Posted by EnySpree:

Micheal ray Richardson just got suspended and fined for saying Jews are crafty. If that idiot imus said those rutger hoes are crafty he wouldn't be in trouble.

I'm not sure I agree. Saying a Jew is crafty has a highly different meaning. Also, you left out major parts of what he said. From Wikipedia:

2007 suspension for anti-Semitic remarks

On March 28, 2007, he was suspended for the rest of the CBA championship series for his comments in an interview with the Albany Times Union newspaper, in which he stated that Jews were "crafty (because) they are hated worldwide."[1]

Specifically, it was reported by the Times Union that before a game against the Yakama Sun Kings, Richardson made anti-Semitic comments to two reporters in his office when discussing the contract general manager Jim Coyne had offered him Monday to coach his team in the CBA and USBL. "I've got big-time lawyers," Richardson said. "I've got big-time Jew lawyers."

When told by the reporters that the comment could be offensive to people because it plays to the stereotype that Jews are crafty and shrewd, he responded with:

"Are you kidding me? They are. They've got the best security system in the world. Have you ever been to an airport in Tel Aviv? They're real crafty. Listen, they are hated all over the world, so they've got to be crafty. They got a lot of power in this world, you know what I mean? Which I think is great. I don't think there's nothing wrong with it. If you look in most professional sports, they're run by Jewish people. If you look at a lot of most successful corporations and stuff, more businesses, they're run by Jewish [sic]. It's not a knock, but they are some crafty people."

The paper also reported that he fired expletives at a heckler, using profanity and an anti-gay slur, at Game 1 of the championship series.[2]

Patroons owner Ben Fernandez denounced Richardson's comments. During his suspension, the league is investigating the allegations against Richardson. "We will not tolerate - and the league will not tolerate - bigots," Fernandez said. Richardson will not be allowed to watch the team practice or be present at any of the games [3].

Some sportswriters have come to Richardson's defense, in the wake of the incident. Peter Vecsey questioned the Times Union's motives in not releasing the audio recording of their exchange with Richardson. Vecsey noted that during the course of his professional dealings with Richardson, he found the player to be "so unsettled, so unsophisticated and so pliable anybody could draw him into saying anything about anything at any time". He also pointed out that Richardson's second wife was Jewish, as was their daughter, Tamara, something that would be unlikely for a true anti-Semite.[3] Christopher Isenberg, a Jewish writer who had earlier profiled Richardson for the Village Voice[4] also defended Richardson's remarks about Jews, stating in a blog post entitled "Jews for Michael Ray",

"Michael Ray is proud to have a Jewish lawyer because he thinks they are the best lawyers. Certainly it’s a stereotype, but it’s a stereotype rooted in a reality. A disproportionate number of the great lawyers in America are Jews. A disproportionate number of the great basketball players in America are black. We have learned to be very careful around these facts because here the line between fact and "stereotype" can get very blurry and if you're not careful, you can get into deep water real quick. Michael Ray was unwise to have been so indiscreet around reporters, but it wasn't exactly Elders of Zion territory."[5]

NBA commissioner David Stern also voiced support for Richardson. While conceding that the remarks about homosexuals were "inappropriate and insensitive" and worthy of a suspension, Stern also said, "I have no doubt that Micheal Ray is not anti-Semitic. I know that he's not...He may have exercised very poor judgment, but that does not reflect Micheal Ray Richardson's feelings about Jews."[6]

Zev Chafets, author of A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance, wrote in the Los Angeles Times that Richardson's comments, while perhaps stereotypical, were not anti-semitic. After discussing Richardson's claim that Jews are "crafty," Chafets stated,

What other hurtful things did Richardson supposedly say? That Israel has the best airport security in the world? This is both true and something Israel itself brags about. That Jews are hated and need to protect themselves? That's the founding premise of the Anti-Defamation League itself.... Richardson, who was a popular player in Israel during his NBA exile years, is guilty of nothing more than free speech. Even if his observations were wrong — which they are not — there's nothing at all insulting about them. What is insulting is the notion that you can't speak honestly about Jews without getting into trouble.[7]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micheal_Ray_Richardson

...

Anyway, I'm not sure what the point is. What Imus said was definitely not the right thing to say, but... I'm just not sure how you're tying these two things together makes any sense as an example of your point. If Imus said what Michael Ray did, he'd be in pretty deep water. I'm just going to assume that you didn't get the whole story of what Michael Ray said, otherwise I'm more than a little disturbed (by the implication, if I'm reading correctly) that you think Michael Ray was only punished for his outrageous remarks because he's black.

[Edited by - Solace on Apr 07 2007 5:18 PM]

What I was saying solace is that they called him a bigot over what he said. It was in bad taste but want racist. He was playing on a stereotype that Jews are rich and powerful.

Imus called a woman basketball team that happens to be black "nappy headed goes". How is that not straight up racist. Why isn't he fired?

He said sorry cuz it was offensive or whatever cuz I don't have the quote in front of me but you can wiki it and post it if you want solace. That's like saying its true its just that I shouldn't have embarrased you. He should have said he was sorry for saying it cuz he now understands the racist nature of the remarks. That to me would have been ok and you just let it go. He didn't do that. Regardless of what he said it and he is a racist period.

Also, for clarification, I don't agree with what Imus did and it's bad. I'm not going to compare it to the Michael Ray situation, since BOTH are just bad and in poor taste. Neither one is that worth getting in a huffy about. Both guys are morons and need to watch what they say.

Should Imus be fired? Don't know. I'd say probably not, since I do think most people serve second chances. If he repeats the same mistake, then yes. But for anyone who thinks Imus should be fired, they'd have to also argue that Michael Ray deserves a similar penalty. Excusing one and not the other shows much resemblance to what you're against.

