Jack & Jill Politics

I needed a day or two to let this Don Imus (my nickname for him is “Anus In the Morning”)controversy marinate before I decided to post something about it.

My colleagues and I are pretty good about spotting patterns when it comes to bigotry and racism. What frosts my cookies is when the media personality gets caught and tries to explain it away, while continuing to insult the intelligence of those who knew exactly what he/she was trying to say. They’re only sorry and remorseful if they get caught.

Thank God for YouTube. As a result of someone catching former Virginia Senator George Allen in a racist rant where he invoked the term “Macaca” when addressing an American-Born college student of Middle Eastern descent, that YouTube clip practically handed the Senate Seat to Jim Webb two years ago. As I recall, Allen didn’t even try to spin a response because the video didn’t lie.

His excuse was that he made it up and didn’t realize it was a racial slur. Hmmm…

Gerry “The Klanswoman” Ferraro didn’t try to spin her epithets, either. In fact, Fox Noise kept handing her the mic so she could dig her grave and that of Hillary Clinton’s as well.

And don’t get me started on Rush “Mr. Boil on his Butt” Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, ED Hill, the whole gang on “Fox and Friends”, Pat Buchanan (we even have an award for his dumb ass) and others. What I want to point out is there is a pattern that has emerged here, and we don’t need to wait for Al or Jesse to start shouting about it before we take action.

I don’t want to list every thing that has been said thus far, because it’s likely to get worse before this is over. I just wish they would stop mouthing off insincere apologies, and they only do this because they got caught and they have to or else they get fired.

I’d like to form a wiki to track how often these individuals make these racist statements, apologize/or make an excuse, and while noting that NOTHING HAPPENS TO THEM. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

And that’s because there’s no teeth in the FCC to pull the licenses of the media outlets that broadcast them. Thank you, Bill Clinton, for deregulating the FCC and giving away the store that allows networks like Fox to broadcast bigotry and racism on a scale that pre-deregulation, some folks would have been on the unemployment line and networks would have had the plug pulled and gone dark.

Here’s a few of the apologies or excuses I’ve heard (from those who know their public image needed to be restored):

“I was drunk.” – Excuse used by Mel Gibson for his anti-semitic rant with LAPD. Also was used by other celebrities as well. Former Congressman Mark Foley used it as an excuse for why he was hitting on the teenage male Congressional pages; and other members have used this excuse when caught cheating on their spouses.

Isn’t it true that when a drunk speaks, he’s really telling the truth he’s too cowardly to say while sober? Just a thought…

“I was upset.” – Michael “Seinfeld” Richards after his “Nigger” rant at an LA comedy club. I know Richards was upset because some brothas were heckling him during his comedy routine because his routine WAS NOT FUNNY. If you get that upset, go count to ten before opening your mouth.

“If I’ve offended anyone, I am sorry; I am not really a racist.” The first words out of Don Imus’ mouth after the “nappy headed hoes” comment about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. D. L. Hughley and Damon Wayans actually tried to defend Imus until the Black Community rose up and let Mr. Hughley and Mr. Wayans know if they wanted to still hold comedy concerts in our cities, they needed to shut that crap up. Others who have used similar words were Hannity (until he got tired of apologizing), Bill Orally, and Joe Scarborough. The rest like Limbaugh, don’t even bother until a bunch of advertisers start calling and saying they’re pulling their spots off the air and cost the stations some serious cheddar.

And what does “I am not really a racist” mean? Either you’re bigoted or you aren’t. That’s like being “not really” pregnant and the woman looks like she’s gonna blow any minute.

“Some of my best friends are Black/Latino/Asian/fill in the blank. I am not a racist.” – Former MLB pitcher John Rocker after his “New York is full of foreigners” rant on ESPN. Disappeared from Baseball along with the 95-mph fastball he used to throw. Additionally, if you can count how many ethnic people have been in your home or have come into personal contact with you, just having them around does not excuse you from bigotry, no matter how many you have over for dinner.

You really don’t need to tell us you associate with people of ethnicity to prove you’re not a racist or a bigot. Limbaugh’s closest friend is Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He probably thinks he has a free pass to engage in his bigotry because he can always trot out Clarence to prove he’s not really a bigot, and Clarence will confirm it for him, while we restrain the urge to hurl a brick at Clarence for self-hating to the point only whites can give him the value he craves.

“My comments were taken out of context.” – This is the one usually used by Hannity, Limbaugh and maybe Glen Beck and Michael Savage, as well as a few bigoted Congress Critters on the Hill. Also is code-speak for “I didn’t know I’d get caught.”

“I took too much of my prescription when I said that.” – Used only if the media person doesn’t want to get labeled an alcoholic; but…is being labeled a drug addict any better?

“You damned bloggers!” – Congressman Mel Watt to me, after handing him the CBC Monitor Report Card back in 2005. No YouTube present, but I did have witnesses; mostly brothas ready to get in Watt’s ass for trying to publicly diss me, LOL.

Well, that’s not really a bigoted remark, but to people like Watt, we bloggers might as well belong to another race, the way they treat us and all that…

Basically, these individuals want to say they were out of control when they made those remarks. That’s not a good excuse; being out of control like that, because if that’s the case, it’s an indication that your mouth isn’t the only areas of your life that’s not stable. I don’t think we will ever get a sincere apology from these, um, individuals, but look at how fast the ReThugs got up in arms when they thought Michelle Obama said “Whitey” and that clip was played to demonstrate she never said such a thing. We need to get up in arms just as fast, and even call out our own who try to give these bigots cover by saying their remarks fall under Freedom of Speech. They have a right to say it, and even say it publicly, but as a condition of their employment, they need to check those impulses at the door, because they influence millions of listeners who usually can think for themselves, but it’s easier for yuks like Imus to tell them how to think by using bigoted slurs.

And if you can think of a few more you’ve heard, share with the JJP crowd.

Like I said, America is addicted to racism and bigotry; only an “Intervention” can save her from herself.