Being a radio talk show host for the last 26 years has been a true privilege. It has allowed me the opportunity to express my views on the air, exchange ideas with listeners and interview some of the most powerful and interesting guests in the world.
After starting on the radio, I was fortunate enough to be able to launch a television show, a political comedy show, a weekly column and eventually author a book. All these activities were done to communicate important ideas with the public and attempt to influence our nation’s political environment in a positive way.
While there have been many blessings from this career, it has not been all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, as a conservative talk show host working in the progressive city of New Orleans it has been quite a challenge.
Often conservative views are labeled “racist” by those on the left. My belief that “forced busing” was a failure for our communities, schools, and children, as well as delaying progress in achieving the admirable goal of racial harmony, enraged one of my liberal radio show callers.
He decided to pay for a half-page ad in the local African American weekly newspaper labeling me a racist. The title shrieked “Louisiana’s Trent Lott.” Not surprisingly, my young children and family members were less than thrilled by my enhanced notoriety.
After starting my show on an independent talk station, I had periodic occasions to interview with other radio stations, owned by out-of-state conglomerates. In these interviews, I was told that if I moderated my message, became “less conservative,” there would be great opportunities for me. Of course, this was not an option, I have always stayed true to my beliefs, for better or worse.
Eventually, the daily newspaper hired me to write a regular column, as their only conservative voice. While the column was often edited to moderate the tone, I was pleased that the local community was able to read a different point of view in a newspaper known for decidedly progressive content.
All was well until I became involved in a statewide media campaign to stop the Louisiana Secretary of State, Kyle Ardoin, from purchasing $100 million in new voting machines. In the aftermath of the contentious 2020 election, I advocated that the Secretary of State move very slowly in buying new machines and not rush forward with a new contract.
To the newspaper’s board of directors, my involvement in this effort was “conspiratorial” and “shocking.” I was labeled an “election denier.” While I lost the column for being so “controversial,” I am proud to say the campaign helped stop the effort to purchase $100 million in new voting machines in Louisiana.
For me, the highlight of each week is to host the Ringside Politics television show on Real America’s Voice, a network of true patriots working tirelessly to “Make America Great Again.” Several years ago, the network gave me the great honor of hosting a televised town hall meeting in our local community. At the event, there was an impressive crowd, and I enjoyed working with some of the finest people on the network.
One way I promoted the event was to make a post on my Facebook page. I figured this would be an ideal way to inform local followers about the televised town hall meeting. Well, this was unacceptable to all the faceless censors at Facebook. My page with 5,000 “friends” was eliminated, with no warning nor opportunity to appeal. I remained in Facebook “jail” for one year, until one day the page just reappeared, with no explanation.
I received the same treatment on LinkedIn. When I posted on my page about a Ringside Politics guest deemed unacceptable by their censors, I lost my platform with approximately 6,000 “followers.” Eventually, I was allowed back on LinkedIn, but was warned to never promote one of my “controversial” guests again.
Prior to Elon Musk buying Twitter, my political posts were often shadow banned on that platform as well. Fortunately, Musk has made X.com, formerly Twitter, a true hotspot for free speech, but the censors are not quitting.
For example, one of my websites, RingsidePolitics.com, has been offline after being attacked by political enemies spewing vicious malware. Trying to restore the site with the foreign “technology team” at Network Solutions has been one of the most aggravating experiences of my life.
The only thing worse has been trying to contact the “representatives” at T-Mobile, my current cell phone company. For the past several weeks, I have not been allowed to send a text. In today’s environment, texting is an easy and convenient way of communicating with friends and business associates. Being unable to text is very frustrating and detrimental to business activity.
Unfortunately, every time I contact T-Mobile, I reach a foreign “representative.” After dozens of calls over the past several weeks, I have talked to no one based in the United States. While these “representatives” are presumably well intentioned, communication with them is both difficult and exasperating.
All of this leads to uncomfortable questions. Is T-Mobile preventing me from texting because I am a conservative? Do they deem my views to be dangerous? Why are they monitoring my text messages?
My frustration is typical of what countless Americans often experience in trying to receive customer service on the phone. Memo to American business owners: try call centers based in this country, it will lead to customer happiness and retention.
Fortunately, President Donald Trump is bringing businesses back to America. He is also fighting against censorship. One of his first presidential directives stated, “The First Amendment to the United States Constitution…enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference.”
This order should be extended to the private sector to protect the rights of Americans, including conservatives, to communicate without censorship.
As the President’s policy noted, the American people have a “right…to engage in constitutionally protected speech.” Yes, conservatives too.
Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian and his award-winning program, “Ringside Politics,” airs Saturdays from Noon until 1 p.m. CT nationally on Real America’s Voice TV Network & AmericasVoice.News and weekdays from 7-9 a.m. & 6-7 p.m. CT on WGSO 990-AM & Wgso.com. He is a political columnist, the author of America’s Last Chance and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on Crouere.net. For more information, email him at jcrouere@gmail.com
