Support NeoGAF

[LinktoDrink]

He wasn't fired for saying he doesn't see the appeal in fucking a man, he was fired for his remarks about blacks and this whole thing:



Like, what part of that do you not construe as hate speech? Which part of equating homosexuality to bestiality and lumping in gays with criminals and drunks is "half in jest" to you?

He's not lumping them in with anything. He's naming a number of unrelated sins as all these things going on in our society. I mean come on, have some reading comprehension.

 

[Mercury Fred]

Well I know it's gonna get me hate here but I'm gonna say it anyways. He didn't do anything wrong. He said what he believes in in a magazine article. It has nothing to do with the show. If people are offended by his words, they can tune out on their own. He shouldn't lose his job for it. That is freedom of speech. The bullies at GLAAD have made people afraid to say what they believe in.

Furthermore, he never said anything about gay marriage as far as I know. He was saying things half in jest, that being gay isn't logical to him because a vagina looks so much better than a man's butthole. He also said that he would never disrespect someone for being different than him and it's not his place to judge them. Not quite the "hate speech" people are trying to spin it into.

People on my facebook have said that freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of consequences of said speech. Well actually it does, but why should there be consequences for merely saying this? Did he say that gays should use separate water fountains? Did he say gays shouldn't have the same rights? No, he didn't.

Disgusting post. Beyond sick of trashy, overprivileged assholes thinking it's just peachy to demean and degrade gay people. The defenders of these scum are just as bad if not worse than the bigots who can't stop themselves from running their ignorant pieholes all the time.

 

[KHarvey16]

Ratings, my dude, ratings. His show got them the highest ratings a cable documentary show has ever gotten them, and they would only go up from here if they didn't fire him.

If people decide to stop watching, as you suggested is their right, and advertisers stop buying ads, what do you imagine will happen?

 

[LinktoDrink]

So you're saying I should ridicule him for being a fucking idiot instead of ridiculing him for being a bigot?

Maybe you should take your own advice and not ridicule people that are different than you.

 

[BertramCooper]

Maybe you should take your own advice and not ridicule people that are different than you.

Thanks, Mom.

 

[Camwi]

And that's his beliefs. I'm saying it's half in jest because he brought up vaginas and assholes. Here's the actual quote he spoke.

"It seems like, to me, a vagina -- as a man -- would be more desirable than a man's anus. That's just me. I'm just thinking: There's more there! She's got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I'm saying? But hey, sin: It's not logical, my man. It's just not logical."

I'm sure you can read that and hear that he's probably laughing as he says it, he's making jokes.

You're projecting. Religious nuts say quotes like that in serious manner all the time.

 

[kaching]

He shouldn't lose his job for it.

He didn't, he just lost his TV contract. The job on which the TV contract was founded is still his I presume, given that he's the founder of the company...

The bullies at GLAAD have made people afraid to say what they believe in.

That homosexuals are going to hell despite being perfectly good people? Yeah, why would anyone ever chastise such a coherent and sound belief as that?

 

[quickwhips]

Well I know it's gonna get me hate here but I'm gonna say it anyways. He didn't do anything wrong. He said what he believes in in a magazine article. It has nothing to do with the show. If people are offended by his words, they can tune out on their own. He shouldn't lose his job for it. That is freedom of speech. The bullies at GLAAD have made people afraid to say what they believe in.

Furthermore, he never said anything about gay marriage as far as I know. He was saying things half in jest, that being gay isn't logical to him because a vagina looks so much better than a man's butthole. He also said that he would never disrespect someone for being different than him and it's not his place to judge them. Not quite the "hate speech" people are trying to spin it into.

People on my facebook have said that freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of consequences of said speech. Well actually it does, but why should there be consequences for merely saying this? Did he say that gays should use separate water fountains? Did he say gays shouldn't have the same rights? No, he didn't.

Your right it is free speech that lets him say whatever the fuck he wants. But he has to accept the consequences of saying those things. Free speech doesn't protect him from losing his job.

 

[LinktoDrink]

If people decide to stop watching, as you suggested is their right, and advertisers stop buying ads, what do you imagine will happen?

Yeah, absolutely. If enough people tuned out of the show, they should absolutely cancel it and fire them. I'm suggesting that there are not enough people that would have tuned out. Instead, people are boycotting the network BECAUSE of their actions taken against him.

 

[jmdajr]

Your right it is free speech that lets him say whatever the fuck he wants. But he has to accept the consequences of saying those things. Free speech doesn't protect him from losing his job.

You can get fired for pretty much anything.

Hell he is free to find someone else to support his show and advertise on it. People act like he's being thrown in jail.

 

[TheClimaxan]

He's not lumping them in with anything. He's naming a number of unrelated sins as all these things going on in our society. I mean come on, have some reading comprehension.

Maybe you should take your own advice.

.

