A Double Standard

April 12th,2007

This response should be entitled “I love Chris Rock.” I do and I go out of my way to watch this young man any time he is on the air, on HBO specials, anything at all. I remember vividly Mr. Rock’s dialogue on Micheal Jackson when the latter was in the midst of his trial on allegedly sexually assaulting little boys. “Michael, you are one dumb n_______.” (I can’t bear to write the word, but not because my own sense of taste and morality is any better than Mr. Rock’s. I can’t write it because the word is no longer in my vocabulary, but I used it plenty as a white kid growing up in the 1950s in Detroit.) The point I need to make here briefly is where is the outrage against Mr. Rock? Where does Mr. Sharpton, the black community and those suitably angered and chagrined by Imus’ remarks stand on that one? If prejudices and racist expressions are harmful, why does Chris Rock get a pass and Imus is thrown on the trash heap? The plain simple fact is that Imus’ remark was dumb and insensitive, but is being blown totally out of proportion by those who stand to gain something other than the betterment of society with their moral indignation.

— Posted by Tom Bleakley

This response was posted in the New York Times on the date indicated. The furor has not died down.