More Isiah Thomas Controversy: The Use of the B**** Word
Over the weekend, Al Sharpton appeared on local New York media, asking for an apology from Isiah Thomas, for a comment Thomas made on the record during his deposition in his recently-ended sexual harassment trial.
Thomas was quoted as saying that it was less offensive for a black man to call a black woman a "bitch" than it would be for a white man to do the equivalent.
Sharpton then held a news conference and asked for an apology from the Knicks coach, citing that the use of the term is unacceptable from any man to any woman. But, I'm actually more upset at Sharpton than Thomas in this instance. We all know that Thomas is an ass. A jury already confirmed that.
But in Sharpton's case, why the request for an apology from Thomas?
Remember, just a few month's ago, we were all in a twitter over Don Imus and his slur towards a certain women's basketball team in Jersey. (Weird, how these situations share a locational nexus, and involvement with basketball, and cats with big mouths). We demanded, and received his head on a pike.
At any rate, why does Thomas' dumb ass comments rate less of a response than Imus? Is it because he's a brother? And if so, why does that matter? Shouldn't we ask more of Thomas because he should be more sensitive to the plight of a black woman than a white dude would? And what of the fact that Thomas' culpability was proven in a civil court, surely a venue as certain and visible as the tape on which Imus' antics were recorded. Some will miss the moral equivalence of the two situations, but there is certainly a point of nexus between these two circumstances.
Here's my reasoning: If a black man can muster the strength to call a sista a bitch in public -- and then attempt to defend such an action in a court of law no less -- shouldn't that be considered a greater slight, because ostensibly, black peoples share a common history, and shared distaste of verbal belittlement? If nothing else, we owe it to ourselves to make Thomas pay as hefty a price, if only for his hubris in suggesting that black folk ought to expect so much less decorum from members of our own community.
If there isn't more hue and cry from us when one of us does the belittling, what's the general population to think of using those same derogatory terms themselves? Thus, my dismay at the weak-kneed response from Sharpton. I expect that if we're going to castigate Imus, we ought demand Thomas relinquish his post.
Until we do so, I'm going to insist Don Imus get his job back.
I'm sure my stance goes against the orthodoxy of some, but you know what? I could care less. I'm tried of us expecting less of us.
Thomas was quoted as saying that it was less offensive for a black man to call a black woman a "bitch" than it would be for a white man to do the equivalent.
Sharpton then held a news conference and asked for an apology from the Knicks coach, citing that the use of the term is unacceptable from any man to any woman. But, I'm actually more upset at Sharpton than Thomas in this instance. We all know that Thomas is an ass. A jury already confirmed that.
But in Sharpton's case, why the request for an apology from Thomas?
Remember, just a few month's ago, we were all in a twitter over Don Imus and his slur towards a certain women's basketball team in Jersey. (Weird, how these situations share a locational nexus, and involvement with basketball, and cats with big mouths). We demanded, and received his head on a pike.
At any rate, why does Thomas' dumb ass comments rate less of a response than Imus? Is it because he's a brother? And if so, why does that matter? Shouldn't we ask more of Thomas because he should be more sensitive to the plight of a black woman than a white dude would? And what of the fact that Thomas' culpability was proven in a civil court, surely a venue as certain and visible as the tape on which Imus' antics were recorded. Some will miss the moral equivalence of the two situations, but there is certainly a point of nexus between these two circumstances.
Here's my reasoning: If a black man can muster the strength to call a sista a bitch in public -- and then attempt to defend such an action in a court of law no less -- shouldn't that be considered a greater slight, because ostensibly, black peoples share a common history, and shared distaste of verbal belittlement? If nothing else, we owe it to ourselves to make Thomas pay as hefty a price, if only for his hubris in suggesting that black folk ought to expect so much less decorum from members of our own community.
If there isn't more hue and cry from us when one of us does the belittling, what's the general population to think of using those same derogatory terms themselves? Thus, my dismay at the weak-kneed response from Sharpton. I expect that if we're going to castigate Imus, we ought demand Thomas relinquish his post.
Until we do so, I'm going to insist Don Imus get his job back.
I'm sure my stance goes against the orthodoxy of some, but you know what? I could care less. I'm tried of us expecting less of us.
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Amen. Different strokes for different folks does not apply here. Isiah should be a man and step down just on principle alone. But it takes a principled man to know when he's fucked up, right? Only a punk would throw a rock and hide his hand. Isiah: you want respect? You have to earn it. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
I came across your blog when visiting Tracie Mae's blog site. I think you're an awesome writer...articulate with lots of heart!
About this particular posting, I think it's inappropriate for anyone (male, female...regardless of race) to call a female a bitch. It's just so degrading.
What Imus said, however, was more damaging (in my opinion). The words that he used (e.g., nappy) let us know that it wasn't just about disrespecting women...it was about disrespecting "African-American women." And to me, that's just so much more damaging. You call me a bitch...but why do I have to be a "black" bitch? The latter just cuts life a knife more than the former.
Firing him...that wasn't about black or white, but about green. When sponsors start talking about pulling out their money, Imus gets fired.
Anyway, keep up the good work fearless writer! I'll be sure to check in periodically to visit your site.
Sage
Sage,
Thank you for the compliments! Welcome aboard, and I hope you hang out for a while.
As to Isiah's comments vis-a-vis Imus', I think that Imus -- and others -- get courage to make such asinine comments because we -- the black community -- fail to check our own for some of the ignorant things that we say. For example, we let hip hop make women sound like the Devil's own spawn.
For Thomas to even intimate that it's better for us to slur our own is pitiful and disgraceful.
True, Imus' dismissal was ultimately about lost dollars. I simply believe that Isiah's comments need to hit the Knicks and MSG the same way, and thus, he should be unemployed for a moment as well. :)
Come on back when you have a chance, and enjoy the community! ;)
Definitely! And I hope you will check out "Sage Writes" at http://poshsage.blogspot.com.
Later,
Sage