 

[KHarvey16]

Yeah, absolutely. If enough people tuned out of the show, they should absolutely cancel it and fire them. I'm suggesting that there are not enough people that would have tuned out. Instead, people are boycotting the network BECAUSE of their actions taken against him.

Advertisers would pull out as they have done in the past with such events. Do you defend the advertisers right to not buy ads on a TV show they are either morally opposed to or perceive as a threat to their business due to public perception? If so, how is that any different from a person speaking about their displeasure with those opinions?

People have a profound misunderstanding of what freedom of speech means and why it actually works.

 

[Al Gore's Thermostat]

Linktodrink is getting logical on some asses!

 

[BFIB]

Its just sad that we still live in a world where this mindset occurs.

Sure, the black people he worked with when he was younger may have been treated better than most other black people at the time, but there was still a great divide among blacks and whites in the south.

As he grew older, and if he had a more open mind, he would have realized that. But that's where the divide is among that generation before civil rights, etc. My grandparents were probably the most racist people I ever knew, and all that did was fuel my fire to have a more open mind.

 

[Christine]

A&E has a protected legal right to exert editorial control over their broadcasts. In other words, censorship enacted by private entities is in itself protected ("free") speech.

 

[A Human Becoming]

I guess you're lucky to find amusement from comments like that. That kinda shit just makes me sad.

They'll always be ignorant statements. All you can do is hope that the number of people who hold such an opinion diminish.

If I thought I could change his opinion I would try but alas I don't. Instead of being frustrated I laugh it off.

 

[Mercury Fred]

You can get fired for pretty much anything.

Hell he is free to find someone else to support his show and advertise on it. People act like he's being thrown in jail.

No one is faster to deny the real life struggles of minorities while claiming victimhood themselves like straight, white "conservatives."

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Maybe you should take your own advice and not ridicule people that are different than you.

You think employment status is protected under the right to freedom of speech.

 

[Blader]

He's not lumping them in with anything. He's naming a number of unrelated sins as all these things going on in our society. I mean come on, have some reading comprehension.

That's how lumping in works! They're all being placed under that same category of immoral sinners who "aren't right" and are going to hell. That's why people are calling it hate speech - he's equating gays to criminals, liars, drunks, etc.

Talk about fucking reading comprehension.

 

[WanderingWind]

You think employment status is protected under the right to freedom of speech.

Getting logical on asses!!!!!

 

[Al Gore's Thermostat]

You think employment status is protected under the right to freedom of speech.

You and I both know what he said wouldn't affect anyone. His show would still go on. It'd still be same show. Boohoo, he said something a small amount of people disagreed with. Boohoo.

And you know good and well it's nothing to do with speech, rather than A&E protecting its own ass against minority group and liberal organizations.

 

[Carcetti]

Funny how once again people who are most vocal about freedom of speech have no clue what freedom of speech even means.

The dictionary definition is:

The right of people to express their opinions publicly without governmental interference, subject to the laws against libel, incitement to violence or rebellion, etc.

Well, as we can see, the government has yet to send FBI to take him away to house arrest or salt mines or whatever countries which limit freedom of speech actually do (see North Korea, China, DDR, etc etc). Maybe take up some history or politics classes and go on from there...?

 

[KHarvey16]

You and I both know what he said wouldn't affect anyone. His show would still go on. It'd still be same show. Boohoo, he said something a small amount of people disagreed with. Boohoo.

So small a television network fired him. Why do you believe they made that decision?

 

[WanderingWind]

You and I both know what he said wouldn't affect anyone. His show would still go on. It'd still be same show. Boohoo, he said something a small amount of people disagreed with. Boohoo.

Except it clearly did affect somebody. Boohoo. A single guy was laid off. Boohoo.

 

[The Artful Dodger]

The day A&E banned him they still aired a marathon of his show.

 

[heliosRAzi]

Too much logical on these asses

 

[ido]

The dude is a troglodyte, living in some romanticized alternative reality of the 1950's.

There are more mentions in the Bible about facial hair than there are the nebulous verses on homosexuality.

 

[TheClimaxan]

You and I both know what he said wouldn't affect anyone. His show would still go on. It'd still be same show. Boohoo, he said something a small amount of people disagreed with. Boohoo.

Black people, gay people and smart people. Yup, that's a real small group.

 

[besada]

There are an astonishing number of people who don't seem to understand what the first amendment actually says, does, and means.

 

[Al Gore's Thermostat]

Except it clearly did affect somebody. Boohoo. A single guy was laid off. Boohoo.

A single guy getting laid off because a few crybabies who never learned to cope with real life squealed. One guy ain't nothin'.

 

[Xcellere]

I see we have another Junior and Facebook-friend culling thread in the making. Hooray!

There needs to be giant billboards placed once every three miles on every highway in America saying "Free speech does not excuse you from its consequences." Somehow the profundity of this idea is lost on a vast number of Americans.

