Shes the third most popular radio talk show host but Laura Schlessinger known as Dr. Laura is saying good-bye. A week after igniting controversy with racially charged comments on her nationally syndicated radio show, she told Larry King Tuesday evening that she plans to leave her popular advice program when her contract runs out at the end of the year.
She said she is not retiring. "I will be stronger and freer to say my mind through my books, my YouTube Channel, my blog and my website," she said.
Last weeks controversy exploded after a discussion with an African-American caller who asked about the N-word and the racially insensitive remarks made by her white relatives. In response, Dr. Laura said it was very confusing because many African-Americans use the N-word themselves. She repeated it several times making her point.
The next day she apologized saying her behavior was wrong and posted her apology on her website. But since then she said, the media have rebroadcast my error again and again and again and again, compounding the damage which I shouldn't have done and never intended to do in the first place the effect has been that my words have offended many, many, many, many more people and there are many who are saying they will not accept my apology.
She also noted, "When I first started out in radio," she said, "people would disagree they disagreed, they didn't hate. They didn't try to censor, they didn't try to destroy an opposing point of view. Instead, they just argued and debated, and argued and disagreed, and debated and argued." Now, she continued, "self-appointed activist types breed hate, breed anger, breed destruction should anyone hold up a mirror or dare to disagree." She added that the phenomenon could be observed in all aspects of society, from politics to education to the workplace.A radio fixture for three decades, Dr. Laura has said she "preaches, teaches, and nags about morals, values and ethics and is known for her conservative views of family life. No stranger to controversy in the past, she has been critical of gay marriage. Gay marriage proponents attacked her views and asked advertisers to boycott a television show she once hosted. The campaign against her was a major factor in the shows quick demise.Her best known book, published in 2004 was The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbandsand was controversil as well. She said women today needed to stop complaining about their men and, instead of tearing them down, should start building them up. Critics complained but the book was a big best-seller.
