Free Speech And Race In America
By Jon Alvarez (10/05/03)
By now everyone has heard about the controversy swirling around Rush Limbaugh and his comments concerning Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Rush Limbaugh, conservative talk show host, made the observation on ESPN that the media wanted Mr. McNabb to succeed because he is black. While probably not the smartest thing to say, Rush's brief foray into the world of sports has served a greater purpose: He highlighted our own hypocrisy on race and free speech.
First off, when I heard Rush Limbaugh was entering the world of sports commentary, I knew it would be short-lived. Rush speaks his mind and has no reservations about it. ESPN obviously knew what it was doing, yet by gratefully accepting his resignation for doing what he was hired to do, confirms that they did not have the stomach to see it through. What Rush did was speak his mind. What he offered was an opinion, his view on a particular matter. The outcry from the public, particularly certain segments of the public, merely confirms what Rush was saying was partially right. Donovan McNabb is a truly gifted football player and has needed no extra help or quotas to get where he is today. He is the key player for the Philadelphia Eagles. Maybe society can learn a few things from the world of sports?
In the world of sports, race doesn't exist. One can make observations concerning different races and how one particular race may excel in one specific sport or area of that sport, but overall racial considerations don't apply. It's a world based on performance, who can get the job done. Maybe the sports world was uncomfortable with Rush Limbaugh's observations because it did not mesh with their world; it still applied to his. Let's face it, race is no concern to NFL coaches or owners, but it is still an issue with society. Only when society does away with keeping track of race, when society does away with that little box you have to check on an application stating which race one belongs to, will we be able to move past race and become more like the sports world.
Why in America is it considered hip and funny for Whoopi Goldberg, a black comedienne, to have a sitcom on NBC, which is based solely on race and racial stereotypes? Her show does nothing more than promote the same stereotypes we should be trying to move past as a society. NBC cannot claim that they have not heard any outcry from the public because many Americans, myself included, have written and called NBC to lodge complaints. Rush Limbaugh, a conservative political commentator, makes an observation on a sports program, and he is hung out to dry by the very media that he was talking about. This proves his point that we still live in an age where "political correctness" applies, where all groups can discuss racial issues freely, except for whites.
It's for this very reason that airport screeners are still frisking grannies and little blonde-haired, blue-eyed little boys before they are allowed to board an airplane. Society will not permit our elected officials to tackle the threat we face from radical Islam because of our racial sensitivities. Again, it goes back to performance. In our society, the Muslim community has fumbled the ball, they have played poorly. Thus, they deserve to be benched, so to speak. They should be subjected to closer scrutiny, not the other groups that pose no threat. Polish Americans have not shown a desire to blow up planes, but we tie up our valuable resources screening them so as not to offend Muslim Americans.
Only when we get real about what is going on in the world will we be able to better deal with the crisis at hand. Until then, we are allowing the ACLU and the liberal media to handicap our efforts to prevent another 9/11. Imagine the outcry if we were to seal our borders, to prevent illegal aliens from entering the USA. Imagine the outcry from Muslim groups if we were to restrict their air travel. The President and those responsible would then be able to identify with Rush Limbaugh, and they are unwilling to do so. Shame on us, we need to move past this as a society.
Rush Limbaugh should be thanked for his efforts to expose the hypocrisy of our own society. He stepped out of his comfort zone, was lambasted from the beginning by leftist protesters who don't care for his message, and now faces a public firestorm for simply speaking his mind. Rush is entitled to free speech, as is every American. Will the ACLU, Martin Sheen, or Tim Robbins stand up for Rush, to defend his right to his opinion? Most likely not. The liberal media and Jesse Jackson will milk this for what it's worth. Those who shout the loudest on this topic should be recognized as the ones that are the most hypocritical. Only when we recognize the lessons from this event will we be able to advance as a society. Thanks for the lesson Rush.
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