 

[LinktoDrink]

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

 

[WanderingWind]

A single guy getting laid off because a few crybabies who never learned to cope with real life squealed. One guy ain't nothin'.

Those silly blacks and gays. What a bunch of whiners!

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

Oh shit, you were trolling the entire time. Fucker, you got me...lol

 

[eBay Huckster]

Boohoo, he said something a small amount of people disagreed with.

A small amount of people equivalent to approximately 7/10 of the country.

(seriously what's with the latest batch of juniors posting like they're hot off the GameFAQs presses)

 

[EatinOlives]

Black people, gay people and smart people. Yup, that's a real small group.

Yep, all minorities! Boohoo minorities, go back to your corner and continue letting other prominent people in the media insult your way or life!

 

[Al Gore's Thermostat]

Black people, gay people and smart people. Yup, that's a real small group.

I'm pretty sure not every single black person and every single gay person stood up and sent A&E hate mail. Speak for yourself.

A random black or gay GAFer doesn't represent them.

 

[jmdajr]

A single guy getting laid off because a few crybabies who never learned to cope with real life squealed. One guy ain't nothin'.

errrr

Wasn't he free to give that interview?

 

[Mercury Fred]

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

 

[andymcc]

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

lmao

 

[ZimbAdam]

A single guy getting laid off because a few crybabies who never learned to cope with real life squealed. One guy ain't nothin'.

Yeah guys, snitches get stitches. Fuckin crybabies, always tattling on people who spout hate-speech...

 

[siddhu33]

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

When people say stupid shit, people call them stupid, and don't want to associate with them. When you represent a company, and you say stupid shit, the company can fire you for it. That's the point. You're free to say what you like, but also free to suffer whatever consequences of what you said.

What is this...I don't even...this better be Poe's law.

 

[eBay Huckster]

I'm pretty sure not every single black person and every single gay person stood up and sent A&E hate mail.

I'm pretty sure your premise was "a small amount of people disagreed with this schmuck" and not "a small amount of people personally petitioned A&E to fire this schmuck"

 

[kinggroin]

Well I know it's gonna get me hate here but I'm gonna say it anyways. He didn't do anything wrong. He said what he believes in in a magazine article. It has nothing to do with the show. If people are offended by his words, they can tune out on their own. He shouldn't lose his job for it. That is freedom of speech. The bullies at GLAAD have made people afraid to say what they believe in.

Furthermore, he never said anything about gay marriage as far as I know. He was saying things half in jest, that being gay isn't logical to him because a vagina looks so much better than a man's butthole. He also said that he would never disrespect someone for being different than him and it's not his place to judge them. Not quite the "hate speech" people are trying to spin it into.

People on my facebook have said that freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of consequences of said speech. Well actually it does, but why should there be consequences for merely saying this? Did he say that gays should use separate water fountains? Did he say gays shouldn't have the same rights? No, he didn't.

What does "SHOULD" have to do with this?

A&E are completely in the right to make the call they did. Time will tell if the call they made has a positive or negative effect on their bottom line.

If "SHOULD" is the concern, then you need to change the social climate.

 

[EatinOlives]

I'm pretty sure not every single black person and every single gay person stood up and sent A&E hate mail. Speak for yourself.

It's OK to be offended, just be offended quietly.

 

[KHarvey16]

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

You don't give a shit about free speech implications, it's simply a matter of you agreeing with him and wishing he wasn't being told he was wrong. You're a child incapable of understanding the world around you.

 

[Nexas]

The thing that you guys are just incapable of seeing is that GLAAD are bullies. I could even say they are a terrorist group. They use their power to make people afraid to speak their minds. The man was speaking about the Bible in a magazine interview. He wasn't spouting off things on the streets. He wasn't saying gays should be hanged. He was saying things that most people agree with but have become afraid to say in our society. We have truly become like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where goodness is punished and sin is encouraged.

There is nothing good about looking down on a group of people for something outside of their control.

 

[Al Gore's Thermostat]

It's OK to be offended, just be offended quietly.

I'm pretty sure he got laid off before there was any public outcry against him.

 

[EatinOlives]

I'm pretty sure he got laid off before there was any public outcry against him.

Well then what's your problem against the "crybabies" sending A&E "hate mail" if that's not even what got him fired?

 

[WanderingWind]

I'm pretty sure he got laid off before there was any public outcry against him.

Yeah, it was just a big, 'ole coincidence.

 

[LinktoDrink]

There is nothing good about looking down on a group of people for something outside of their control.

Except he doesn't look down on them. He said very clearly that he would never disrespect people for being different than him. Clear as day.

And the other part about this, what, he said he had a good relationship with blacks in the 50s. He said that the ones he knew were happy. You somehow have a problem with that as well?