Bob CollinsThere might well have been a time when two employees of a radio station in Forest City, Iowa — just over the border from Albert Lea, Minn. — would’ve thought twice about saying what they said during a basketball game last Tuesday.
Eagle Grove and Forest City were in a timeout when one of the announcers noticed the Eagle Grove squad had players with Latino names.
“As Trump would say, go back where they came from,” one announcer said during a commercial break, apparently unaware the online version of the feed wasn’t taking the break on KIOW.
Typically, the comment might be an alert to another announcer to have the good sense to dummy up.
“Well, some would say that, yea,” a female announcer responds. “Some days I feel like that too.”
Alrighty, then. (See the broadcast here)
This is absolutely appalling!! This is why our country is failing!! How dare them talk about our Eagle Grove kids like this!! Shame on them!! SHARE!!!
Posted by Betty Jo Willard on Sunday, December 3, 2017
They went on to suggest that Latino individuals will gradually infiltrate their community.
“On Tuesday, November 28th, two employees of KIOW made comments that were insensitive, thoughtless and degrading to others. These comments were deplorable, and the staff and management of KIOW in no way condones or supports these comments,” the station said in a statement posted today.
It fired the announcers whom it declined to name.
The man’s name is Orin Harris, who has been broadcasting sports in the town for years. The woman was apparently a producer whose name has not been made public.
“It’s disappointing when our students go somewhere and aren’t treated with the respect they deserve,” the Eagle Grove school superintendent said.
