The Jewish organization B’nai Brith Canada is demanding an apology from a Quebec talk show host who sympathized on the air with anti-Semitic statements.
A woman, who called herself Maria, phoned into Jacques Fabi’s late night radio talk show on 98.5 FM last week.
She started by criticizing Israel for last week’s bombings. Then she began to attack Jewish people and even lauded the Holocaust.
Fabi did not interrupt the woman, but continued the conversation and sympathized with her statements.
“I’d never dare say such a thing,” he said, adding, “though you probably have the right.”
Fabi said that there are consequences for people who speak negatively about Jewish people, especially in Montreal where there is such a significant Jewish population.
Then he went on to sympathize with the caller.
“If you asked me if the Jewish population can sometimes be annoying, I would say yes,” he said.
In total, the conversation lasted for more than four minutes.
Steven Slimovitch, a lawyer for B’nai Brith Canada, said his inbox was flooded with emails from Jewish Quebecers following the broadcast.
“She basically says that Hitler should have finished what he started,” Slimovitch said.
He said that his organization sent a formal letter to the radio station complaining about the comments. B’nai Brith also sent complaints to the CRTC and the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.
Slimovitch said the general director for the radio station, Réal Germain, replied to the complaint and said that measures would be taken to deal with the situation.
David Crête, spokesman for 98.5 FM, said that sanctions have been taken against Fabi. “The comments that were aired earlier this week are unacceptable … Hosts and journalists are subject to ethical rules. If they are not met, penalties are applied,” he stated.
Slimovitch is asking for Fabi to apologize on air formally.
“There’s no place for comments like that on a radio station. These are unacceptable comments and they beg a formal apology on the air,’ he said.
B’nai Brith has asked CBC not to post the full interview, because it would further publicize anti-semitic comments.
(Source: CBC)
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8 Responses
I wonder whether it wouldn’t be wiser, in almost all these situations, to speak with the radio host privately, rather than doing something like this, which has no chance of making him an “ohev Yisrael.”
The Muslim PR Machine is working overtime. People all over the world are seeing us as the cause for strife and the instigators of war in the middle east. Sure sounds familiar doesn’t it???
And every frum Montrealer gushes how terrific it is to live there. They are blind to reality.
If he spoke that way against blacks & slavery there would be no opportunity for an apology. You can bet your bottom dollar he’d have been fired already. And they say jews have all the power…..
I would like to hear how he thinks they would be annoying. Maybe we have something to learn from?
On the other hand I think we should point out how the canucks are annoying and perhaps they will learn something as well?
Finally, I am glad lav b’nai brith had something to murmur about because we haven’t heard from them in a while.
I couldn’t begin to describe how disturbing this was to listen to. I’m shocked. those who understand should have a listen.
http://soundcloud.com/eddnp/985fm-fabi-chire-antis-mite
Unfortunately, the talk show ost and Maria are only expressing what the majority of Quebecers feel. They are mostly of french descent and reflect the ideas of there ancestors.
But it is not only the french but most of the gentile world holds these same views. They may express it but it is there.
Freedom of speech is all we have left.