OVER THE past forty years, America as a whole has made great strides in race relations. Things aren't perfect, but they are certainly remarkably better than the days of Jim Crow and "separate but equal." The country, though, is at a crossroads. We can either choose to continue on our path of enlightenment, looking beyond people's skin color and into what truly matters, or begin a new path of discrimination: One against those who the educated liberals deem wrong and unintelligent.
Case in point: Rush Limbaugh. The controversial conservative recently gave up his job as an ESPN sports commentator following comments he made regarding Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Before the Eagles game on Sunday, Sept. 28, Limbaugh stated, "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well ... There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team" ("Rush quits ESPN job over comments," Oct. 2, FoxNews.com). Regardless of how you feel about Limbaugh's comments -- and the reactions from the public are mixed--the response by the media and special interest groups is a telling story about the double standard in American race relations and politics. The backlash was fierce for Rush -- his comments were aired repeatedly for over a day on all the major 24-hour news networks. Both sports and opinion pages around the country -- including those of the likes of The Washington Post and The New York Times -- covered the pre-game analysis. Whether people condemned or supported Limbaugh, he was the main focus of the media's fury for the past week.
Now examine the story of another sports figure accused of making racial comments. Cubs manager Dusty Baker asserted earlier this summer, "It's easier for most Latin guys and it's easier for most minority people because most of us come from heat," Baker said. "You don't find too many brothers in New Hampshire and Maine and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan ... We were brought over here for the heat, right? Isn't that history? Weren't we brought over because we could take the heat?" ("Baker stands by heat comments," July 8, USAToday.com)
Baker's comments were just as racially sensitive as Limbaugh's and just as unnecessary. The difference in their treatment however is worlds apart. Limbaugh became not only a media focal point but in the same breath a pariah, while Baker's comments were little more than a blip in the news world. Limbaugh was pressured to resign by special interest groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people; Baker was seen as only speaking his mind and continues his career with little to no ramifications.
So, what's with the differential treatment? Is Baker justified for his comments because in the past members of his race have been persecuted and discriminated against? Or is it simply that some groups are seen as protected in the media while others are seen as bigots or unimportant?
The different coverage of similar events in recent years is proof of this. On September 15, 1999, a gunmen burst into a Baptist church in Texas, and while decrying Christianity, shot dead seven service-goers. A little over a month before, a gunmen opened fire in a Jewish community service killing 5.
Both were awful tragedies in the most sacred of places. Both had a devastating number of young lives lost. But, oddly enough, only one was a hate crime.
The Baptist massacre was simply deemed as the works of a mad man while the Jewish slaughter an example of anti-Semitic hatred running through the pulse of America. Funny how that works out.
If this country ever hopes to have a truly color-blind, racially equal society we must face an important fact: Anyone can be a racist --- not just those in the majority or those holding power. If we fail to accept this, America's race relations will begin a downward spiral that may not be able to be fixed with sit-ins and protests. We will have become a society based on stereotypes and skin color -- when we can be so much more.
(Maggie Bowden is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. She can be reached at mbowden@cavalierdaily.com.)
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