Will a suspension help Roland Martin?

[SandraJane]

The Washington Post


Will a suspension help Roland Martin?


By Erik Wemple / Posted at 04:43 PM ET, 02/08/2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/post/cnns-roland-martin-suspended-for-homophobic-tweets/2012/02/08/gIQA3F8OzQ_blog.html?hpid=z2

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,115316.0.html   Related article


Suspended! That'll teach him. Or not. (Stephen Lovekin - GETTY IMAGES)


CNN has built its reputation as a cable network upon its quick-strike response to breaking news. No outlet is faster to cataclysms across the globe than CNN.

It's apparently a little slower in responding to in-house crises. Though Roland Martin sent out unequivocally homophobic tweets on Super Bowl Sunday, the network waited till this afternoon to suspend him.

[Annah]

In my opinion, I believed GLAAD acted a little too hastily on this.

It's one thing defending the rights of LGBT people and it's another thing to act as a Gestapo Speech police because Roland Martin made a quip comment about David Beckham underwear Super Bowl Commercial.

Hell, I probably would have said the same thing.

We talked about this over dinner with 4 of my friends. 3 gay men and a lesbian. All of us stated we thought the ad was a little odd under the circumstances and we all made a joke about it.

I think GLAAD needs to chill out on this one.

[SandraJane]

In my opinion, I believed GLAAD acted a little too hastily on this.

I think GLAAD needs to chill out on this one.

...maybe...maybe not...

That wasn't the only comment Roland made that day;

Before the controversial tweet, Martin took to his Facebook fan page and wrote, "Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass." GLAAD's statement also noted that Martin defended Tracy Morgan when the comedian said, "He'd stab his son to death if he said he was gay."

- GLAAD Demands CNN Fire Roland Martin for Homophobic Tweets, http://www.edgeonthenet.com/news/sports/news//129660/glaad_demands_cnn_fire_roland_martin_for_homophobic_tweets_

[Annah]

I don't agree with his philosophies one bit. Matter of fact, his fundamentalist religious beliefs irks me a little. However, i think it's interesting how LGBT sometimes work.  Roland stated, "I just believe that many of you would be shocked and amazed that you laughed hysterically at some of the most sexist, homophobic, racist stuff imaginable by comedians of all shapes, sizes, ethnic backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations."

That statement is SO TRUE. I cannot count the number of times that even LGBT people laughed at certain issues that Roland Martin raised. We all laugh about different ->-bleeped-<- at the expense of other people but as soon as that same person we were laughing with starts to make fun of us...."BOY, THERE'LL be HELL to pay!"

I'm just chalking this one up as another whipping post victim. Yes, he was stupid for saying what he said....especially since he is in the public limelight. But I am still sticking to my guns on this one. There is a freedom of speech and yes, I think GLAAD has acted like the Speech Gestapo on this one.

[Jamie D]

I don't know who this person at CNN is, and I don't know much about the specific incident, but I do know that "speech codes" are not good things.

[Annah]

I don't know who this person at CNN is, and I don't know much about the specific incident, but I do know that "speech codes" are not good things.

He had a pretty good gathering at CNN. He mostly worked on editorials with religion and politics. For the most part, he did good work.

GLAAD, in my opinion, is just overreaching their political correctness with this one. Demand an apology from him yes. But don't get him fired for it. He should not be clumped together with Fred Phelps. If we used GLAAD's definition of homophobic then every single one of my gay friends are homophobic too. Lord forbid we say something in jest.

[tekla]

Well it's not just GLADD, when all that stuff hit the web (heck even I've read them) it made him take a huge hit in his public image (his Q factor dropped), and since he only has that job by virtue of said public image his total media value went down.  He knew that's exactly how the game is played.  People say really stupid ->-bleeped-<- that publicly outs them as idiots.  These days, what with all this web stuff, 24 hour news cycles, and since its' the SuperBowl, a huge event to have it tied to, that kind of stuff is increasingly having a negative impact on media careers.  And that was some pretty stupid ->-bleeped-<- to say on what amounts to publicity release (albeit it one not property written or screened).  Twitter is a career land mine for lots of celebrities.