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Friday, September 19, 2008

Hate Speech Much???

So Scott had a riveting video about the "conservative movement" in media. I have to say it disgusted me to no end and I have no tolerance for such hatred...BUT...if you are going to point the finger across the room to one side...you better be ready to get it served right BACK at you...

This past week the lovely Sandra Bernhard suggested that Sarah Palin should be "gang raped by black men in Manhattan."

This ALL disgusts me...

posted by Paige @ 5:37 PM  

9 Comments:

  • At 5:26 AM , Blogger Sharkbear said...

    The difference between Sandra Bernhard and the "shock jocks" is that they have millions of listeners, and she doesn't. I'm not going to try to defend what she said, because I haven't seen the show and don't know the context of the comment.

    But she's a comedian, and comedians often say shocking things to provoke the audience and gets laughs. When people like Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh spout their hate-filled speech there isn't a punchline. The fact isn't that they're vulgar. It's that they're actually influencing opinion with that vulgarity.

    The chances of Palin ever actually being gang raped in New York are about as high as her chances of being a good President. By which I mean, next to impossible.

    The chances of some angry person hearing "liberals are ruining the country" every day on the radio, and taking some extreme action (say, walking into a church and opening fire?) are much higher. Simply due to the numbers involved.

    There is no one, to my knowledge, on the "other side" who has reached this level of bile. You never hear someone say in seriousness "conservatives are ruining the country," or "conservatism is a mental disease."

    Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now. I guess the point I'm just trying to make is Sarah Palin is a moron.

     

  • At 6:37 AM , Blogger Paige said...

    First off...HI!! I miss you dude.

    My post wasn't directed at you "pointing the finger" at all but on the fact that media (like the piece you posted) didn't mention anything on mass public influence on all realms. You can't just all blame it on the shock jocks to why we have such hatred in this country. Don't get me wrong, the things in that video blew my mind and I have no tolerance for such ignorance.

    I agree to some extent...but Sandra Bernhard IS a celebrity and does have MANY listeners. I definitely agree with the fact that the chances of Sarah Palin being gang raped are incredibly slim...but rape said in ANY fashion to ANY human being is disgusting...especially coming from a woman on a stage to "SHOCK" the audience. Where we do draw the line in terms on any regard to what is accepted on stage, on tv, on radio, etc???? Yes, It is an attack on a political figure....and a conservative but if Sarah Palin was a liberal...the comment would have never been said. It comes across as if to say that conservatism/conservatives deserve violent acts against them.

    Sure, Comedians say things to get a laugh (and it shows how incredibly desensitized we are) but such comments on such a horrific act to get a laugh disgusts me. And to be honest, there are people in the world that WOULD take that comment seriously. Just because it wasn't on a radio talk show or a national news segment doesn't mean that it won't be heard. I didn't listen to her live on a radio...I learned of it on the internet...which in fact is the biggest tool in the spreading of messages...

    Her purpose for saying such things are NO MORE justified than the other. It is to get a shock. Celebrities mouths have just as much impact on society and thinking as these other disgusting mouths on radio and tv. I'm just disgusted at it ALL. Where do we draw the line on what we accept to hear???

     

  • At 6:53 AM , Blogger Sharkbear said...

    I've never found Sandra Bernhard to particularly funny. The difference I see, however, is that when you are a comedian people go to see you say ridiculous and outrageous things. Your audience views you with the understanding that what you are saying is for the purposes of humor and satire.

    What she said was ugly, but there's not a single person in her audience who sat there and thought, "Man, you know she's right? Bring on the rape!"
    And even if they did there's no conceivable way for them to act on that. What are they going to to do - hire five black guys to corner her in an alley?

    The shock jocks, on the other hand, have no pretense of satire. As far as they, or any of their listeners know, what they say is what they believe. One of the scariest parts of that video I posted is about the ability of the shock jocks to actually effect policy changes in American government, by inciting their listeners to call and write threatening letters to their representatives.

    These people are quick to take credit for that kind of action, but when someone shoots up a church they hide behind, "Oh, I'm just an entertainer."

    Sandra Bernhard is a comedian. And the very point of a comedian is that no one takes them seriously.

     

  • At 4:30 PM , Blogger Paige said...

