Two weeks after WMNF-FM's board of directors formally and finally ended her show Straight Talk, Connie Burton was still out in front of the station's new building Monday morning, arguing her case.

"We're going to be out here until we get justice," said the ex-host and member of the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement. Standing with four supporters, Burton said "WMNF has decided what message can be said and who the messenger should be."

The board's decision on Feb. 21 followed a bitter open meeting where it heard complaints from Burton's supporters on a range of subjects, including demands that they be given back the money they donated. Much of WMNF's listener support in recent years went toward a long-awaited new facility, which they moved into a few weeks after Straight Talk was cancelled.

Burton was removed from the air on Jan. 24 for three reasons, WMNF management says. Her attacks on prominent African-Americans constituted hate speech (she called them "Uncle Toms"). Some of those attacks could have been the target of libel suits, a risk the station was unwilling to take. And WMNF alleges that Burton used Straight Talk as a fundraising platform for the Uhuru movement, which is a violation of the station's programmer's agreement.

Those were the same reasons why the board, which pressured the staff to cancel Straight Talk in January, denied Burton's Feb. 21 appeal.

Over the last six weeks, Burton and her supporters have protested at the station, and at the home of News and Public Affairs Director Rob Lorei. Though she was fighting to get Straight Talk back on the air, Burton wasn't surprised when the station's grievance process didn't come out in her favor.

"How could I be surprised if the group that made the decision is the same group I have to appeal to?" she asked.

WMNF, which started its March fundraising drive this week, says the formal grievance process is over, and the final decision has been made. They are looking for a host to fill Straight Talk's time slot who will discuss a wide range of issues facing the African-American community. "There is no lack of offers from people who would like to be on the air," says Station Manager Vicki Santa.

But Burton says the fight isn't over. In addition to continuing her protests at WMNF, she is looking into putting Straight Talk out on the Internet or low-power FM radio, and plans to start publishing a monthly newspaper, Straight Talk News, in two weeks.

The first issue's front page story?

Straight Talk's cancellation, of course.

-Max Linsky

This article appears in Mar 9-15, 2005.