Bumping and grinding in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…
• Why does everyone think it’s so cool and amusing to fist bump with the Obamas?
• ESPN columnist Jemele Hill sparked controversy—and landed a suspension—for using a Hitler reference in a recent perspective. Hill wrote that rooting “for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim. It’s like hoping Gorbachev would get to the blinking red button before Reagan.” ESPN responded by stating, “Both Jemele and ESPN.com apologize. The column, as originally posted, made some absolutely unacceptable comparisons. We’ve spoken with Jemele, and she understands that she exercised poor judgment. She’s been relieved of her responsibilities for a period of time to reflect on the impact of her words. Within hours of its posting on Saturday evening, the inappropriate references were removed from the site, but our system of checks and balances failed Jemele and our readers and we are addressing that as well.” Additionally, Hill issued an apology that read, “I deeply regret the comment I made in a column Saturday. In expressing my passion for the NBA and my hometown of Detroit I showed very poor judgment in the words that I used. I pride myself on an understanding of, and appreciation for, diversity—and there is no excuse for the appalling lack of sensitivity in my comments. It in no way reflects the person I am. I apologize to all of my readers and I thank them for holding me accountable. This has been an important lesson for me and illustrates that, like many people, I still have a lot of growing and learning to do.” The semi-ironic part is that Hill was pretty vocal when shock jock Don Imus made his infamous comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.
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