I'm very curious to see how this trial plays out. While I generally understand that the historical background of the word gives it different meanings, depending on who is saying it, if this man was terminated for saying it, while others of a different race weren't, then the the company has applied a policy based only on race. In any other context, applying a policy exclusively to one race would be actionable and discriminatory.
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White news anchor uses n-word, gets fired, black anchors does same is spared, sues
- Thread starter TacticalFox88
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What I chose to say to members of MY ETHNIC BACKGROUND is not any of YOUR business. If two people from insert ethnic background choose to say insert word(s) that are a part of their culture to one another then that is fine. When someone uses those words then it's a fireable offense. This isn't up for debate. If anyone has the heart to say it then they accept the social and professional ramifications of those actions.
Shamrock7r
Member
Agreed, and that was kind of my point. The scenario you mentioned wasn't the best example because it's not really applicable to the n-word when placed in a similar scenario.
I think you're joking? I hope you're joking. lol
The Faceless Master
Member
fixed.Just to recap to see if we are on the same page -
Good night and good luck.
Or, it could be respect for a culture that is not your own, or that you don't fully understand.
Like, would you be upset if you weren't invited to participate in any other aspect of another group's culture? Does everything have to be inclusive to you?
Yeah I'm not understanding this. No company is obligated to keep you when you're on contract.
Anton Sugar
Member
Well, on a very superficial level, it's hard to know whether someone is talking about "nigger" or "nigga" when they say "the n word" or "n*****".
In addition, no one here was using it in a weird, kinda-joking, kinda "finally I can say this word" sense that Burlington did.
Didn't notice this. I'm surprised the lawsuit wasn't just dismissed due to this. Seems like the only defense that FOX needs.
What.
Honest question, because I sincerely don't understand this. What is the reason for the distinction between emailing and speaking to the HR person, given the context is identical, and the only difference is the medium. Not even tone or use.
Applied here, you'd expect some white posters lecturing others in this thread here to say n-word in person, while maintaining no issue with typing it out here. Same context.
That sort of logic sure as shit wouldn't fly anywhere I've studied or worked in my life.
LyleLanley
Banned
I imagine being signed to a contract but not getting a chance to go on air for that long of a period can be pretty damaging to someones career.
You should try to extrapolate views you don't understand if you want to find a way to understand a line of thought.
What is the difference between writing n-word and nigga? When we both know exactly the intention or meaning of what we are typing?
The Faceless Master
Member
there is no tone in text. i mean, maybe if you print it... i really don't understand how you are confused at all by this.
jamesinclair
Banned
Huh, why?
He's in a room full of news people of various races.
"Does this mean we can finally..."
Why would WE refer to white people and not the group of newscasters?
Again, he's talking to a group of mixed race and using we.
The group does not have race in common.
The group does have news casting in common though.
His tone is what matters, but based on the text alone, you can read it two ways
1) does this mean white people can say the word, because the naacp used it once hundred times
Or
2) does this mean we, the news reporters,. can say nigger during the segment because we are reporting on an event where the express topic was the word nigger and bringing attention to the use of that word?
1 is obviously wrong. I see nothing wrong with 2, do you?
These two quotes from the story will be the most damaging to Fox:
Given that Surrick is the judge, I don't think the factual basis of those statements can be questioned. They have likely already been found to be facts of the case.
My assumption is that they were trying to tell him to stop saying it, and didn't want to have a discussion on a progressive view of equality. He carried on trying to have the conversation, which was the same reason why he was in the meeting the first place, and such they fired him.
Anton Sugar
Member
Since we're doing an examination of language and context, what do you make of the use of "finally"?
Lovely haha.
jamesinclair
Banned
For all we know, they'd had a discussion about use of the word in the past and the reporter wanted to know if this specific event finally allowed an end to the censorship by the news station.
But none of us can know that from the article.
