Presenting polarizing points of view

Like it or not, Grover Norquist is the straw that stirs the conservative drink. He may be the most influential man in America when it comes to the “anti-tax” movement that’s dominated American politics and changed the shape of state governments, including Minnesota’s.

He also really makes people who disagree with his influence angry. A few e-mails that came in while MPR News Presents aired his speech to the White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce today suggests that people don’t want to hear what he has to say and think MPR is wrong for presenting his speech.

Is this they kind of poor judgement we can now expect from MPR after the departure of Bill Kling and Gary Eichten? Count me as UNimpressed!

If I want to listen to Weasel news, I know exactly where to find it, thank you very much!Grover Norquist has ample platforms from which he can spew his dysfonic misinformation to the detriment of our nation, and the continuing reduction in levels of awareness of reality so desired by those who want to hear the falsehoods that ooze from his lying mouth, falsehoods that further reinforce the alternate-reality bubble in which their psychological dysfunctions have them trapped.

That you would waste valuable airtime on MPR to provide him a platform is highly offensive to me. The vast majority of your listeners were already well aware of what he would say, and NONE of his devoted fans will ever become MPR listeners.

WHAT were you thinking?

Greg, Alexandria

Why do you let this man insult people with his lies? Please follow up with a look at this man, Grover Nordquist as to the lies he tells and the harm he is doing. Guilt by association is too cheap for honest radio.

Peter, St. Paul.

It’s a fairly typical response when a polarizing figure gets air time. But it speaks to a larger problem, which is not that the listener doesn’t want to hear Grover Norquist (there’s an on/off button to solve that problem). It’s that the listener doesn’t want anyone else to hear Grover Norquist.

Speeches aren’t meant to be the sum and substance of a conversation. They’re meant to start an ongoing conversation. The program’s format is to air these speeches, just as the second hour of Midday under Gary Eichten did. The program is produced by Sara Meyer, the longtime producer of Midday. She knows what she’s doing.