Tim Hardaway is pissed.
This morning, I awakened to Doug Banks Radio as usual… and as usual, I was shocked at the outright ignorance of people. The subject they were discussing was Tim Hardaway’s anti-gay comments and his subsequent ban by the NBA from the All-Star weekend. Instead of discussing whether the ban was reasonable or not, the question for call in was, “Should he have made the anti-gay statement?”
They’re mad lucky that the line was busy, ’cause I was about to tell them about themselves. I’m not saying whether I agree or disagree with Hardaway, because I don’t want to muddy the point I’m about to make. My opinion is irrelevant to the issue. The real issue is why is this man being punished for having an opinion?
Black people were calling in saying that Hardaway should have held his tongue. They said, overwhelmingly, that he should have not voiced his opinion and that he had no right to say what he said. In the words of Huey Freeman (who I seem to be quoting very frequently these days), “Man, that’s some ol’ bullshit.”
the Perversion of the Constitution
The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees every American citizen freedom of speech. Interpreted, this means that we can say pretty much whatever we want without fear of being punished. But Americans have become so selfish and PC in their dealings that the Amendment is more often interpreted as “You’re free to say whatever you want to say, as long as you don’t offend me.”
This country was founded on offensiveness and argumentativeness. Don’t you think the British monarchy was offended by the revolutionaries questioning their “god-given” right to rule? Don’t you think that racist whites were offended by the idea of having to go to school and share facilities with colored folks? It is only through open and unchained discussion that anything can happen in this country.
You ever notice that the only initiatives that get pushed through these days are by extremists who don’t give a damn who they offend. You want a good example, because I just so happen to have one. Do you really think that Bush cared about what you thought of him when he declared war on Iraq? Nope. He just bully-footed his way into it. It’s pretty obvious that most people were like WTF? when he targeted Saddam Hussein instead of Osama Bin Laden. But it was politically correct to support the troops, wave flags and (above all) not question the Commander-In-Chief so we as a collective people just fell in line… all because we were scared to utilize or freedom to speak.
Some of you will get the Team America reference, most will not.
I repeat, “That’s some ol’ bullshit.”
what does this has to do with Hardaway
Whether or not you or I agree with Hardaway is, as I said at the beginning, irrelevant. The man has a right to say what he feels without fear of punishment. The same constitution that allows gays and lesbians to march in a Gay Pride parade should be protecting Hardaway right now. The same constitution that allowed abolitionists and civil rights leaders to speak on the behalf of the black minority during times of slavery and segregation should protect people like Michael Richards when they say things that go against the grain.
Michael Richards is a bag of douche.
Yeah, I tossed Richards in there, but he’s the perfect counter-example. He said some racist things. He offended me and I don’t like him as a person, but the constitution that we live under as American citizens say that he can say whatever he wants so long as it doesn’t bring me immediate physical harm.
If we as a collective say that it is okay to squash the opinion of a single man, then we’re saying that it’s okay for the government to censor our speech and ignore our pleas. We’re saying that it’s okay for you to be fired from your job because you don’t worship the same God as your boss. We’re saying that it’s not okay to have your own mind or to be different. Ask any lawyer and they’ll tell you that you must be very careful and aware of what precedents you set.
man up America!
It seems that in America we’ve become so obsessed with being PC and non-offensive that it’s impossible to tell what anyone thinks about anything. We’ve become homogenized into a sea of politeness and tiptoeing around issues. All of the politicians are saying the same thing, the safe thing. You never know how your neighbors feel about any of the serious issues in this country, because people are so worried about accidentally offending someone.
The offshoot of this is that your (yeah… you) First Amendment Rights are compromised every time you censor yourself in the name of being politically correct. Every time you don’t voice your opinion for or against racism, homosexuality, abortion, war or any other issue because you don’t want to offend someone, you are putting your own rights in check.
America needs thicker skin. Offensive words are just that, offensive words. My mom would call me a punk if I went running to her every time someone called me a name, and she’d be right in doing so. Toughen up America, your rights are worth more than your feelings.