The court will though, and it will affect how they rule
No tone in text? What sort of tone, other than cold fact, would "Yes, sir, I said (insert any word or phrase)" said to an HR person investigating a workplace incident have differentiating it from an email? Glee? Pride? Smug satisfaction that the white dude got to say it again but under the guise of some "just the facts ma'am" shit?
Alright, I get it.
Acting like the nonsensical and illogical is self explanatory, absolving oneself of the need to provide some logical explanation, is one of the staples of OT discussion. Tired shit.
That's the impression I got from the story as well, that he continued being bullheaded about it when he should have just left it alone, and that's what rubbed people the wrong way.
Reminds me of this scene from the Boondocks. (actually, it's pretty funny how well this clip fits for this situation)
LyleLanley
Banned
I've seen this so many times and I still can't believe it's real.
Anton Sugar
Member
omg
Shamrock7r
Member
whoa, how have I never seen this
lol this is something else. I can't believe I've never seen this
The Faceless Master
Member
it must be tiring, you're so good at it. you must be exhausted!
I don't know if it's because I'm tired or the article was poorly written, but I'm a bit confused about this staff meeting. Depending on how it was going it was either him pushing hard against opposition to be able to say the word in a news story, the meeting was taking forever and he was exasperated, or he was making a really stupid unfunny joke.
Anton Sugar
Member
I'm still a little confused, TBH. It sounds like Fox/the station was covering the NAACP's symbolic funeral for "the n-word"?
It's literally not your business if you use any such language at work, which is what this case is about. It doesn't (and nor should it) matter if you use it when talking to coworkers of the same ethnic background as you. It's curious you don't seem to get this and yet caution against potential professional ramifications.
Dreams-Visions
Member
well this will be dismissed with the quickness.
who the fuck thinks that's okay to ask their black colleagues? I'm baffled at the stupidity.
who the fuck thinks that's okay to ask their black colleagues? I'm baffled at the stupidity.
The Faceless Master
Member
it's because the article was written based solely on the account of the guy doing the suing and the information detailed in the suit by his lawyers.
Ask a question, get "I mean it's obvious bro, how do you not get this" as a response, note said response is dodgy bullshit, and then get "I know you are but what am I".
Lol.
The Faceless Master
Member
his co-anchor wasn't at the meeting. who is this 'we' that can finally say it?
also....
why can't the producer believe that he just said that? does the producer not have working ears?
The article is pretty good at laying down all the facts.
Usually someone asking what the reporter said is usually an asshole. Even after considering that he went straight to his supervisor, instead of his coworkers, after the meeting about that word; a thoughtful person would understand it's silly to ask that question.
Such a person would know it would create trouble on air and due to its history it would be unprofessional to say it at work just some other common slurs.
He wasn't even fired. Allowing his contract to expire was a classy move on the bosses part. I do roll my eyes at the coworkers for "fearing for their lives by being seen outside with the guy." Get outta here with that nonsense.
The reason he is suing is that the circumstances of why he was fired was to well known and poisoned a career he loved for 20 years. That is understandably a tough pill to swallow and I'm surprised such circumstances could sink a career.
He most likely won't win and shouldn't win.
Beyond that I want to touch on the point people are making on the usage of that word.
Either everyone should stop using it or everyone should be able to use it with consideration.
The whole idea of owning the word fails if you don't allow white people to use it because you are giving the negative connotations behind that word more power by making it taboo.
Due to its long history even if there wasn't this type of backlash for non-black people using it I don't think it's wise for anyone to say it. Even with less baggage than it has now it still is an ugly word and should be seen as unprofessional in a work environment and low class even in a social one.
Usually someone asking what the reporter said is usually an asshole. Even after considering that he went straight to his supervisor, instead of his coworkers, after the meeting about that word; a thoughtful person would understand it's silly to ask that question.
Such a person would know it would create trouble on air and due to its history it would be unprofessional to say it at work just some other common slurs.
