Thursday, November 01, 2007

Say It Ain't So, Dog!

Dwayne Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, has gotten himself into BIG trouble by saying nigger while on the phone with his son. Apparently, the son in question is dating a Black woman and Dog didn't want the family's occasional use of the slur to be used against them. A recording of the conversation was leaked to the National Enquirer, which led to the story airing tonight on both The O'Reilly Factor and Hannity and Colmes. A&E is suspending it's production of Dog's show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" because of the controversy.

I want to say that as a Black woman I think this incident is being blown out of proportion. Yes, Dog Chapman was full of anger when he said nigger on that phone call. He also used profanity. Why isn't he being raked over the coals for that?

Let's get something straight. Using a racial slur doesn't automatically make you a racist. I've used racial slurs myself, usually when someone of another race pisses me off. If a Hispanic driver grabs the parking space I was waiting for I've been known to say, "Damn wetback!" Does that mean I hate Hispanics? When I watched the movie "Jackass" I thought to myself, "Only white guys could be that stupid." Does that mean I hate Whites? No and no. Using racial slurs is often a crime of passion. No one should be instantly and permanently defined by that.

We live in a time when liberals are keen to prove their belief that America is irredeemably racist and that racism is peculiar to Whites. Dog's unfortunate utterance has given them ammunition to push that belief. The truth, though, is that Blacks say nigger way more than Whites and paid millions to do it. You can't buy a rap album that's not full of nigger this and nigger that. Blacks and liberal Whites are being profoundly hypocritical when they have a meltdown over a White guy saying nigger but give Blacks a pass for saying it.

If we really want nigger to be an unsayable word we've got to stop rewarding Blacks who use it in their "art". Millions of Whites listen to rap music. If they hear their favorite rap singers throwing nigger around like it was a compliment, what are they going to think? Certainly not that nigger is a bad word. It's like a parent telling his kids not to curse while constantly saying the "f" word in front of them. Talk about double messages!

I think Dog Chapman was just angry, like I was when that Hispanic guy stole my parking space. I'm open to the possibility that I could be wrong. Maybe Dog really is a virulent racist and just hid it really well all these years. Maybe having a Black pastor was just a dishonest show. Maybe accepting his brother's Asian wife was just for the cameras. And maybe Dog just lied about his mother being Native American. Maybe, but I don't think so. You're still a good egg in my book, Dog.

6 comments:

JMK said...

Well, I'll agree wholeheartedly with "Let's get something straight, using a racial slur doesn't automatically make you a racist." That's very true and some of the more virulent bigots are slick enough never to actually use racial invective in public.

Al Sharpton, David Duke, and Jesse Jackson all have varying degrees of racial animus toward others and all are slick enough not to use racial invective.

BUT, saying that, I can understand Dog's employer being concerned over his reckless and unprofessional behavior, as it reflects upon his judgment.

Yeah, it sucks that a private phone call was made public and that's what started all this, as most people couldn't stand every personal conversation being aired for public scrutiny, but for better and for worse, Chapman is now a public figure and A&E would be considered derelict of judgment if they didn't act on that information.

I saw Duane Chapman's minister, the black man who Married the Chapman's and he made many good points, including talking about Dog's compassion for all those he arrested and all the good he did in inner cities, despite his penchant for vulgarity, profanity and reckless speech.

While I do feel sorry that a private phone call brought down this guy, I have to admit that A&E had to act in response or appear as though they were condoning that sought of thing.

mccommas said...

I have never heard of "dog". Is he white? Is he a rapper or something? That’s a funny name for a lady to name her baby.

If he is White, than I disagree with you. I think he got what he deserved.

If he is Black however that’s a little different and more complicated. The slang use of the word -- meant only to describe a black person by another black person -- is used commonly by Black folks who are otherwise decent. I for one wish folks of all races would stop using it all together.

As Supreme Court Justice John Roberts wrote, the way to stop discriminating on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.

I say throw that hateful word on the ash heap of history right along the Evil Empire and Nazi Germany.

One of my best friends in the Navy, Ricky, used that word and I stopped him several times and warned him he could lose his crow if he used it in front of the wrong person. (this was back in the 1980’s when it first became “vogue” to use it.) The fact that Ricky was Black would not help him in the Navy. The military is color blind and has zero tolerance for any hint of racism -- by anyone.

He took my advice and he kept his rank. To bad Dog was not wise enough to do the same thing.

Seane-Anna said...

Mac, you don't know who Dog the Bounty Hunter is?! Are you for real?! What rock have you been living under little brother?

Dwyane "Dog" Chapman is only the most famous crime fighter in America today. His show is--was?--on A&E every Tuesday night. I admit I haven't watched it regularly since the first season, but millions of people do. The theme song to his show is sung by none other than Ozzy Osbourne.

C'mon bro, you really don't know this guy? Remember when that American rapist--I forget his name but he's an heir to the Max Factor fortune--was grabbed in Mexico a few years ago? Well, Dog was the one who nabbed him. Know him now?

And Dog's white, btw. And I disagree with you and JMK. I think this thing has been blown WAY out of proportion, as I said in my post. I'm WAY more offended by Blacks calling each other nigger than I am by Whites. It's so uncivilized. I mean, do Whites routinely call each other honky or cracker? And if they did, could they blame Blacks for thinking that saying honky or cracker was ok? No and no.

Mac and JMK I think y'all are hedging your bets because you're White and don't want to say or do anything that could be construed as racist. Trust me saying nigger, or any other racial slur, once in a while does not a racist make. If it did I'd be a racist, and you both know I'm not. I like White people. I even have one for a little brother. :)

WomanHonorThyself said...

how honorable of u!..I'm impressed hun..truly and hey thanks for the support!

JMK said...

"Trust me saying nigger, or any other racial slur, once in a while does not a racist make." (poorgrrl)
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I agree with that...actions not words are the way to jusge a person, but as I said, given present sensitivities, I can understand A&E feeling they had to "do something," or be labeled condoning that.

It's unfortunate that a private phone call was used to bring this guy down, as I don't know many people who'd want all their private communications monitored.

I wonder how the National Enquirer (NE) got hold of a private phone call?

I'd blame the person who sent that recording over to the NE and not A&E who really HAD to react, or risk being seen as "condoning bigotry."

mccommas said...

Now I know who your are talkig about.

You really should watch better TV!

Nope. Sorry. I call a spade a spade and a whitey using that word is a racist.

Thats how I see it.