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St-Louis radio host fired after Condoleezza Rice racial slur

 
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jacomo



Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 267
Location: New York

 PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:03 am    Post subject: St-Louis radio host fired after Condoleezza Rice racial slur Reply with quote Back to top

A radio personality at 550 KTRS was fired on the spot this morning after using the word “coon” on the air in a conversation about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Dave Lenihan was dismissed after what he called an inadvertent slip of the tongue. Within 20 minutes, station CEO Tim Dorsey apologized on the air to listeners and announced that Lenihan, who had been with the station for less than two weeks, had been let go.

“I don’t know what was in Mr. Lenihan’s mind,” Dorsey said in an interview. “I know what I heard. I know it was reprehensible.”

Lenihan’s comment was made during a discussion about Rice’s credentials to become commissioner of the National Football League, a topic that has been fodder for sports talk radio since the current commissioner announced he would retire later this year.
Lenihan was listing what assets Rice could bring to the league, including her tenure as a top academic officer at Stanford University and the fact that she is African-American.

“She’s just got a patent resume, of somebody that’s got such serious skill,” Linehan said on the air. “She loves football, she’s African-American, which would kind of be a big coon, a big coon – oh my God, I am totally, totally, totally, totally, totally sorry for that, OK? I didn’t mean that. That was just a slip of the tongue.” Lenihan later said he meant to use the word "coup."

Reached at home, Lenihan said he was still trying to figure out what happened, and was drafting a letter of apology to Rice.

"I was trying to say 'quite a coup' but it came out 'coon,"' he said. "I caught myself and apologized. It wasn't anything I was meaning to say. I never use that word.

"I think she's a fantastic woman. I was even talking about if she ran for president, I'd work on her campaign."

He said his biggest fear is that his choice of words tarnished the image of St. Louis and the baseball team, which is a part-owner of the station.

"It was my dream job," he said. "Ratings were going well. It kind of stinks."

Lenihan, who had previously been with radio station WGNU, was part of the recently reshuffled lineup at KTRS since half of the station was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals. He had a morning talk show.



******Here’s Condi’s response on Fox News sunday*******************


WALLACE: I want to turn to a difficult subject. I'm sure you heard this week that a radio host in St. Louis made a racial slur in talking about your becoming possibly the NFL commissioner, and he was immediately fired for that.
As someone who grew up in the segregated south, are you surprised that in the year 2006 this kind of thing still happens?


RICE: Well, first, let me say that my understanding is that he apologized, said he didn't mean it. I accept that, because we all say things from time to time that we shouldn't say or didn't mean to say. And so I accept it.
We all carry, I think, deep scars of how the United States came into being with slavery as an initial birth defect for this country, of years and years of racial separation, of racial tension, of years and years of not being able to come to terms with what "we, the people" really meant.
And what it says to me is that even mature democracies like the United States — we still have our difficulties.
And it reminds me that when people say well, why haven't the Iraqis achieved this, or why haven't the Afghans achieved this, that maybe Americans should be a little bit more humble about how hard it is to build democracy, particularly to build multi-ethnic democracy.


WALLACE: How serious a problem do you think this country still has with racism?


RICE: Oh, I think the United States still bears the scars of our founding and still bears the scars of how hard it has been to overcome it.
But, Chris, anyone who says that we haven't come a very, very long way, and that for the most part Americans interact with each other as Americans, I think is also not giving you the full picture.
I was just recently in Australia, and I noted for the students in Australia that should I serve to the end of my term, it would have been 12 years since there was a white man as secretary of state in the United States.
Given our history, we've come a long way.


******What are your thoughts ?******
 
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LadyKreyol



Joined: 11 Mar 2006
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Location: CAMBRIA HEIGHTS (QUEENS)

 PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Back to top

Just so we are clear, NO ONE at least in my opinion ever ACCIDENTALLY calls someone a "COON". Accidentally my ladylike a$$. Yeah! just last when I was at a restaurant in the city, I accidentally asked the waiter for Beans and Coon instead of Beans and Rice. Rolling Eyes
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boulevardestubes



Joined: 13 Mar 2006
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 PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Back to top

What the similarities between "COUP" in coup d'etat and "COON"? I guess he is racist by accident too.

So all she had to say is the guy apologized and he didn't mean it......she accepted it.....Wow, the complacent Mrs. Rice. This woman never ceased to amaze me........No wonder she feels that this slavery thing is a thing of ancient times.
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jacomo



Joined: 11 Mar 2006
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Location: New York

 PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Back to top

First thing first, I have to commend the radio director for taking swift actions in firing the host. You don't accidentally call somebody a coon. I guess when former Alabama governor Wallace called MLK "Martin Luther Coon" that was also an accident, right? Please....

I was very curious to hear Condi’s response, and she didn't disappoint. Just like you Bouldvardestubes, this woman never ceases to amaze me. Oh well what can we expect from an apologist? I suppose Clarence Thomas (AKA house Negro # 1)'s response would have been along the same lines.


Although politically she's on a different planet then most people of color, I still have nothing but the utmost respect for what she has been able to accomplish thus far in her life. That's partly the reason why so many African-Americans were offended although very few of them actually like Condi.
 
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belchokola



Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 114
Location: NY

 PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Back to top

"Coon" and "coup"...I fail to see the relevancy between these two words?? Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Especially when refering to Football, unless I am missing the bigger picture .or the correlation, and if so please let a sista know Question Question Question I am glad swift action was taken on the part of the radio station.

As far as Condolezza Rice's response... WOW!!! I supose she chose to remain "diplomatic" and "brush it under the rug"...especially because she is Secretary of State under Republican leadership and she has very close allegiences to Mr. Bush who has on several occassions displayed and been accused of not being attentive to "African Americans." Enfin!! ...I supose as they say anything else would be uncivilised. Confused

Ms. Rice....the world is watching your actions and inactions. Idea
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konpadiva



Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 145
Location: Florida

 PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Back to top

How ironic, I watched her yesterday on CNN Sunday, however, became a little bored with what she was saying. I did not watch long enough or from the beginning to catch her response in regards to this..In any case, she is being Diplomatic as Belchokola stated.

Nevertheless, it is good to see action done for such comment. This comment as I read took complete offense too.
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