No, 'n' does not stand for 'nappy-headed'

[novapsyche]

Dr. Laura spews racist rant on her radio show! w. audio (DailyKos) | Full transcript here | audio log pt. 1 | audio log pt. 2

Michael Richards meets a broadcast audience.

lameautarch says he doesn't see how she retains her show. We will see. This country is in a completely different political 'atmosphere' (as Olbermann would say) than when Don Imus lost his job in 2007.

See also:

Dr. Laura apologizes for saying N-word on the air | Text of apology

Comments

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

It sounds like her actual point was offensive itself, but the failure to say "The N Word" is a red herring. Talking about the word isn't remotely the same thing as calling someone the word.

She failed to say nothing.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

Context is everything. Did you read the transcript? It was provided in the DailyKos diary; I will amend my post to include it as well.

Her caller's point was not Dr. Schesslinger's point, whatever that may have been.

Re: She failed to say nothing.

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

I read some of it, and saw where Schlessinger was saying the caller was being oversensitive; that's what I was saying really was offensive.

I think the childish idea that you can't say a word to talk about that word (not that I have the courage of my convictions to actually do so) is distracting people from what really was offensive. Just like with Kwame Kilpatrick's state of the city speech a couple years ago; he was pointing out that he was being slurred, and everyone was upset that he was willing to repeat it.

Re: She failed to say nothing.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

The way she was using the word is tantamount to slurring the caller. One of the comments at Media Matters elucidates that Ms. Schlessinger used the word as provocation. She wasn't deconstructing the epithet in an academic way (the manner in which we are now).

You imply it's childish to not say a word when referring to it. Again, context is everything. I personally try to minimize any personal iteration because I have a personal understanding of its damage, once uttered. However, if I were writing a college paper about the use of epithets in American culture throughout its history, of course I would not hesitate to utilize the term.

My point here is that it is perfectly possible to have an adult conversation about racial slurs without using them specifically. We are doing so right now. Avoiding the term isn't childish in itself. (Honestly, I do so out of respect not only for myself but also for anyone else who might read this journal. I don't like encountering racist invective without warning; I assume others feel the same.)

As for Ms. Schlessinger, her entire diatribe was racist, top to bottom. She covered the spectrum from 'that's mildly stereotypical' to 'whoa, that's beyond the pale'. However, she was also offensive in ways beyond racism (particularly that the caller came to her looking for advice [& perhaps comfort] as to how to combat backhanded racism & got full-throttle racism [vitriol] in turn).

I believe she is reaping the full breadth of criticism about her response, not just the slur itself, so I do not see how such could be considered childish.