However, they are largely silent about the 98.5's Wake-Up Crew, 3 radio shock jocks of Hawaiian & Asian ancestries who specialize in mean-spirited jokes. Their jokes includes racist jokes about Micronesians and European-Americans, as well as cruel jokes about the homeless and disabled.
Just one example, as mentioned in the Hawaii Independent
http://hawaiiindependent.net/story/racism-in-hawaii-is-alive-and-well
On the morning of Friday, May 23, at around 7:15 a.m., Disc jockey Brandon “KreyZ” Oshiro of Island 98.5’s radio show “The Wake Up Crew” told a joke for the show’s “stupid joke Friday” segment. The joke was directed toward Micronesian immigrants, who are the most recent and least established group of immigrants to come to HawaiĘ»i, and who have suffered the brunt of racial jokes, slurs and violence in the past decade. The joke was as follows:“Why aren’t there many beautiful Micronesians? Because babies with birth defects are usually terminated before birth.”
Imagine if you're a child or a teen of Micronesian descent hearing that stuff on the radio? You're already going through the usual childhood/teenage insecurities, but add to that, you hearing a joke that basically encourages your peers to make extremely mean-spirited jokes about you based on your ethnicity.
So basically, the 98.5 Wake-Up Crew is the the brown-skinned version of Donald Trump and Ann Coulter.
And just like Donald Trump and Ann Coulter, just when you think they can't get any lower, they do just that
Here's what someone mentioned on facebook
Island 98.5 Wake Up Crew was exceptionally rude this morning.
*woman calls in*Wake up Crew: Woah, how old are you?
Woman: 41.W.U.C: Why do you sound like a little girl? What happened to you when you were 7? Usually when something happens as a child your voice gets stuck sounding like you're still that age. So what, did uncle make you sit on his lap or something?Woman: Yes, actually.I'm speechless. Spitting ignorance over the airwaves is the norm for these imbiciles. But making a joke about child molestation? Wow. That's a new low..even for these half-wits.[Note: I don't ever listen to their morning show for this exact reason. But 98.5 was left on from last night and, being in a rush this morning, I didn't realize what I was listening to until it was too late. NEVER AGAIN.]
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Now imagine the outrage if Milo Yiannopolous said something like that.
He was banned from a conference for jokes like that!
But because 98.5's Wake-Up Crew are brown-skinned males of Hawaiian-Asian ancestry, the So-Called Justice Warriors say nothing!
That right there is Brown Privilege!
Excuses are made. If somebody is offended by the 98.5's Wake-Up Crew, the So-Called Justice Warriors will say " what about Rush Limbaugh?"
98.5 Wake-Up Crew is WORSE than Rush Limbaugh!
I remember spending time listening to Rush Limbaugh back in the early 2000's. Most of the time, he isn't really that mean-spirited. Sometimes, his jokes are cringe-worthy, but that's sometimes. The 98.5 Wake-Up Crew is ALL THE TIME!
But when Rush Limbaugh says something mildly offensive, it becomes a national scandal that lasts a few weeks.
Of course, 98.5 Wake-Up Crew claim their critics aren't with the "local culture".
Don't tell me where I'm from, I grew up in Hawaii, and I'm from the same environment that some of the 98.5 Wake-Up Crew's fans are from. I'm from Kalihi and some of my relatives grew up in Waianae, so I don't need any lectures about my familiarity with Hawaii's ghetto culture.
But being from the ghetto doesn't mean you have to be a trashy person!
You can also be funny without being mean-spirited.
Frank DeLima had his controversy in the past about ethnic humor, but he has since toned down his act. He does some ethnic characters, but they still showcase their humanity and he can do those characters without being demeaning. Just like how Robin Williams can portray characters with foreign accents without being demeaning.
But still, the 98.5 Wake-Up Crew claim that their critics can't take a joke. Well, would they make that type of joke in the physical presence of somebody they don't know that is tougher than than them and is pointing a weapon aimed at their face? Would they make that type of joke when they are weaponless and physically surrounded by the 20 of the same type of people they mock?
Of course not! But the 98.5 Wake-Up Crew make those jokes in the safety of their radio station's walls and make fun of the vulnerable. They think that making fun of the vulnerable makes them tough! That is fake toughness! Real Toughness is about defending the weak from the bullies. Real Toughness is about defending the spirit of inclusion and equality even when it's not popular!
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As far as I'm concerned, I don't even bother with 98.5 FM at all.
I can hear the same songs (mostly reggae and Hawaiian) on 93.1 or on FM 100, without listening to these 98.5 Wake-Up Crew jerks!
And if I was one of the local reggae artists, I would use my copyright privileges to block my songs from 98.5 until the Wake-Up Crew is gone.
So while the 98.5 Wake-Up Crew has their freedom of speech, so do I!
