Opinion: KFI’s John and Ken: The Dream Act and The Times
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John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou of KFI respond to Friday’s article, ‘Groups want ‘John and Ken’ show off the air.’ If you would like to respond to a recent Times article, editorial or Op-Ed in our Blowback forum, here are our FAQs and submission policy.
The Times accepted uncritically all the charges against us and our show made by a number of community activists, and as a result, its story is extremely misleading. Let us try to set the record straight:
Jorge-Mario Cabrera’s supposedly private cell number is listed regularly by his organization, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, on official communications to the media. The California Dream Act is hugely divisive and engenders great passion on both sides of the issue. We have a right to oppose the California Dream Act, just as Cabrera has a right to advocate for it. While we encouraged our listeners to exercise their 1st Amendment rights by calling Cabrera, we did not -- and would never -- encourage anyone to make threats or intimidating remarks. We disavow them and have said so repeatedly on the air. As the targets of threats ourselves, we are extremely sensitive to language that could be viewed as inciting threats or violence.
We don’t expect to convince Cabrera or other advocates for illegal aliens, and he should not expect to convince us. But the 1st Amendment protects our right and his to express our opinions.
One thing we do expect, however, is a story that is fair. The Times writes: ‘While illegal immigration has long been a particular focus of the show, it’s only one of several favorite targets -- the hosts have railed against taxes, labor unions and other pet causes for years with equally incendiary rhetoric.’
What incendiary rhetoric? Not a single example is cited -- because there aren’t any to cite.
-- John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou
ALSO
Groups want ‘John and Ken’ show off the air
Yes to the California Dream Act
Photo: John Kobylt, left, and Ken Chiampou host an afternoon show on Los Angeles’ KFI-AM (640). Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times