Was Dr Laura Schlessinger treated fairly?

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I like Dr. Laura, and I would call her "abrasive" rather than abusive. She likes to get straight to the point and gets very impatient with irrelevant conversation.

As for the comments in question--she was being abrasive as usual, but she didn't use the "n" word TOWARD anyone. She said that all you hear on HBO is "n, n, n." In my opinion, the caller was deliberately provocative and immediately tried to twist her comments into racism. Dr. Laura responded with a predictably stubborn repeat of her original statement.

As usual, the response to her comments is skewed because she's a conservative. If Jesse Jackson or Oprah had made such a comment, no one would have noticed. Oprah did a whole show about the use of the "n" word in rap/hip-hop music, and references were sprinkled throughout the show. Again, like Dr. Laura, no one was using the word TOWARD anyone, but referencing its USE in lyrics, etc.

Dr. Laura does not deserve to be maligned over her comments, but the media isn't concerned with fair treatment. They're just concerned with making sure that black voters think that all conservatives are racists. She's the latest patsy on display.

Jesse Jackson and Oprah have more in contrast with Dr. Laura than not being conservative -- probably the most relevant is that they are black?

If I'm not mistaken a Democratic congressman and even the Majority Leader caught flack for "racial" remarks recently.

I will agree that the criticism seems sometimes much more vile toward conservatives, as they are suspected of being the rich, racist, white party.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Jesse Jackson and Oprah have more in contrast with Dr. Laura than not being conservative -- probably the most relevant is that they are black?

Seriously, what does that have to do with anything? Honestly and with complete naivete, what does "being black" have to do with anything? As I said before, George Clooney and Halle Berry are both "black." They are aren't they?

Can Maria Carey "break it down" and do a funky rap using all the gangsta words including the "n word?" Is she "black enough?" Is she even black at all?

My whole life has been spent around folks that are "kind of this" or "sort of that." Kids I went to school with thought my dad was a "Mexican." "So what's with you 'white' name?" I was asked. Then in gym they'd tease me for being "too white."

What's "black enough" and what's "too white" to use the "n word?" Draw a line for us.

Originally Posted by Maximilian

If I'm not mistaken a Democratic congressman and even the Majority Leader caught flack for "racial" remarks recently.

I will agree that the criticism seems sometimes much more vile toward conservatives, as they are suspected of being the rich, racist, white party.

You're probably thinking Harry Reid. If it had been a Republican who said that he would be out of office by now. Look at Trent Lott's treatment. The Republicans ran him out of town themselves. The Dems? They thrive in an atmosphere of racial hate, fear and suspicion. Harry got hardly a hand slap.

(Gotta step away and do some "work" - I'll be back).

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by pelathais

Seriously, what does that have to do with anything? Honestly and with complete naivete, what does "being black" have to do with anything? As I said before, George Clooney and Halle Berry are both "black." They are aren't they?

Whether you or I like it or not, or disagree or not, that's the reality. Culturally and socially it's acceptable for blacks to use the word. I don't follow you Clooney reference either.

Can Mariah Carey "break it down" and do a funky rap using all the gangsta words including the "n word?" Is she "black enough?" Is she even black at all?
Don't know. Has she earned that trustworthy reputation among them? Maybe.

My whole life has been spent around folks that are "kind of this" or "sort of that." Kids I went to school with thought my dad was a "Mexican." "So what's with you 'white' name?" I was asked. Then in gym they'd tease me for being "too white."

What's "black enough" and what's "too white" to use the "n word?" Draw a line for us.



You're probably thinking Harry Reid. If it had been a Republican who said that he would be out of office by now. Look at Trent Lott's treatment. The Republicans ran him out of town themselves. The Dems? They thrive in an atmosphere of racial hate, fear and suspicion. Harry got hardly a hand slap.

(Gotta step away and do some "work" - I'll be back).

I'm thinking, the point MB made about Oprah and Jesse Jackson getting away with it because they aren't conservative was not fully presented. The obvious distinction on matters of race speech is that they were of the race being perpetrated.

Regardless of how appropriate Harry's punishment was, he was called out for it. In my prior post I agreed that there seems to be more ire against conservatives, who many think are rich, white people.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Whether you or I like it or not, or disagree or not, that's the reality. Culturally and socially it's acceptable for blacks to use the word. I don't follow you Clooney reference either.

