Radio host fired after rant against New Hampshire landscape workers speaking Spanish
A conservative talk radio host was fired after she filmed herself verbally harassing a group of landscape workers speaking Spanish.
Dianna Ploss, who worked at WSMN 1590 in Nashua, New Hampshire, streamed on Facebook Live as she shouted at the men to “speak English” during the July 11 incident. Her tirade was broadcast to her more than 45,000 followers.
“It is America, you should be speaking English,” she said in the video, which has since been deleted. “You work for the state. You should be speaking English.”
Ploss continued: “Look at this. They have people who don’t speak English who are putting in this stuff that taxpayers are paying for and — look what they’re doing. This is communism. They’re taking over these streets!”
Backlash was swift, with nationwide calls for the radio host’s removal. An online petition demanding Ploss’ firing had more than 11,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon.
WSMN said in a Sunday Facebook post that it cut ties with Ploss.
“Dianna Ploss is no longer associated or affiliated in any way with WSMN or Bartis-Russell Broadcasting, LLC,” according to a statement. “We at WSMN value freedom of speech, freedom of expression and assembly. We will not tolerate discrimination, racism or hatred.”
“We continue to present and offer on air opportunities for discussion, education and the exchange of opinions and ideas,” the company added.
Ploss, who describes herself as a “MAGA Activist” and supporter of President Donald Trump, deleted the video from her Facebook page. Despite the backlash, former broadcaster said she’s “not backing down.”
In a Facebook post Monday, she wrote: “People use the word ‘racist’ like the word ‘the.’ Meaningless.”
Her rant against the landscapers apparently began when she overheard them speaking in their native tongue. .
A recent study by the Cervantes Institute says 41 million people — about 13% of the U.S. population — speak Spanish at home and that in the next 30 years the country could have more Spanish speakers than Spain.
The U.S. has no official language.
“English, English, English!” Ploss shouted in the video. At one point she asked, “Is anyone here illegal? Are they illegal aliens?”
About a minute into the video, a bystander intervened and chided Ploss.
“You’re yelling at them while they’re trying to do their jobs,” he said. “I can hear you from across the street. I’m trying to enjoy my lunch.”
Ploss dismissed the man as a “social justice warrior” and criticized him for wearing a face mask amid the COVID-19 crisis.
“He’s a Black man and he’s gonna protect the brown man from this white woman who’s practicing white privilege because she happened to walk by and heard this guy talking to all these men ... in Spanish,” Ploss said.
On Facebook, Ploss said she will make a public statement on the matter Monday evening.
This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 3:08 PM with the headline "Radio host fired after rant against New Hampshire landscape workers speaking Spanish."