hard lesson: racially charged comments carry enormous consequences;
- Belling will be held to a level of civility that does not deteriorate into slurs and name-calling;
- Open and frank discussions with Clear Channel Communications, parent company of WISN Radio are on-going;
- Complaints to the Federal Communications Commission have been filed;
Conversely:
- Our issue gave numerous hate-filled people courage to come forward providing them a forum to voice their abhorrence via phone calls and emails. Racism exists, period.
- We run the risk of driving a wedge of divisiveness between the ethnic and broader communities.
- Long-time efforts towards sending positive messages regarding our upward mobility may be jeopardized.
We have reached a turning point. We will never forget. However, it is now time to forgive. As a community we shoulder the responsibility to set a positive tone towards the healing process. I feel it is time for healing and promoting unity. We must move beyond the Belling issue and concentrate our efforts on other pressing issues affecting our community.
Belling and all other radio hosts and journalists, our own included, will be held to higher standards and in the future not resort to racial slurs, racially charged comments, inappropriate or derogatory comments.
I thank the legions of supporters spanning across all racial lines and those corporations, organizations and elected officials who brought us to this successful point.
Our continued Herculean efforts towards enhanced race relations and respect, as well as strides towards a society shaped by justice, empowerment and change will long be remembered and commended.
Hispanic voices must now be those of reason, compromise and forgiveness.
Adelante Juntos,
Maria Monreal-Cameron
President and CEO
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