Can Mariah Carey "break it down" and do a funky rap using all the gangsta words including the "n word?" Is she "black enough?" Is she even black at all?
Don't know. Has she earned that trustworthy reputation among them? Maybe.

"THEM" ??? She is "them!" That's my point. Were you unaware of the fact that Mariah Carey is of African American descent?

You should read the article I linked to earlier: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n26712135/ - especially the quotes from various entertainers and social critics toward the bottom.

There is no consensus among African Americans as to whether or not the "n word" should be used in any manner. You at least appear to be saying that there is some monolithic "THEM" that serves to pass judgement upon all who use the word. If you're "black enough" then it's "cool?" What is "black enough?" You have avoided that question.

And who determines just who is "black enough?" The argument ends up sounding like Evangelist Benincasa and Elder Burke's arguments about who is "a Jew?" (More specifically, "Who is a Jewish priest?").

We're all related by descent from a common ancestor. That is a simple fact. Because of geographic isolation, many of our subsequent ancestors adapted to different environments and differences in physical appearances developed over the short run. Because we don't have fur our skins bore the full brunt of the sun's radiation (or not) and it had to adapt as local conditions dictated.

Today's world has obliterated the whole concept of geographic isolation. It is foolish (IMHO) to insist that everyone breed and act as if the rest of the world didn't exist, trying to artificially maintain the old geographic isolation.

"Black culture" is everyone's culture. Saint Patrick's Day belongs to everyone. Hip hop is for whoever cares to dress and dance like that. At Thanksgiving we are all "Pilgrims" and "Indians."

"Color" is nonsense. It's a skin condition. Some people can make it look good, the rest of us wear pants. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The concentrations of dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid polymers in your skin tells me nothing about the content of your character." Or something like that.

How diffuse or how concentrated are your dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid polymers, and does it really matter?

[Maximilian]

Pel, usually a person, with any african heritage, tends to claims that heritage and identify with it. It's probably the same for Mariah.

Though, I suspect she'd be light enough that if she identified more (classical opera singer, played golf, hung out with Paris Hilton and attended an Ivy League school) with her White ancestry (to the exclusion of her Black ancestry), she'd have a harder time using esoteric language to the Black Community.

Even I can tell when it's awkward if someone is using the word or not.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Pel, usually a person, with any african heritage, tends to claims that heritage and identify with it. It's probably the same for Mariah.

Though, I suspect she'd be light enough that if she identified more (classical opera singer, played golf, hung out with Paris Hilton and attended an Ivy League school) with her White ancestry (to the exclusion of her Black ancestry), she'd have a harder time using esoteric language to the Black Community.

Even I can tell when it's awkward if someone is using the word or not.

What do you think about the following? I guess you agree?

* JOE TORRY, COMEDIAN: I feel it's two words. And Tupac kind of put it best. He said there's niggers which is niggers that derived from hate and has a negative meaning. But then there's this new term ... which is niggaz. That's just like saying my homie, my boy, my man. The way (Richards) said it ... and how he went back in time with it, he was talking about niggers. He wasn't talking about niggaz."

from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n26712135/

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by pelathais

What do you think about the following? I guess you agree?



from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n26712135/

Yeah, I remember this controversy. His tirade was most certainly racist too (Richards) and awkward. Regarding the "two words," I think I agree... not agree with using it, but there are clearly two words in use. One has a slang epitaph with it and the other is used by now-retired Klan members.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by pelathais

What do you think about the following? I guess you agree?



from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n26712135/

So Dr L's mistake was not using the Z? Or could she say that and be ok? So much for freedom of speech...Blacks can say it but nobody else can use that word...even if it's NOT intended to be hateful

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Jesse Jackson and Oprah have more in contrast with Dr. Laura than not being conservative -- probably the most relevant is that they are black?

Oddly enough, I was classifying them as liberal public figures--not just as the black counterparts to Dr. Laura. They are most certainly both VERY liberal in their political views. The fact that they are both black only adds to the accusation of media hypocrisy, and doesn't negate my comparison.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Oddly enough, I was classifying them as liberal public figures--not just as the black counterparts to Dr. Laura. They are most certainly both VERY liberal in their political views. The fact that they are both black only adds to the accusation of media hypocrisy, and doesn't negate my comparison.

Not buying it.

Dr. Laura is no Oprah-- not in the least bit.