On a side note, it’s kind of funny how the Quote of the Week goes perfectly with this post.
Yes, but it’s an opinion that could incite violence. I guess I just want non-LGBT folks who happen to be of African descent to show some empathy and recall how it feels when a non-black says something like that about black folks. There are parallel experiences…
Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing that we are afforded in this country. BUT when you are in the public eye, you have to be very careful about what you say. Especially when the public’s opinion can hinder you in some way. Tim Hardaway has the right to feel the way he does and he has the right to speak on it. But, he should have expected for there to be some backlash from the media. If you are in the entertainment industry you can’t just say things that are offensive to others and not expect there to be some sort of blowup. Did he not learn from what happened to Michael Richards? How about Isiah Washington from Grey’s Anatomy? When you say things that are discriminatory, you just have to be ready to face the music.
You both make good points, but the point I’m trying to make is that he had every right to say what he said. His speech and his opinions (no matter how bigoted you or I or anyone may think they are) are protected. It’s not the same thing as yelling fire in a crowded theater. He never said that people should go out an start cracking homosexual skulls. He just said that he didn’t like gay people and that he distances himself from them, nothing too violent about avoiding something you disagree with…
I can understand why the LGBT community would be upset, I know how it feels to see a perfectly legal KKK rally on the news. It can be hard to be objective about a subject when it’s hurtful towards you. But you have to realize that America is what it is because you can say what you want without fear.
I don’t think that he or anyone should be punished for speaking their opinion in the public arena. That is the very definition of a democratic society and if we begin to stifle voices that we don’t agree with, then put ourselves in jeopardy of being that stifled voice in the next argument or issue. We should be able to openly discuss our issues without fear of punishment for thought crimes.
The counterpoint to this is that you have a right to speak out against people with whom you disagree. Civil rights activists had a right to counterpoint the segregationist and gay rights activists have the right to counterpoint religious conservatives. But if any one side prevents the other from being able to voice an opinion then both sides will eventually lose the freedom of speech.
In a democracy, majority rules but the First Amendment protects the rights of the minority. Any minority (racial, sexual, religious) should be able to appreciate that and understand the compromise.
I didn’t disagree with what you said and understood your point. He does have the right to voice his opinion, which I stated but since he is in the entertainment industry, he has to be prepared for how the media will react. As long as he can take the heat, he can stay in the kitchen after complaining about the food.
I do understand the whole 1st amendment and the right to free speech but there is a line. The line is drawn when the free speech or your opinon turns into down right hate. When I first read about this(tim hardaway),hate was the first thing to come to mind. This really made me think on how America was built on hate to an extent,(but this is another issue). If Tim really does dis-like gay people then this is his view, but to incite hate on a national radio station and to think that there would be no blacklash at all, I guess he did not think about the fact that yeah you can man up all you want but you have to be willing to take it like a man too! Some are so quick to say that words do not hurt. Words are powerful or have we forgotten about people like Dr.King, Ghandi. So don’t say that words don’t hurt, because at the end of the day your word is all you have and will have in some cases.
I am all for the right of free speech and being able to say what you feel, but there should be no tolerance for hate.
Think about it
First up, I’m pleased that everyone is participating in the discussion… your opinions are welcomed here. Now for my counterpoint:
It’s real easy to start drawing lines when the opinion in question isn’t your’s. Now imagine that you’re on the other side of that line and you’re being punished for your opinions… doesn’t feel too good anymore?
Imagine that it’s not Tim Hardaway hating gay people. Imagine it’s Kanye West after saying George Bush doesn’t care about black people. Now imagine if Kanye’s distribution was cut because the label didn’t agree with what he said. Is it still unreasonable?
If Tim can’t say what he wants without checking with everyone else first, then neither can you and neither can I. By saying that a man doesn’t have his right to his opinion, you render your own opinions null and void.
You don’t have to agree with him, you just have to respect the rules of the game and be careful of what rights you take for granted as American citizens.