He wasn't even fired. Allowing his contract to expire was a classy move on the bosses part. I do roll my eyes at the coworkers for "fearing for their lives by being seen outside with the guy." Get outta here with that nonsense.
The reason he is suing is that the circumstances of why he was fired was to well known and poisoned a career he loved for 20 years. That is understandably a tough pill to swallow and I'm surprised such circumstances could sink a career.
He most likely won't win and shouldn't win.
Beyond that I want to touch on the point people are making on the usage of that word.
Either everyone should stop using it or everyone should be able to use it with consideration.
The whole idea of owning the word fails if you don't allow white people to use it because you are giving the negative connotations behind that word more power by making it taboo.
Due to its long history even if there wasn't this type of backlash for non-black people using it I don't think it's wise for anyone to say it. Even with less baggage than it has now it still is an ugly word and should be seen as unprofessional in a work environment and low class even in a social one.
I sure hope he wins.
Whether they were in the right for firing him -- or allowing his contract to end and not renew it -- doesn't matter.
What matters is that people allowed for that information to go outside of work, and people likely made mention of it to other news stations so they would not hire him. You don't do that sort of shit.
Whether they were in the right for firing him -- or allowing his contract to end and not renew it -- doesn't matter.
What matters is that people allowed for that information to go outside of work, and people likely made mention of it to other news stations so they would not hire him. You don't do that sort of shit.
It does matter. He'll need to show proof that is indeed went outside of work (aside from him talking about it). If he can prove that someone from FOX went out and told other stations as well as it being the deciding factor of not being hired -- that may help him. However, this kind of stuff happens in plenty of other fields as well. That is just how a lot of professional fields work. If a doctor somehow refuses to treat patients of particular background then he/she may be let go and its very possible other hospitals would not hire him/her because of it.
Besides, we don't know that this was exclusively the reason his contract was not renewed. An contract not renewed could be for a number of reasons.
They should probably get a criminal record for uh, racist neglect, if there wasn't another doctor who was free to take over the patient in my opinion.
I meant that whether they were right in letting him go or not doesn't matter. It's a private issue, and he only made a stupid joke about it. According to the article he passed pretty much every task given to him, and he tried to mend things by apologizing. If they still wanted to let him go, that's fine, as it's their prerogative.
But the fact that any info of that incident went out to the street, effectively blackballing him, is what matters, and that stuff should not be allowed. I doubt he mentioned any of it to people, especially knowing what it would do to his career. Going by what I read on the article, it seems someone made it their goal to make sure the guy doesn't ever go back on air because of that incident. That to me is sue worthy.
Who knows. Maybe they would. I'm not sure how things would exactly work out in that situation. It just seems very normal to me that screw ups can follow people and especially so in a professional sense. For instance, if someone is a game dev that constantly fights with your co-workers, I wouldn't expect other companies to hire that person very quickly.
Ah, I think I see what you mean. Unfortunately, the incident going to the street is not something that is far fetched. (Assuming someone brought it out before he did). But "only" making a stupid joke can be very costly to someones career. Especially for a person who is somewhat public and recognized. Blackballing him from the industry would probably end up in a different lawsuit, I would think.
If someone truly made it their goal to screw him over, that would be pretty wrong but I'm not sure he can sue about the actual termination. Right?
Syph Medwes
Member
Cases like what you mentioned is a terrible comparison, but brining it back to a land of relevancy, it would be a separate lawsuit he would have to sue them with.
One I very much doubt he would be able to win.
Massive boohoo to him and I'm sure his career was fucked up by it, hypocritical or not I don't see how his work place broke the law not wanting to write him another contract if they didn't like him working there because he was saying nigga.
I would assume he meant newscasters in general but maybe he meant white folks idk.
It wasn't just that the contract wasn't renewed. He was visibly held off air while his contract ran out.
According to the judge's own words, he was going to be reinstated to his position, except for his co-worker's continued insistence that he be let go.
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