Apparently, no one at CNN has heard of Isaiah Washington, and what happens to TV networks that think the word "faggot" is nothing more than a "naughty name."
So CNN is now defending its host, Glenn Beck, and his use of the word "faggot" on the air, AND his suggestion that the word isn't very derogatory. Way to step in it even further, CNN. Faggot is the n-word to gays, and you think it's appropriate? Does CNN permit the n-word on the air? And would they permit their hosts to suggest that it's simply a "naughty name"? CNN has a host who is a loose cannon and who has already slurred Muslims, gays, and more. (Though, interestingly, I doubt CNN would let a host slur blacks or Jews, so apparently free speech has its limits even at CNN.) But rather than apologize, CNN defends their host who thinks the word "faggot" is appropriate for CNN, and who thinks the word "faggot" is simply a "naughty name."
I think CNN is about to see just how the gay community feels about TV networks who think the bigoted slurs are no big deal. Why? Because now GLAAD is involved. They're the gay community's largest anti-defamation group. That elevates the CNN controversy to a whole new level. And the fact that CNN is defending their host's use of the word "faggot," and his attempt to belittle the damage the word causes, is not going to sit well with the non-FOX-news crowd that usually watches CNN.
More from GLAAD:
"Beck's obnoxious repetition of the slur -- and his flip dismissal of it as simply a 'naughty name' – speaks volumes about his appalling ignorance of its impact," Giuliano said. "Beck added nothing to the audience's understanding of the issue, except perhaps to demonstrate his juvenile belief that repeating an anti-gay slur makes him an 'adult.'”Let Best Buy and Office Depot know that you're not a big fan of companies who sponsor bigots.
On Tuesday, GLAAD reached out to CNN's standards and practices department to discuss the matter. On Wednesday, a CNN spokesperson told GLAAD that Beck wasn't using the word himself, that Beck's show is an “opinion show” and not a news program, and that Beck was expressing an opinion about The New York Times’ decision to not use the word.
"The ugliness of Glenn Beck's word choice and his ignorance of its impact really speak for themselves," Giuliano said. "Other CNN personalities have discussed derogatory slurs as part of this story without debasing that discussion. CNN has a responsibility to address Beck's crudeness and require that he adhere to basic standards of respect."