I don’t know… There is a concept called hate speech, which goes well beyond our First Amendment rights. Sure, Tim H. didn’t say he hated black people and then called for the execution of all gay people. He said he hated gay people and that he was homophobic (proudly!). I just keep thinking about where to draw lines because humans do cross them especially when lines are blurry and vague.
For instance, hate speech and the use of the radio were major contributing factors in the Rawandan genocide. Some people need very little inspiration or motivation to start harming others because of perceived differences.
We also just live in a world overrun with hatred and violence and war. Why add to it? And, I truly don’t believe we black people (black Americans) have the luxury to hate. Yes, we have a First Amendment right (and many rights others don’t have), but I just don’t think we should be reckless with our words.
Sorry I’m Late to the game, but..
It’s been awhile since I’ve been on The Brown, but I’m glad that we’ve got a lively discussion here.
I’m with Tweezy on this one. And actually, I don’t think hate speech should matter. It should exist so that we know where we stand. The reason why you see hate speech codes falling down around the country is because of what is considered “hate.” Some people think having a conservative opinion is “hate.” Some people say that simply admitting that you don’t like gay or black people out loud is considered “hate speech.” In the end, people are entitled to whatever opinion they may have.
That doesn’t mean that they’re not subject to punishment, however. Tim just said out loud what many people say in their own home. He was banned from the All-Star weekend, and he should accept it as an exchange for voicing his opinion.
It’s the “carefulness” that we some say we have to have that leads to political correctness, which I pretty much despise because it quells discussion of important issues we really need to have. We shouldn’t have to be careful. If someone said they hate me or what I do, or if someone admits they dislike black people within public earshot, then so be it. Society is known to be a better outcast and punisher than the Speech Police ever will.
Tim (and other celebrities) are public figures. If these public figures want to keep enjoying the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to, they’ve got to keep their constituents happy by not saying and doing things to piss them off, including sticking by what you say.
If, in the aftermath, Tim/Michael Richards/Isaiah Washington stick by their comments instead of apologizing for their thinking, they’d probably have much more public support from those who agree with them. People like George Bush and Charlton Heston are definitely people who have lots of opponents, but I’m sure they have just as many proponents who support them for not only their like-minded thinking, but because they also stick to what they say.
Good article and good reference to Team America!
Jacquie, you scare me. There’s something not human about your comments.
“Team America”?
I’m sure Jacquie was referencing the quote from the film Team America: World Police that I used in the G. W. Bush picture in the body of the article.
I feel it was his opinion for him to say that. Trying to use the other side’s logic on why it backlashed on him mainly because his comments weren’t “P.C.” And to many borderlining on hate (ain’t that a ironic paradox)
If he werent ‘checked’ for his comments then many others would give grounds to same similar things. His punishment was adhered to make Tim A example.
Ice-T broke down how america feels about the 1st amendment. “Freedom of Speech - Just Watch what you say”.
I agree Tweezy, the man can voice his opinion, but as a counterweight, everyone has a right to voice their disdain for Tim, which I think has happened — the guy couldn’t even give water to the thirsty at this point.
Hate is a strong word and a terrible emotion, but there’s a border between inciting hate and hating. As ATBW said up there, hate speech manifested itself into genocide in Rwanda — there’s certainly a fine line.
My biggest beef with this is how our culture has tried to police the grounds for not liking someone. Maybe being white puts me on the outside of this because no one (or only a few people) have disliked me be because of my whiteness. But if they do, so be it. I make decisions on who I like all the time based on lots of factors, drug habits, behavior issues, lying, violence, etc.. I just see limiting the reasons as troubling. People should respect their fellow man, always, and we need to stand up and speak out at those who don’t, but you can’t force people to like everyone and I don’t think we should be aiming for that.
Yo Eric, thanks for your input. I think you’ve captured what I’m trying to say perfectly. We all have a right to disagree with each other. Hey, even I think Hardaway’s statements were very ass-y (for lack of a better term). Additionally, I understand that hate is horrible emotion, but I also understand that you can’t legislate hate away.