No respect shown for black gals
Malcolm X said it best: “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman.” Anyone with doubts about that needed to look no further Tuesday than Twitter, where two names — Bill O’Reilly and April Ryan — were trending most of the day.
O’Reilly offended black women everywhere with an on-air quip about Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) after watching her criticize President Trump on the House floor.
“I didn’t hear a word she said,” O’Reilly joked on “Fox & Friends.” “I was looking at the James Brown wig. If we have a picture of James — it’s the same wig.”
Hours later, White House spokesman Sean Spicer tore into reporter April Ryan for having the audacity to challenge his interpretation of the facts at a news conference.
“Stop shaking your head again,” Spicer, on live television, told Ryan, as if she were a petulant child arguing over her bedtime.
What we have here are two grown, well-respected black women being spoken down to and degraded by two prominent white men.
O’Reilly started by pulling a wornout page from the “How To Be Sexist” handbook. He ignored everything Waters said in favor of a silly comment about her looks.
The Fox News host also failed to account for the respect Waters deserves for being 78 years old.
Spicer, meanwhile, offered one of his most patronizing moments behind the press room podium, scolding Ryan for shaking her head while he was trying to make a point. That is not to say that Spicer would not have treated any other reporter with the same disrespect. He’s an equal opportunity offender.
But the optics were not good considering that Ryan, a black reporter with the American Urban Radio Networks, is the same reporter who asked President Trump weeks ago if he was going to meet with the congressional black and Hispanic caucuses. Trump’s classic reply? “Do you want to set up the meeting?” Trump said, mistaking Ryan for the hired help. “Are they friends of yours?”
O’Reilly, at least, apologized for his remarks, which he later said were “dumb.” Spicer, meanwhile, has yet to say he’s sorry for talking to Ryan like he was her daddy.