Central Florida radio station refuses to fire DJ for racist comment

[BushOut06]

http://www.wftv.com/news/13414478/detail.html

<snip>
The station has no plan to suspend or fire the DJ, Big John, telling Channel 9 it doesn't think he did anything racist. Big John was back on the air, Wednesday, and has the full support of his station, WELE.

The controversy over the talk show host started when he was talking to a caller about the possibility of Daytona Beach Commissioner Dwayne Taylor becoming mayor.

"The higher the monkey climbs, the better you can see its ass. And we'd really get to see Dwayne's butt if he gets to be mayor," Big John said.

John, a former city commissioner himself, also said Taylor would be bad for "his people."
<snip>

How in the hell can using the term "monkey" to refer to an African American not be considered racist? And throwing the phrase "his people" on top of that? It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly stupid some people can be. Especially in the wake of the whole Imus affair, for a radio talk show host to say something like this is the height of stupidity.

There's also a poll asking if his comments were racist - please help DU this thing, there are apparently an awful lot of ignorant people in this area who see nothing wrong with referring to black men as monkeys.

[Taverner]

1. People have a right to make dumbasses of themselves

[BushOut06]

2. Yes - and stations have a right to fire them for being dumbasses

Nobody's advocating that people like Imus and this idiot be thrown in jail or even fined by the government for their remarks. But this is an open society, and people are free to react how they want to idiotic remarks. If people are going to make racist comments on public airwaves, then people have a right to be pissed off and demand action.

[Taverner]

7. It all depends on the medium

It's the chilling effect that we fear - because of the company's latitude they can also extend this to whistle blowers.

[teenagebambam]

3. One word - Florida

Meaning, yes, there ARE a n awful lot of ignorant people who see nothing wrong with referring to black men as monkeys.

Plus, Big John (that is his legal name, he had it changed a few years ago) is the nearest thing Daytona has to an old-time city boss. He has his fingers in EVERYTHING in Daytona Beach. I'm sure there are a LOT of civic leaders there who are terrified that he would get fired, take his money and leave.

[Big Pappa]

6. And I am sure

there are a lot of assholes in Va. and Maryland that would use even harsher terms than "monkeys". Because they are from Florida means jack shit. There are assholes everywhere.

[ananda]

4. So now it's ok to be overtly racist

and practically committing a hate crime
on a public media outlet?

This country is so diseased it aint funny.

[BlooInBloo]

5. *Now*?? LOLOLOL!

[Bluebear]

32. :nodding:

[bamacrat]

8. Where's Sharpton.

Imus was lynched.

[wellst0nev0ter]

9. Yeah, Where Is Sharpton?

Oh, that's right, Imus had that national platform and we are only hearing about this because the local press decided to make a note of it.

And your description of Imus being "lynched" defiles the memories of the thousands of black men and women who were ACTUAL victims of lynchings.

[bamacrat]

15. Fine lynched was a poor choice of words.

But since Imus more and more people have been doing racist things on the radio, and nothing has been done, short of a short suspension. Calling a black person a monkey is much worse than nappy headed hos.

[wellst0nev0ter]

31. Sure, Imus's Firing Didn't Do A Whole Lot Of Good

personally, I see him as the scapegoat for a larger problem infecting the mass media that caters disproportionately to white interests.

[Karenina]

10. TO-OLD by an A-mur-i-kkkan!

Sol-sol sol sol sol-mi-re-doooo...

[NaturalHigh]

17. "Station management has also contacted...

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to see if they want to get involved."

Yeah, we want to be sure and get their opinion. :eyes:

[Bluebear]

23. And you object to Jackson and Sharpton WHY, exactly? nt

[NaturalHigh]

26. Both of them have racist pasts...

but they love to pull out the racist card whenever it suits their purposes. Maybe you haven't heard of Jackson's "Hymietown" comment or Sharpton's Tawana Brawley incident?

[Bluebear]

27. God you are so fucking transparent. nt

[NaturalHigh]

30. Thank you. I like people to be transparent.

Hidden motives are a cause for concern. :hi:

[Bluebear]

34. .

[Bluebear]

18. "Imus was lynched." Oh GREAT choice of words. nt

[Proud2BAmurkin]

11. Why do you think he meant "black man" when he said monkey?

I don't think it's racist.

[BushOut06]

14. Because he's talking about a black politician

Sounded pretty racist to me, as well as the local NAACP.

[ngant17]

12. The poll numbers don't look right to me

It's currenty running 70%/30% in favor of Big John.

I can't believe his opinions are that popular in Daytona Beach, especially at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona, a well-respected African-American college established there over a century ago.

There is a lot of racism in Florida, although not necessarily subscribing to KKK ideology.

[gravity]

13. Just let a racists be a racists

He should speak freely as long as everyone knows that he is a racists.

It's better than Rush Limbaugh pretending that he isn't racists. I'm tired of all the bullshit and insincere apologies.

[NaturalHigh]

16. Pretty much falls in the "BFD" category for me.

If someone wants him fired, they have the option of boycotting his advertisers instead of just whining about it to anyone who will listen.

[Bluebear]

19. I'm certain it's a BFD for you. And that's what people do about racism, "whine", don't they?

Bunch of whiners, right? :eyes:

[NaturalHigh]

22. Again, they have the option of boycotting.

And, yes, I think there is a lot of whining about comments that might be perceived as racist when they are actually only rude.

[Bluebear]

24. Like when you were whining that a large # of DUers don't like Christians?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1007868#1009935

It all depends on who is whining about what, evidently.

[NaturalHigh]

28. Would you refute my statement that...

"a large number of DUers have no respect for Christians" as I said in the post you referenced? No, I don't think that's whining. I didn't call for anyone to be fired (or banned) as some people are apparently doing in Florida.

[Bluebear]

29. Holy trolly. nt

[Bucky]

20. Wait, isn't the "just whining about it" exactly how you make people aware of the need to boycott?

Isn't your suggestion that they just stay quiet and organize a boycott an oxymoron? How can you get people to commit to a boycott if you don't publicize your outrage about what this DJ said?
.

[Bluebear]

21. "Whining" = dismissive codespeak

[NaturalHigh]

25. That's a very good point...

and one that I honestly hadn't thought of. Thank you for pointing that out. To be honest, I was reacting to my distaste of people crying "racism" every time a minority is insulted, even if the comment isn't racist. Ross Perot's "you people" faux paus from 1992 comes to mind.

[Yukari Yakumo]

33. Depends...

If the station fires him, they probably would risk a lawsuit. And a lawyer would have a field day questioning if the remark as racist in court.

We may not like it, but that's the legal system.

[dysfunctional press]

35. he was using an expression, NOT calling the guy a monkey...

some people need to learn a little comprehension before ringing the overly-pc alarm...

[scrinmaster]

36. Yup.

Basically saying that the further up the ladder someone gets, the easier it is to see them make a fool of themselves.