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May 12, 2006 5:05 pm US/Eastern

Local Radio Station Upsets Latino Community

Reid Lamberty
Reporting

(CBS) BABYLON Served over the airways at WBAB Radio in Babylon, critics of a parody that include the words "no green cards, just right" call the song an un-appetizing array of insults and slurs.

And for many Long Islanders, particularly Latinos, it's tough to digest.

"I felt insulted," said Reverend Allan Ramirez of the Brookville Reformed Church. "I felt that I was being treated as less than human."

The parody, played on the popular Long Island radio talk show, Roger and JP on WBAB, is a fake minute-long commercial.

But it has drawn sharp criticism from the Latino community and has forced the station to withdraw the song, and offer an apology. "We apologize to anyone we offended," said Roger Luce, of the morning talk show. "As soon as we heard about negative feelings toward the parody we pulled it off the air immediately."

The d-j's insist they never intended to offend anyone. In fact, one of the hosts, John Parise, himself of Hispanic descent, says it's one of many parodies the duo plays on its morning radio show, titles which include "Brokeback Steakhouse" and "My Immigration", a parody of the popular Who song, "My Generation."

"As part of their mea culpa, WBAB radio hosts Roger and JP will issue a formal apology on Monday morning's show. Additionally, a large portion of proceeds raised through station charity events will go towards the Latino community. A community already on edge over illegal immigration and the presence of undocumented workers, hoping these words don't ignite tensions.


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This is Pathetic