Hmm, interesting to hear the full backstory on what happened. Yeah, there definitely is a double standard like that - you find that with all minority/previously oppressed groups, really. It's similar (though not on the same level) to how we can complain about guys but if they do the same then they're called sexist. I guess it comes from the assumption that if we/they were oppressed in the past, we have the right to do the same. Which is, obviously... problematic. Moreso when the above example is taken to the extreme (ie. extremist feminists who are frankly scary).
Any idea what the men in the audience said? Were they making outright racist remarks about Richards? Honestly, even if they were, I don't think that gives him the right to do the same back - sinking to their level and all. And fact is, even though racism towards whites is certainly problematic, racism towards blacks has a long and terrible history of death, slavery, etc. The 'n' word has a huge stigma attached to it in our society (except when black men say it about themselves, perhaps) - to the point where I honestly don't like writing/saying it even as an example. Too much history, I guess.
Anyway, either way I agree that he should have been much more professional and asked for them to be removed. There was no call to say those things, whatever he believed. And quite frankly, if he is racist I could have survived not knowing it. Maybe it's prejudiced to dislike prejudiced people, but to use grade one logic 'they did it first'. XD
Oh well, we'll see what he says when he makes that public apology...
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Date: 2006-11-20 11:11 pm (UTC)Any idea what the men in the audience said? Were they making outright racist remarks about Richards? Honestly, even if they were, I don't think that gives him the right to do the same back - sinking to their level and all. And fact is, even though racism towards whites is certainly problematic, racism towards blacks has a long and terrible history of death, slavery, etc. The 'n' word has a huge stigma attached to it in our society (except when black men say it about themselves, perhaps) - to the point where I honestly don't like writing/saying it even as an example. Too much history, I guess.
Anyway, either way I agree that he should have been much more professional and asked for them to be removed. There was no call to say those things, whatever he believed. And quite frankly, if he is racist I could have survived not knowing it. Maybe it's prejudiced to dislike prejudiced people, but to use grade one logic 'they did it first'. XD
Oh well, we'll see what he says when he makes that public apology...