If you lived in Atlanta, he was great — as big as Coca-Cola. He was more like RC Cola, something you might have tried a few times while traveling through the South, but not your typical tea. But make no mistake,” The Talkmaster” Neal Boortz was a talk-radio story.
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Despite the fact that all about him was a little off.
For starters, he was n’t even a conservative. He was a ( right-leaning ) libertarian. Did n’t work in media either, he was first a salesman, then a Georgia lawyer. And although he’s been retired since 2013, he had one of the strangest, most unfathomable jobs in television story.
Beginning with how it all began: Boortz tampered with school radio in Texas before moving to Atlanta and starting a business selling bracelets and furnishings at Rich’s. ( Among his early customers: Martin Luther King, Jr. ) While in Atlanta, he became a superfan of a local talk show host on AM 680, a man named Herb Elfman.  ,
Boortz loved this present!  ,
Quickly, he began calling in frequently, sending over code, and trying to cultivate a personal connection. And it worked: Elfman also became a standard dinner host in Boortz’s house. At the conclusion of every meal, Elfman do play an unexpected radio monologue, which was just as crazy as it sounds, according to Boortz.
One day, the evening media reported that Elfman had committed suicide.
The following morning, Boortz showed up at AM 680’s gates and said he was prepared to replace Elfman. As he recounted it in his book,” Somebody’s Gotta State It”, Boortz told the station director,” Somebody’s got to do that present. I can do it”.
And for 40+ times, he was a talk-show network. Sean Hannity, one of his protégés, was known for spreading the good tax, one of his favorite projects. To that end, he wrote the# 1 New York Times Bestseller,” The Fair Tax Book”, with Congressman John Linder.
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Alas, the problem with talk television is its end lack of durability. Topical commentary does n’t date very well. Even the most creative, thought-provoking ideas vanish from the public’s awareness the instant they leave the mouth of the host. It’s similar to putting classics on a cloth that’s decomposing.
That’s a shame because one of Boortz’s thoughts was so beautiful, it deserves to sit on. It’s the issue of emblem using.
A large majority of conservatives — 77 % — think it should be banned. Yet only 50 % of independents and 35 % of Democrats agree.  ,
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Like most liberals, I likewise supported legislation to protect our symbol from destruction. Although I accepted the Free Speech explanation, I thought that cultures have a entrenched, genuine interest in safeguarding particular symbols. To me, the U. S. symbol, which has adorned the graves of far too many valiant members of our Armed Services, was capable of such security. ( Especially when anti-American activists torch the flag to deliberately provoke, antagonize, and offend. )
However, a small portion of me always felt bad because I try to be a Completely Speech authoritarian, and Free Speech may apply to both words and actions. Unfortunately, that includes the talk we strongly oppose.
It’s a harmful, slippery slope, because if you try to limit Free Speech to only include the spoken word, then the state would have the right to govern campaign signs, bumper stickers, website works, yada yada. I do n’t know about you, but I do n’t trust the government with that kind of control.
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And that’s the brilliance of Neal Boortz’s intelligent, Solomon-like thought. It safeguards the tastes of those who would kill to defend Old Glory while also upholding the freedom of speech:
Flag-burning must be allowed because it’s a form of ( hideous, odious ) Free Speech.  ,
But, Boortz would include this section to the legal code ( in his words ):  ,
” The violence in question may be “kicking the crap out of anyone who makes a public show of desecrating the American Flag.” The penalty for such a breach, I propose, should be a fine not to exceed$ 1 or five minutes in the custody of the police”.
Genius!Â
We miss you, Neal.
