I'm Sick And Tired Of Tip-Toeing Around Fearful Of Saying Anything That Might Offend Someone
By Debbie Daniel (10/08/03)
Maybe Rush Limbaugh shouldn´t say a lot of things, but he may be the “sacrificial lamb” that has to go to slaughter for our freedom of speech.
Rush Limbaugh was only asked to be the “fan-in-the-stands” commentator on the Sunday ESPN sports show. He didn´t go into this position as any great authority on the game, but because the powers-that-be at Disney knew he loved the game, as a fan, and once worked for the Kansas City Royals, they wanted him to come on the show and offer up his opinion.
Instead they´ve offered up his head on a silver platter to the hungry sports elitist who believe their beloved game and athletes should not be in any way discredited. Well, for goodness sakes, he didn´t disparage anyone but the media, and everyone´s running around as if he just dragged another black man through Jasper, Texas. This is getting ridiculous and I, for one, am sick and tired of walking around on tip-toes fearful of saying anything that might offend someone.
I´m a pretty careful person and don´t want to hurt anyone´s feelings, but before I put all blacks into one category, I will say that it is only some blacks that just sit and wait to have their feathers ruffled, and then they want us to watch their little side-show of whining about how they´re mistreated.
I´m sick-to-death of these certain blacks having a corner-on-the-market for being hurt everytime someone says something that they decide is wrong. That “poor little ole me” attitude is starting to gnaw at my gut.
Why is it that Maxine Waters, a black democrat from Los Angeles can call former Los Angeles Mayor, Richard Riordan, “a plantation owner,” but Mayor Riordan, a white man, dare not respond?
Why is it that Isaiah Thomas (former black player of the Detroit Pistons) said that Larry Bird (Boston Celtics) would not have been such a spectacular basketball player had he been black . . . it was only because he was white that he became an All-Star. Hmmm, doesn´t that feel good, Larry?
Why is it that a black defense attorney, Johnny Cochran compares a white police detective, Mark Fuhrman to Adolph Hitler, and that´s okay?
Why would Dusty Baker, coach of the Chicago Cubs, say that Blacks and Latinos can tolerate the heat better than Whites? He went on to say, “You don´t see “brothers” running around burnt and stuff . . . running around with white stuff on their ears and nose and stuff.” Duh! You´re right Dusty, no suntan for you.
These comments are acceptable, if only stated by black people. It´s reverse racism, and it´s getting old.
The idea that Al Sharpton would boycott ESPN and call for Limbaugh to be fired is beyond me. He and Jessie Jackson make their living by taking white men to court over any and all allegations that would besmirch a black person.
Why do some blacks think they have the “only rights” to free speech and the rest of us better keep our mouths shut?
Is this America? Sometimes I wonder why we have to walk on egg-shells around certain black people for fear we may offend them. Who cares if they get offended, they can dish it out, but they sure can´t take it?
What about Harry Belafonte calling Colin Powell a “house slave” and a “lackey” to the Master, George Bush? It´s okay for blacks to call each other any name they want . . . even N - - - er, but if you´re white . . . BEWARE!
I think we need to look closely at the fairness of this situation. Donovan McNabb had not been doing so well, in fact one of the “BLACK” broadcasters actually agreed with Rush, but it seems that someone let their feelings get hurt, and that´s all it took.
That´s all we´ve been hearing lately in the sports world is about how we need more black coaches, and if some of the owners don´t at least interview them, the owners will be fined $200,000. Whoa! Is this some kind of special group or what?
I think we need more white players, so who´s going to get fined on the reverse side of this situation?
And we want to hang Rush Limbaugh on the nearest tree because he thought the media was desirous of Donovan McNabb doing well because Mr. McNabb was a black quarterback. If you talk to many real sports authorities, Rush Limbaugh was right-on.
Look at Donovan McNabb´s stats compared to some of the other quarterbacks. C´mon folks, don´t be so blind, so ready to jump on the bandwagon because you, too, think someone was denigrated.
Oh, we of stupidity! Sometimes I wonder where we´re going with all this hate and sensitivity hanging off our shoulders like a badge of honor.
Surely the day will come when we can sit and listen, joke with each other about our differences, and get on with life. What´s wrong with that?
Now shake the weight from your shoulders and unload that venom that you´ve been carrying around. This is America and we all want to see each other succeed, no matter the color of your skin.
If the whining continues, I´ve had it! Enough is enough.
One last thought: It´s a shame John F. Kennedy didn´t live long enough for us to find out about his pain-killer addiction . . . then maybe Rush Limbaugh would have gotten a pass.
But our immortalized president, struck down in his youth, will ever be a saint to a country that finds no fault in him. Since the recent revelation about JFK´s horrible bouts with back pain, and his addiction to pain-killing drugs, we turn our heads and say, “Oh, bless his heart.”
I hope we´ll be willing to say the same for Rush.
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