    I didn't say they would corner Palin (I hope you don't think I am that stupid)...maybe I should have been more clear for you on the fact that it is a VERBAL violent attack on a political figure.

    The joke of rape in ANY circumstance is disgusting in my opinion and coming from a woman is portraying the idea that rape can be funny and justified...if it be the right person (and from Bernhard's stand...a conservative woman). And there are people who think rape IS funny and tolerable. We have those sickos in society. Don't give society credit on what they will or will not take seriously.

    The mere idea of joking around about a subject that chills me to bone makes me angrier the more I think about it. Spouting hateful, violent actions in ANY circumstance to ANY audience is negligent and disgusting...that is my point! I'm not saying don't make fun of political figures...but spouting off violent acts to get a joke delivered is pathetic.

    OK OK...you bring up comedians and the fact that people should not take them seriously...and I AGREE with you. But comedians now push the line a bit far because they are desperate. People shouldn't take things seriously but what would you say to this circumstance...Lets say...oh I don't know...Bill Engvall said on his comedic tour "Obama better not come down to Alabama lest he be whipped at a public whipping post by my white brothers." Do you think THAT would have been taken as "a joke." HELL TO THE NO!!!!! (you would be outraged just as much as I would) Just because a "comedian" delivers such a line doesn't justify it AT ALL!!

    My point in my post was my disgust of such language and crudeness on ANY public stage coming from ANYBODY. It doesn't matter if it is behind radio booth, a theater stage or in front of a camera. NONE of it should be tolerated. It shows our irresponsibility as a society. You can't just blame the shock jocks without doing the same to any other figures (like comedians) in this circumstance (trust me, I'm not defending the jocks...they disgust me on such a level that I can't explain).

    Basically, We are all responsible for our words and the power of them.

     

  • At 4:40 PM , Blogger BG said...

    I agree with both of you. I think the main problem is that people with political power who use their hate speech as an influential tool have a vastly greater impact than people in other fields. I think many comedians take it entirely too far, and while I'm not a fan of Sarah Palin I don't find Bernhard's comment particularly interesting, funny, or witty.

    I don't really keep up with the "shock jocks," but their career is made up of finding a niche, making a stand, and then never deviating from that point on. I think our political system is so split up between the two groups that neither side is really willing to concede that the other is right. So they just sling inappropriate propaganda at each other.

     

  • At 12:31 AM , Blogger Paige said...

    But see...I don't think it is all about just political power. It's power in general. Shock jocks and celebrities (and I put comedian Sandra Bernhard in the realm of celebrity) have access to higher means than the average person. Let's take out political affiliation...because really...every party has its downfall.

    You don't think celebrities have the same amount of influence?? really?? Would you agree that a large majority of our generation knows more about today's modern celebrities than they do about the presidential candidates? I would put a large chunk of my money down on it. Celebrities, unforturnately, have a HUGE amount of influence.

    In some cases, the celebrity just has to breathe for someone to act out of insanity. Remember the guy that shot President Ronald Reagan because he wanted to impress her?? Don't sit there and tell me the level of celebrity impact doesn't exist. She didn't do anything and a person acted out a crime in his sick mind of "impressing her."

    I bet more people know the name Sandra Bernhard more than they even know the names of the shock jocks.

    Celebs now have to be more controversial today because the bar has been risen on what we tolerate and pay attention to...just like the jocks...they find a niche and they prostitute themselves.

    So when a celebrity OR a host of a tv/radio show goes on a rampage (and some of them do) and irresponsibly says something vile...you have to categorize it all...no matter if it is about "jokingly" raping a woman or shooting a liberal...

    you can't just say one is worse than the other...they can bring equal amounts of pain and influence. We have to be able to recognize hate speech on all levels and in all public realms.

    I personally take offense to a joke about rape as equally to some ignorant individual categorizing a political group in order to promote violence. But maybe that's because I am a female...

    the more I think about it...we really could get into a sexism debate about this if we wanted to...

     

  • At 12:34 AM , Blogger Paige said...

    and by "her" in the shooting of Reagan...I was referring to Jodie Foster

     

  • At 7:29 PM , Blogger Sharkbear said...

    I agree with you up to a point. Calling Sandra Bernhard a celebrity is a bit of a stretch.

     

  • At 8:10 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Reagan got shot????????? What??????

     

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