Clear Channel rebukes Des Moines radio hosts’ comments on AIDS
from The Iowa Independent
Clear Channel Communications Inc., which owns WHO-AM and several other radio stations in Des Moines, distanced itself Thursday morning from one its hosts who said the idea that AIDS does not discriminate is a lie [Audio].
The Iowa Independent reported last week that Jan Mickelson, who hosts a morning show on Iowa’s largest radio station, criticized Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn for denouncing a GOP legislative candidate who posted anti-gay statements on his Facebook. Strawn said “HIV/AIDS does not discriminate,” a point that raised the ire of Mickelson, who has a history anti-gay remarks. 
Mickelson said the disease discriminates against people who engage in “stupid behavior,” and since homosexuality is a “sexual disorder” that violates natural law, it “isn’t rocket science” to conclude AIDS discriminates against homosexuals.
“Homosexuality is intrinsically promiscuous, because it violates the design of our bodies,” Mickelson said. “There is no safe way to do that.”
In a statement read shortly before Mickelson’s program began Thursday morning, Clear Channel said Mickelson’s statements “confused strong opinion with medical fact, and contained factual errors regarding HIV/AIDS, it’s spread and current efforts to inform the public about this disease.”
