Friday, June 01, 2018

Two words other than "feckless c**t"

On this Friday morning, there are two words other than those mentioned in the title that bear parsing. They are:

Father
President

The reason they need to be parsed is this tweet from the #MoronInChief




As an outraged father, he has every right to call for a television host to be fired.  As an outraged ordinary person, he has every right to call for Samantha Bee to be fired.

As president, he doesn't have that right.  Even if it isn't a "law" as Congress is proscribed from passing that would infringe freedom of speech, it is inappropriate for a president to attempt to censor a person.  To censor a television show.  To censor a television network.  To censor a network owned by a company trying to complete a merger being opposed by that president's administration.

* * *

As to the comparisons between what Samantha Bee, Keith Olbermann and Roseanne Barr are being criticized for saying (tweeting), there is an equation that demonstrates attempts at comparing what Bee and Olbermann said and what Roseanne said is a false equivalency.

Vulgarity   ≠  Racism

That isn't to say vulgarity is always or even occasionally acceptable in some situations.  But to make a vulgar remark is NOT the same as making a racist remark.  

It bears noting that the in the then 165 year history of the New York Times, the first time they used the word "pussy" to describe a woman's anatomy was prompted by their reporting on the 2005 video where Donald Trump's use of the word caught by the cameras of Access Hollywood was shown to the world.

Donald Trump regularly uses vulgarities.  He is crude.  He is lewd.  He is insulting.  He demands apologies for any slight directed at him.  He does not apologize for his slights aimed at others.

Is Donald Trump a racist at heart?  In my opinion he is, but in the opinion of his sycophantic supporters, he is not.  

We do not look at vulgarity and racism as equally offensive.  They are not the same thing.