Which remark offends you more, this one:
"It's easier for most Latin guys and it's easier for most minority people because most of us come from heat. You don't find too many brothers in New Hampshire and Maine and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Right?" he said with a chuckle.Or this one:"We were brought over here for the heat, right? Isn't that history? Weren't we brought over because we could take the heat?"
"Your skin color is more conducive to heat than it is to the lighter-skinned people. I don't see brothers running around burnt. That's a fact. I'm not making this up. I'm not seeing some brothers walking around with some white stuff on their ears and noses."
"During the slave period, the slave owner would breed his big black with his big woman so that he would have a big black kid–that's where it all started."
If you are consistent in your views of racism then your answer should be both or neither. The first quote is from the manager of the Cubs, Dusty Baker, who is black.
The second quote is from former CBS commentator Jimmy (The Greek) Snyder, who is white, and was fired as a result of this remark.
I await a logically defensible argument as to why (in light of the two quotes) either:
A) Baker shouldn't be fired
OR
B) Snyder shouldn't have been fired
Update: Eugene Volokh weighs in on JT's comment. Here is his original post on the topic.
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Comments (4)
Kevin, I agree tha... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Michael | July 8, 2003 10:05 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Kevin,
I agree that both statements are about the same. Both men should have chosen their words more carefully. The reason Snyder got fired is b/c he's white. Though it may not be fair, that's the way our society works. People can generally say things about their own kind without much uproar. But when an outsider makes remarks, he'd better tread lightly. Almost like that old joke "Hey, nobody gets to talk bad about my little brother, except me!"
Mike.
1. Posted by Michael | July 8, 2003 10:05 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 8, 2003 10:05
2. Posted by TIM G. | July 8, 2003 12:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I think Orwell applies here:
"All pigs are equal, except some are more equal than others".
IMHO, neither guy should have been fired.
2. Posted by TIM G. | July 8, 2003 12:08 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 8, 2003 12:08
3. Posted by Kevin | July 8, 2003 12:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I like the Orwell analogy...
I come down on the side of neither should be fired as well. Public ridicule should have been the punsihment for both.
3. Posted by Kevin | July 8, 2003 12:31 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 8, 2003 12:31
4. Posted by jt | July 8, 2003 5:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You can only be racist if you are white. Otherwise, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton et. al. would be seen as racist, which couldn't possibly be true. Dusty meant no harm by his comments, but if Joe Torre off-handedly remarked about white players being "more coachable", or playing "smarter baseball", I am certain the outcry from the various ethinic communties offended by such opinion would generate much more substantial - and cause for removal or at least boycott - in many individuals perceptions. Neither should be/have been fired, that should be based on job performance which has been decent so far this season.
4. Posted by jt | July 8, 2003 5:42 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 8, 2003 17:42