Neal Boortz
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Neal Boortz (born April 6, 1945), is a popular and controversial American talk radio host based in Atlanta, Georgia. His self-given nicknames include: The Talkmaster, Mighty Whitey, The Mouth of the South, America's Rude Awakening and the High Priest of the Church of the Painful Truth.
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Life
Boortz was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, but, since his was a military family, he was raised elsewhere, in many locations throughout the country. He was a self-described "marine brat." In his pre-radio life, he was a speech writer for Georgia Governor Lester Maddox. He began his radio career in College Station, Texas in the 1960s at WTAW-AM while attending Texas A&M University<ref name="bio">{{ cite web |title=More Boortz Bio |url=http://boortz.com/more/bio.html |accessdate=2006-03-08 }}</ref>, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets.
After graduating from law school in Atlanta in 1977, Boortz practiced law in a solo law firm from 1977 to 1992.<ref name="faq">{{ cite web |title=More Boortz FAQ |url=http://boortz.com/more/faq.html |accessdate=2006-03-08 }}</ref> His syndicated show originates from WSB-AM 750 in Atlanta, and currently has about five million listeners nationwide. Boortz also occasionally writes a column on the Internet news/commentary site Townhall.com.
Boortz has a wife named Donna ("She Who Must Be Obeyed", as he calls her on his program), with whom he has one daughter, Laura. Boortz is an avid golfer and aviation enthusiast. He is an accomplished pilot with over 3,000 hours flying as pilot-in-command, and donates time (both as a pilot and fund-raiser) in support of Angel Flight. He holds a commercial pilot certificate in single-engine airplanes, with an instrument rating, and is also certificated in lighter-than-air free balloons. Boortz is an ardent supporter of DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
Politics
A self-described Libertarian, Boortz politics tends to side with liberals and Democrats on social issues such as abortion (about which Boortz will not allow phone calls), freedom of speech, and the Separation of church and state. In line with the traditional views of the United States Libertarian Party, Boortz supports an end to the war on drugs and, along with the views of the Republican Party, supports lower taxes, smaller government, emphasis on "individual responsibility", and the rule of law.
Boortz is often accused of being a "Republican in liberatarian's clothing." He has recently been described using the term neolibertarian. This refers to his tendency to advocate Republican party platforms and to his frequent (but not unilateral) support of Republican politicians, especially George W. Bush. Boortz's post-9/11 politics include support for the US-led Iraq War and a more aggressive foreign policy. These views put him in conflict with the Libertarian Party. For instance, Justin Raimondo of Antiwar.com has called Boortz a "statist, not a libertarian" and a "liberventionist" and has urged the Libertarian Party to "Boot Boortz"[1]. Boortz counters that the issues of the greatest importance today, after the 9/11 attacks, are those in which terrorism has dominated.
Radio Personality
The Neal Boortz Show features Boortz, co-producers Royal Marshall and Belinda Skelton, interviewees, and callers. On the air and on his website Boortz admonishes, "Don't believe anything you read on this web page, or, for that matter, anything you hear on The Neal Boortz Show, unless it is consistent with what you already know to be true, or unless you have taken the time to research the matter to prove its accuracy to your own satisfaction." On numerous occasions Boortz has cautioned his listeners to take no heed nor place any credence in anything he says, as he is merely an "entertainer".
Boortz can frequently be heard insulting "government schools", liberals, smokers, welfare recipients, and others. He also creates controversy among his many listeners for his staunch support of gay rights and for his negative comments regarding Southerners, Baptists, and Confederate issues (such as governmental support of the Confederate flag).
Author
Boortz is the author of a book entitled The Terrible Truth About Liberals. His latest book (co-authored by Georgia Congressman John Linder) entitled The FairTax Book, explains the proposal to implement a national retail sales tax in lieu of the federal income taxes, payroll taxes, estate tax, etc. That book spent at least two weeks atop the New York Times bestseller list.
Controversial statements
He alleges that ADD and ADHD are "medical fraud." Homeless persons are referred to as "urban outdoorsmen" and public education as "tax payer funded child abuse". Other Boortzisms can be found here. Media Matters for America maintains a list of other controversial statements by Boortz here.
On March 31, 2006, Boortz said that Representative Cynthia McKinney "looked like a welfare drag queen", and "a ghetto slut". In response, House Democratic Caucus Chair, James Clyburn issued a statement demanding that Boortz apologize for using "such abhorrent words". On April 3, Boortz issued an apology on his radio talk show.
On August 3, 2004, Bortz delivered a rant on Islam: Say the Shahada (the Islamic creed) "with conviction ... and the next thing you know, you're strapping on a suicide bomb"
References
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External links
- Neal Boortz website
- 750 WSB Radio - Boortz's "home" station
- "Neal Boortz" - article at SourceWatch