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Originally Posted by Cannon Shell
I would hardly classify what he said as "hate speech". And if you stand by your words then why did you attempt to apologize? I have no problem with you but I think that people who turn bs like this into "racism" and "hate speech" are being petty and vindictive.
I'll say again, why can people call the president of the US names and say he is stupid and a criminal and it is ok but a shock jock says that a womans basketball team is nappy and thugish during a comedy bit and it is a criminal offense? Bill Maher and Bill O'Reilly both regularly say worse than this and no one pays attention.
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I think it comes down to who has more power than whom. The Pres is more powerful than anyone criticizing him (except the Dark Lord of the Sith, Dick Cheney), thus attacking him doesn't carry much opportunity to offend on that visceral level. A white, heterosexual man criticizing African-American women is coming from a more powerful position, and so it's kind of like kicking the cripple, to borrow from Molly Ivins. Which is also likely why slurs coming from someone to whom the slur could also apply don't seem as offensive to society as a whole. I think it's a power (real or perceived) thing. Bababooyee and I already had this discussion and he came up with some most excellent new phrases as a result, which I have stolen.
And hey, the Dixie Chicks said they were ashamed the Pres was from Texas and they got death threats from righies, so clearly it wasn't okay to those conservatives.
(Of course, Bush isn't from Texas; he's a Massachusetts blue blood, so I don't know why they were ashamed in the first place.)
I think Don Imus has a great face for radio.