SYRACUSE -- About a day after CNY Talk Radio (WFBL/WMCR-A) noontime host Jon Alvarez posted a Facebook tribute to Joe Stack, the social networking site pulled the page down, citing a policy banning "hateful or threatening" pages. Stack was the pilot who took his own life and one other when he crashed a small plane into an IRS office in Texas earlier this week.
Updated 2/22 with response from station owner James Johnson.
According to the Syracuse Post-Standard, Alvarez justified the controversial page, explaining, "This guy was making a sacrifice to others who were having problems with the IRS. We at least owed it to him to make note of his thoughts." Click the link above to see the rest of the P-S article.
Added 2/22 at 12:50pm: CNYRadio.com has asked GM Judy Kelly for her thoughts. She kindly forwarded our request along to Leatherstocking Media Group owner James Johnson, who provided the following statement:
While we certainly do not condone acts of violence or view such acts as patriotic, or heroic, we do believe, however, that the freedom to discuss such topics, is patriotic and an important process for a healthy democracy. The success of Mr. Alvarez's radio program on CNY Talk Radio is a tribute to the fact that he is willing to present all ideas and respect all opinions. While those ideas and opinions may not necessarily be those of Leatherstocking Media Group, Inc., our support of Mr. Alvarez is a testament to our unwavering belief in the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Our thanks to a CNYRadio.com reader who spotted the story -- actually, in another newspaper after the Post-Standard's report was picked up by the Associated Press. If you have news to share, send it to cnyradio@cnyradio.com or click the Contact link in the menu above.
Attention to Jon Alvarez Show re: Pilot crash in IRS Building
Jon, You were right on last night on Prime News with Mike Galonis. Most of the media have no clue how bad it is and how much the IRS has committed fraud, extortion and racketeering on the private sector citizen.
There are thousands of us fight the IRS in court. However, the big problem isn't the law - we know the law. It's corrupt judges. It is extremely bad. They are blocking even the Law to be heard in their courts; tampering with the jury, etc. Many judges are blocking testimony and evidence to be heard. It's very bad out here. Even Ron Paul did a movie with Aaron Russo on this subject. This subject is huge and there is a ton of anger about this serious crime. This pilot is a hero to many who think that the only way to stop an "out-of-control" government, who has been suppressing the truth, and throwing people into jail, is violence. It's almost impossible to get the Law heard in our failed judicial system. The Truth must be brought to the public's attention NOW! Thank you for being honest.