SLURRED SPEECH
Media shows double-standard
W HAT never should have begun now won’t stop. Selective frivolous public prosecutions and persecutions of public figures continue to deprive the ecosystem of nutrients for common sense.
This year began with ESPN’s firing of tennis analyst Doug Adler for describing Venus Williams’ net-poaching as putting on “the guerilla effect.” Bomb-throwing fools with itchy Twitter fingers heard him call Williams, an African-American, a “gorilla.”
At the same time ESPN continued its cross-promotional embrace of the vilest, N-wording, women-degrading rappers while bestowing the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, named for the man who popularized mean-spirited trash-talk and denigrated Joe Frazier as “a gorilla.”
This week, Mike Francesa, whose stock in trade is dishonesty, was attacked for making an honest mistake.
Francesa referred to Asian-Americans as “Oriental-Americans,” a classification quickly condemned as a slur, when he merely spoke a term that has been deemed passé. There was no intent whatsoever to demean Asian-Americans, yet Francesa was accused of rank racial insensitivity. He committed no greater transgression than being about a dozen years out of touch.
Ironically, the bashing Francesa received was in response to a Supreme Court ruling that the Asian-American band, “The Slants” — a purposeful, wiseguy use of a first-degree slur of all Asians — is entitled to that name, no matter how offensive. Francesa used that to discuss the NFL’s right to continue to call its Washington franchise the Redskins.
A few weeks ago, I played golf with a distinguished, recently retired New York State judge, who used the term “Oriental” to describe an Asian-American. I was slightly surprised, and told him so.
He had no idea that it had faded, replaced with “Asian-American.” He asked why it is improper to refer to descendants of the Orient as Orientals.
I told him that all I know is that it is out, and has been for some time. His Honor was grateful for the info, and I suspect he took it under advisement.
As for the point Francesa was trying to make before he was rudely interrupted — he should know the feeling — by accusations of racism, “Redskins,” though now protected by a Supreme Court ruling, nevertheless strikes me as a slur. I can’t help it.
It bothered me as a kid when I watched Westerns to hear “dirty Redskins.” And it bothers me now, as a Jew who reads history to learn that “dirty Jew” was reflexively spoken here, there and everywhere throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
(During the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, a demonstration protesting the deportation of Jews included a fabulous but risky message to the Nazis, a sign that read: “Keep Your Dirty Hands Off Our Dirty Jews!”)
If I were a native North American, I wouldn’t want to be identified as a Redskin, nor suffer it as a major sports team’s nickname.
Last week, another case of highly selective persecution: A minor league team — as new-age desensitized, wise-guy promotions — encouraged fans to abuse the visiting team’s Tim Tebow for his well known Christian beliefs.
Every time I consider how Tebow is treated, especially by media, I think of how the late Reggie White, an AfricanAmerican, was treated. Both were similarly upfront with their strong Christian beliefs. Though White was admired for it — even his denouncement of homosexuality was quickly forgiven — Tebow still is mocked for it.
Selectivity. The Bulls’ Rajon Rondo, who while with the Kings, cussed out gay NBA ref Bill Kennedy with every homosexual slur he could conjure, this month was an NBA playoffs special guest on TNT.
Superstar Nicki Minaj, who records unprintably vile lyrics that include the Nword — check the lyrics to “Lookin’ Ass N---a” — will entertain on TNT’s NBA awards show Monday.
Drake — another wildly popular Nwording rapper who chants vulgar, boastful sexual degradations of women — is an NBA favorite who has grown fabulously wealthy sustaining the worst stereotypes — the negative racial profiling — of black men and women, will be the co-host.
Think NBA commissioner Adam Silver would like to step to the microphone to read Drake’s and Minaj’s lyrics? If not, why not?
And to think what the pitiless NBA and selectively outraged media did to Donald Sterling, a senile 80-year-old whose let’sgo-shopping! 30-year-old “girlfriend” covertly recorded his racist conversation then was kind enough to share it with us.
My kids grew up never hearing the Nword. It was trending dead. Then they began to hear it from rappers and those who boldly, proudly recited their lyrics. Now 12-year-old black kids reflexively call one another “N---as.” Good work, everyone.
And so the feckless pursuit of equality through inequality continues, thus shame on Mike Francesa for not knowing better, for referring to The Slants, for crying out loud, as “Oriental-Americans.”