Personal ethical failures.

Dr. L. Schlessinger was at it again a few weeks back, and we could hope it is the last. To have gotten into a tit-for-tat argument with a caller to a radio show is typical, but to use the “n” word 11 times in five minutes is pretty exceptional. Dr. L. However seemed to want to bait the caller and to rant about whether it’s okay to use the “n” word because she hears it on HBO.

The Los Angeles Times editorial on August 20 re: Dr. L. Was right on. She had complained after the “n” episode that she had to quit in order to get her First Amendment rights back. “The First Amendment is just fine. Schlessinger exercised her right to use a racial slur when criticizing a caller, and offended listeners exercised their right to criticize her for it. That’s America.”

Schlessinger is just another nag who is trying to stoke indignation in our society. It would have been pathetic and nasty enough if she had simply used the racially-charged “n” word, but to argue with the caller about whether she should have the right to use it reveals a deep well of racist antipathy which lay below her surface. It makes me wonder, if she now quits broadcasting in order to get her free speech back, if she wants to use the “n” word a whole lot more in private.

I am not using her first name here, BTW—only the “L” abbreviation—because her name is just as offensive to me as the “n” word is to African-Americans. Dr. L. also has a deep well of homophobic sentiments which caused a backlash, thanks largely to John Aravosis and others who beat the drum over her bigotry. The “Stop Dr. L…” campaign 10 years ago didn’t let loose of Dr. L.’s calling homosexuals “biological errors.” Dr. L. has also repeatedly slammed women as a class. It seems the broader the audience that one of these social commentators gets, the more likely they are to sweep more and more people into their vitriolic dustbins. Think Rush Limbaugh.

According to the Times on August 20, Laura was defended by Sarah Palin, another sassy individual with a firearm mouth who is fighting her political failures by trying to stoke more indignation. Palin, according to the Times, tweeted to Dr. L.: “Don’t retreat … reload.”

Makes me wonder if people like Rus, Sarah and Dr. L. should be labeled as “personal ethical failures.”

— Dan Hooper

This entry was posted on August 23, 2010 at 09:25 and is filed under wingnuts, Homophobia, Public Affairs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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