They Just COULD NOT Resist
One hears much chatter these days about “hate speech”, “politically incorrect” speech and “micro aggressions.”
Football star Cam Newton LOST A LUCRATIVE ENDORSEMENT CONTRACT for answering a question about running “routes” (running patterns in a planned play) from a female sports writer by saying, verbatim, that it was “funny to hear a female talk about ‘routes’.” What’s so bad about that, you might ask? Well, it implies that women don’t understand the game as well as men do, you see. And for this faux pas his endorsement sponsor, Dannon Yogurt, ended his contract, saying, again verbatim: “We are SHOCKED and DISHEARTENED by the behavior and comments of Cam Newton.” (emphasis mine) SHOCKED AND DISHEARTENED??
Please!
Such hysterical over reaction to any misstep, slight, perceived innuendo or “micro aggression” is rampant. BUT, it, apparently goes only ONE WAY. Let’s look at a couple of examples.
Just a couple of months ago “comedienne” Samantha Bee referred to President Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, as…are you ready for this? You are? Okay. She referred to our First Daughter as a “FECKLESS CUNT”. Yes, those were her exact words, captured for posterity in a charming video that’s accessible of YouTube.
Wouldn’t enlightened viewers consider this remark to be sexist, misogynistic and downright crude? Wouldn’t her broadcasting network consider this “hate speech” and cancel her TV show immediately? You would certainly THINK so. But, you’d be WRONG. TBS continues plans to air her show again this season starting in September. Apparently, they consider the crude reference was “for a good cause”: namely, mocking the first family. Ms. Bee, you see, just COULD NOT resist.
And, it’s not just those denizens of what today goes for “the entertainment industry” who are exempted from censure. Academics want to get involved. Dr. Anthea Butler is a Ivy League TENURED professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Religious Studies. She is of African American ethnicity. Dr. Butler made quite a name for herself in March of 2016 when she called Dr. Ben Carson, then a candidate for the PRESIDENCY of the United States, a….COON. That’s right, she called him a coon! Not only was Dr. Carson a presidential candidate, but he was also one of the most accomplished NEUROSURGEONS in our nation. I would wager that FEW people, let alone University Professors, would dare to be condescending to such an august individual. But, Dr. Butler feels herself to be so self important that she was, apparently, quite comfortable with her slight. And, aside from that, can you IMAGINE such an insult being tolerated from ANY conservative commentator, academic or Republican politician? It, obviously, wouldn’t be. But, Dr. Butler being African American and a “progressive” gets a “pass” and retains her tenure. Apparently, she just COULD NOT resist.
Not to be bested by comediennes and academics, politicians feel obliged to join in too. In March of 2017, Louisiana Congressional Democrat, Cedric Richmond, while speaking, on the lectern, at the Washington Press Club’s Annual Dinner, referred to a a photo in which Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway is seen kneeling (alone) on a sofa in the Oval Office, by saying she “looked kind of familiar with that position”! The “joke” was, of course, an implicit reference to sexual favors. Although the audience showed some restraint by withholding applause, no calls for his resignation were forthcoming from either the journalistic or political camps. In fact, when asked DIRECTLY for her response, Nancy Pelosi REFUSED to even criticize her congressman. Apparently, he just COULD NOT resist.
And, not wanting to be left out, the press joins the party too. In February 2017, New York Times writer Jacob Bernstein speaking to fashion model Emily Ratajkowski at a New York City Fashion Week event, remarked that First Lady Melania Trump was “a hooker”. It turns out that Ms. Ratajkowski was so offended by the statement that she publicized it on Twitter. Now, in this case, there WAS a bit of opprobrium in feminist social media, but Bernstein STILL has his job at the Times. His “heartfelt” response to criticism on social media, was to Tweet that he “takes ownership” of “a mistake.” THAT was his response. Well, WOOP DE DO! Did he write the Trumps a note of apology? No. No, he didn’t. Did he post a formal apology in the Times? No. No, he didn’t. What kind of “ownership” is that? And, the Times, for its part, pooh-poohed the issue, saying the comment was “made in private.” WAIT A MINUTE! Were’nt Mr. Trump’s objectionable comments regarding the sexual license that sometimes goes hand in hand with fame and power, spoken in private off the record? They were. But, this fact did not, however, stop the hurricain of indignation that followed. Mr. Trump is expected to have conversed all his life with dialogue as pure as the driven snow, but, for some reason, Bernstein, a WRITER, is not. Apparently, it was taken for granted that Bernstein just COULD NOT resist.