[Edited by - Solace on Apr 07 2007 6:12 PM]

Posted by bobs3304:


I love how black ppl want to be equal, yet THEY'RE the ones in comedy that make fun of white people all the time (like that's not racist), and somehow they think they're immune from the same things that happen to everyone else.

Black people aren't exactly helping their cause with all the black on black crime, and beautiful rap lyrics they have nowdays...

[Edited by - bobs3304 on 04-07-2007 4:51 PM]

Prejudice: preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics

You just proved this. I like how u said "BLACK PEOPLE TO BE EQUAL" as a generalization of america's black citizens and then go on to talk about the actions of rappers, comedians and criminals. Are the majority of black people rappers? Are the majority of black people criminals? Are all black comedians? If you answer "no" then how do u justify using rappers, comedians and criminal actions as "black people"? U're prejudice and don't even realize it.

Posted by codeunknown:

There is a difference between the two statements - one is offensive in a historical context (Michael Ray) and one is offensive in any context (Imus). One is insensitive and likely the result of an ignorance of that historical context (Michael Ray) and one directly and unambiguously demeans black women (Imus). I think what Eny is saying is - if you wanted to give one of them the benefit of the doubt, it would have to be Michael Ray. And I would agree with that.

The reason for the comparison is Eny thinks Michael Ray got in trouble only because he's black. It's offensive... and you don't expect someone in Michael Ray's position to say something like that. Am I up in arms over what he said, though, no. It's just stereotypical and wrong. Imus said something wrong too. Is it more wrong than what Michael Ray said? I don't know. There is little doubt about what either one of them said. Both statements are DEMEANING to a group of a people, differentiation is just a different form of BIAS.

As far as benefit of the doubt, and again, not to defend Imus, because he probably knew what he was saying, but i wasn't even aware of this connotation of nappy that is described, until this story came out. I had only heard the word used once or twice, and it generally just meant taking a nap! Is it possible Imus didn't get *this* connotation either? I mean you are talking about a word that is slang. It's not in the dictionary with the racist meaning. From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/nappy:

nap·py 1 (np)
adj. nap·pi·er, nap·pi·est
1. Having a nap; fuzzy.
2. Kinky; frizzy.
nap·py 2 (np)
n. pl. nap·pies
A round, shallow cooking or serving dish with a flat bottom and sloping sides.
[Probably from dialectal nap, bowl, from Middle English, from Old English hnæp.]
nap·py 3 (np)
n. pl. nap·pies Chiefly British
A diaper.

Regardless, again, I'm not defending Imus, I think he's a moron and he probably knew what he was saying. However, there is NO doubt that Michael Ray also knew what he was saying, and why what he said was wrong. Both are morons and to say one is more wrong than the other is simply showing your preference of that group over the other. It's displaying the very thing you're against.

Having said all that, how come nobody gets all up in arms over some of the stuff on say, South Park. They say/portray MUCH worse than either of these things and attack a wide variety of groups, people, religions, etc etc... Because it's funny?

Also, would people be upset if he had just called them hoes? It seems like the main reason people are upset is because of the word nappy. But isn't the word ho demeaning to all women? This is just mere curiosity on my part.

Posted by Solace:

Posted by EnySpree:

If micheal ray said Jews are dirty and don't take baths and they are cheap as all hell and have big noses then that would be big time racist.

Imus called these black women nappy headed hoes. He didn't say the jump high and are really fast. He played on the tats and other things along with other racist things.

My annoyance meter is pretty high right now cuz I'm pretty sure I know how to read. No need to repost the same quote over and over. I can read and understand what I read very well.

Post imus' comments. Post it forty times so the ignorant can see it.

No offense, but your comments are making YOU sound like the racist, since it sounds like something is only wrong to you if it's about black people. Did you realize that YOUR example was racist??? I was trying to be nice and give you a chance to correct YOUR racist comment. Maybe you should stop. I'm sorry if you're annoyed, but you're the one who is showing your prejudice now. It's cool to dislike Imus and Michael Ray, but at least they apologized. I'm still waiting for yours.

There is a difference between stereotyping and saying racially insensitive stuff. Imus said something racially insensitive.

Posted by Anji:

What Imus said wasn't terrible at all, because he says it about every person and race. He's whole show makes fun about everyone there, himselve, wife and every politcally correct backwards rule in america.

I see what u r saying but at the same time u have to look at it like this: This country was based on race oppression and genocide from the day the native Americans saw ships on their docks. The opression (based on race and class) still exists and affects people today! There were three people involved in the origin of this history: Europeans, Native Americans and Africans. Native Americans lost there land a maaaaaany of them lost their lives (as they once populated these United States). Europeans became the dominant force here. Africans became slaves of the land. Cut to the abolition of slavery and you have an era where recontruction was suppose to be in play but the free citizens that owed most of the land (who happened to mostly be white)...well, those who felt threatened, went and formed the klan and the government implimented Jim crow laws. This was to demoralize, oppress and demean a group of people JUST BASED ON RACE. And there was 9is) a whole vocabulary that goes along with that oppression (ask Imus...apparently he knows some of them). This is in my parents life time because they faced it. Black people, here in America, faught against ignorance and even lost lives. So, here in this country, those types of comments run very deep. Not to take away racism on other groups but America has a specific history that dates back to simply black and white. We have grandmothers and greatgrandmothers who were lynched and raped because of their skin color. And guess what? They too were called ignorant names that go along with those types of actions. Point is this: the opression STILL goes on and exists. So some may feel indifferent but there are many people who aren't indifferent. Indifference, to me, is just as dangerous as ignorance.

The present is totally affected by the living past.