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Shock-jocks Suspended Over Slur Against Alaska Native Women

by Associated Press , April 17, 2008

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There is no listing for Wood or Wilcox in Anchorage. A message left at a listing for the initials G. and M. Wood was not immediately returned.

A voice mailbox for Clear Channel Communications, In.c, which owns KBFX, was full Tuesday evening, and an e-mail sent by The Associated Press was not immediately answered.

The station said it has indefinitely suspended the disc jockeys while they get sensitivity training.

“We are confident that what was said was an isolated incident, and it in no way reflects the views of KBFX station personnel,” the station’s statement reads.

The length of the suspension wasn't clear, though the station said the disc jockeys' pay during that period would be donated to charity.

At the core of the escalating outrage is the fact that Alaska Native women are disproportionately targeted in violent crimes, including rape, said Denise Morris, president of the Alaska Native Justice Center, an Anchorage-based social advocacy organization that is planning to file a formal complaint with the FCC.

The state has long posted the highest sexual assault rate in the nation, and the problem is worst in rural, largely Native areas, according to a recent law enforcement study.

“These comments just cannot be taken lightly,” Morris said. “Who is their listening audience? Young men. It just goes to show that these individuals are not conscientious of what their words mean and the impact their words have.”

Davis said she immediately filed a complaint with the FCC as an individual, under the category of obscene, profane and indecent speech.

“What they said falls into the category of hate speech,” she said. “The actual physical act they’re proposing is degrading. People are pretty offended. There is too much violence against Native women and we shouldn't tolerate that type of disrespect.”

The FCC considers complaints confidential and won’t discuss cases unless the agency takes action against them, said Rosemary Kimball, an FCC spokeswoman. She said complaints found valid generally face sanctions including fines, even license revocations.

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