Several times over the last few weeks, we have wondered why members of Congress and Religious Right activists continue to appear on the radio program hosted by conspiracy theorist and End Times fanatic Rick Wiles, given that Wiles is a bona fide crackpot and a loose cannon, which is something that Todd Starnes learned first-hand when he appeared on Wiles’ program on Friday.
Starnes was on to discuss his recent column about a controversy at the Air Force Academy over cadets posting Bible verses on their dormitory white boards, which brought a complaint from Mikey Weinstein, the director of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Wiles announced that he was fed up with Weinstein and said that he needed to be met by a bunch of special forces commandos in a dark alley and “given an attitude adjustment.” To his credit, Starnes took offense at that statement, denounced it, and ended the interview:
Wiles: You know what Mikey Weinstein needs? I’ll say this on my radio show, I can get away with it: he really needs to be met in a dark alley by a couple of special forces commandos and given an attitude adjustment. You don’t have to comment, Todd; I said it on my program. I’m fed up with that guy.
Starnes: I have to really incredibly object to that.
Wiles: I’m fed up with the guy. I’m fed up with the guy.
Starnes: Well, that may be the case but this is a free country and individuals are allowed to voice their opinions of whether or not they agree or disagree and they should be able to do so without any threat of violence or force …
Wiles: Okay, but he doesn’t just express his opinions …
Starnes: It doesn’t matter …
Wiles: He’s pursuing Christians. He is on a war against Christianity.
Starnes: Well, that is certainly his right. The issue here is not Mr. Weinstein and, again, we should live in a country where people can express their views without any threat of violence. The issue here is the Air Force Academy and this idea that they kowtow to ever single telephone call they receive from him.
Wiles: That’s the point I’m making.
Starnes: And I do apologize, but I do have to end this interview. Again, we just strongly object to that comment you made, sir.
Wiles: I didn’t mean to offend you, Todd. I’m just saying I think many Americans are just plain fed-up with this guy.
Starnes: Well, I’m sure they are and again, but we do have to end this interview. Thank you very much.
Wiles: Okay Todd, thank you. Good bye. Well, I tried to five years to get Todd Starnes on TruNews. I finally got him and he hung on me after five minutes.
After Starnes hung up, Wiles spent the remainder of the segment defending his comment and saying that he was sick of feckless Christians like Starnes who are more concerned about protecting their careers than they are with standing up to the “fat-mouthed atheists” and “Jesus-hating bigots” who are operating “under the spirit of Antichrist”:
