Michigan Public Radio Considers It Controversial to Acknowledge Israel’s Birthday

By Published On: May 13, 2016

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Deadline Detroit asks whether Michigan Public Radio was right to reject a donor’s request to wish Israel a happy birthday?

According to the publication, Michigan Radio, an NPR affiliate, offered one of their donors the opportunity to have a message of her choice read on air, but when it turned out she wanted to wish Israel a Happy Birthday in honour of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Michigan Radio demurred, arguing that such a message

would compromise the station’s commitment to impartiality and that it crosses over into advocacy, or could imply advocacy.

Donor Lisa Lis was upset and explained why:

Why would Public Radio need to be impartial about a legally recognized country other than the fact, many want her wiped from the face of the earth. Would it be a problem if it were the birthday of England, Norway or South Sudan?

Israel is a hot button country that the world has accepted as questionable and debatable and the major infraction Israel has committed is purely her existence. By the way, I truly look forward to expressing my same salutation when Palestine can celebrate her birthday.

Do you agree?

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