The biggest summer for racial tension since 1994 continues, this time with a strange, n-word-laden rant from what has been typically perceived as a fairly innocuous source: Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Speaking to a black caller who called for advice on handling racial tensions with her white husband, Dr. Laura uses the offensive word eleven times and ultimately tells the caller that if she doesn’t “have a sense of humor,” she should not “marry out of your race.”
The caller explained that she was beginning to grow “resentful” of her husband because he seemed comfortable with a neighbor continually making racist comments about her. When asked to give an example, the caller told Schlessinger that he had used the n-word, to which she replied that she didn’t see a problem with that. “Black guys,” she explained, “use it all the time. Turn on HBO, listen to a black comic, and all you hear is n*gger, n*gger, n*gger.” Then, of course, the conversation veered inevitably (and uncomfortably) towards Barack Obama, with Schlessinger continuing: “We have a black man as president and we have more complaining about racism than ever.”
After the caller expressed some discomfort with the tone of Schlessinger’s comments, the host scolded her, telling her not to “NAACP me” [according to the dictionary, the proper term is to Breitbart] and, finally, “if you’re that hypersensitive about color, and don’t have a sense of humor, don’t marry out of your race.” Wow. Not that Dr. Laura hasn’t gotten in trouble for insensitive comments before: In 2002, Schlessinger found herself in hot water for calling homosexuality “a biological mistake.” That, however, was not directed at a particular caller, nor did it use specific slurs.
Dr. Laura’s rant made it to primetime tonight thanks to CNN’s Rick Sanchez, who led his 8PM program with the story, getting ahead of The O’Reilly Factor (leading with a 14th Amendment debate) and Countdown (leading with an interview with an American mechanic).
Update: Dr. Laura has apologized on her website.
http://worldhotsearch1.blogspot.com/:
Dr. Laura Schlessinger has apologized after a shocking rant on her radio show this week during which she said the n-word 11 times over the course of five minutes.
In conversation Tuesday with a black female caller who was complaining about her white husband's racist friends and their use of the word, Schlessinger said:
Black guys use it all the time. Turn on HBO and listen to a black comic, and all you hear is n****, n*****, n*****. I don't get it. If anybody without enough melanin says it, it's a horrible thing. But when black people say it, it's affectionate. It's very confusing.
LISTEN (via MediaMatters):
After a break, the caller said she was appalled by Schlessinger's use of the word.
"Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians," she said. "My dear, the point I am trying to make...we've got a black man as president and we've got more complaining about racism than ever. I think that's hilarious."
Schlessinger and the caller then got into an exchange about the use of the word:
CALLER: Is it OK to say that word? Is it ever OK to say that word?
DR. LAURA: It depends how it's said. Black guys talking to each other seem to think it's ok.
CALLER: But you're not black, they're not black, my husband is white.
DR. LAURA: Oh, I see, so a word is restricted to race. Got it. Can't do much about that.
CALLER: I can't believe someone like you is on the radio spewing out the n***** word, and I hope everybody heard it.
DR. LAURA: I didn't spew out the n***** word!
CALLER: You said "n*****, n*****, n*****" and I hope everybody heard it.
DR. LAURA: Yes they did, and I'll say it again: n*****, n*****, n***** is what you hear on HBO.
[Crosstalk]
DR. LAURA: Why don't you let me finish a sentence? Don't take things out of context. Don't NAACP me, leave them in context.
"If you're that hypersensitive about color and don't have a sense of humor, don't marry outside of your race," Schlessinger said after hanging up with the caller.
Story continues below
LISTEN (via MediaMatters):
She apologized the next day, opening her show with an apology.
"Yesterday, I did the wrong thing," she said. "I didn't intend to hurt people, but I did. And that makes it the wrong thing to have done. I was attempting to make a philosophical point, and I articulated the "n" word all the way out - more than one time. And that was wrong. I'll say it again - that was wrong."
Schlessinger said she "was so upset [she] could not finish the show."
"I pulled myself off the air at the end of the hour," she said. "I had to finish the hour, because 20 minutes of dead air doesn't work. I am very sorry. And it just won't happen again."
