Nevertheless, he was suspended from work because of a certain remark he made about a Latin athlete.
Was this suspension fair, unfair, understandable, reprehensible, etc.? What do you think about both his suspension and the words that he chose?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Offensive Speech and Political Correctness
Below is an article written in response to a recent event in the sports world: Bob Griese, a seemingly squeaky-clean sports announcer, said something that could be taken as offensive. Truly, Griese is a highly-esteemed indivdual with no marks on his public record.
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I think that suspending Bob Griese was a bit too dramatic. I can relate to the writer of the article in the sense that, instead of focusing on all of Griese's charity work and good deeds, the media prefers to center on the man's comment. Griese could have just been reprimanded and warned about his--possibly--racial remark.
ReplyDeleteI liked the article. It was funny and it pointed out certain things that are somewhat true. For instance, maybe we should have blacks and hispanics share with others what does or doesn't offend us. And maybe punishing someone for seeming racist doesn't make the punisher sensitive to racism it just makes the punisher seem that way (and those ARE two different things).
In my opinion, this entire situation was blown wildly out of proportion. I, being of hispanic heritage, did not take Bob Greise's joke offensively at all. I see no reason sufficient enough for him to have been punished so harshly,or at all for that matter. I doubt the comment was even made with the content of being rascist or offensive. Maybe he was just trying to enlighten the atmosphere with a seemingly harmless joke. Why is everyone being so dramamtic about such a minor issue? It truly makes me wonder. Instead of taking into account what a successful career he has had and all of his accomplishments, the media tries to find anything to stain his image.
ReplyDeleteMany Blacks and Hispanics say things to each other with the intent to offend and discriminate against others, but we seem not to take that into account most of the time. Does that make it any better? It seems to me that people are being more harsh because he is White and must be extrememly careful of what he says, whether in a jokingly fashion or not. I blame current society for these types of situations because if everyone really knew what did and did not offend others, this type of thing could be prevented.
I liked this article. The writer tried to be as light as possible while commenting on the situation by adding some humor which kept me interested. I also agree with many of the points he made in the article. For example, a person should be looked at and judged based on their lifelong accomplishments, rather than a simple, seemingly harmless comment.
I enjoyed the article because it was very light and funny while still hitting on a serious issue and I agree that Bob Griese being suspended for that comment was excessive. That comment didn’t offend me because I can see that Griese wasn’t being intentionally trying to offend or insult someone he was simply saying something he thought would be funny and would lighten the mood but, it is a little discouraging that people maintain these stereotypes like as if your Hispanic your Mexican and you eat tacos. I know stereotypes can be funny and entertaining but when you believe the stereotypes and joke about it is when people get offended and when the trouble begins because you get into all these complicated situations of who can say what and what is funny and what is racist. I agree with the article when it suggest to have some Hispanic and black people working with them to tell them what is and isn’t offense and I particularly liked the part where it said that by having this reaction they are appearing to be sensitive and not actually being sensitive racism.
ReplyDeleteI think that no matter how hard you try you will almost always end up offending someone somewhere because it all depends on how a person takes it and their personal opinion. For example what offends some Hispanic people won’t offend them all, like what offends a Cuban won’t mean anything to a Mexican or Venezuelan or like what offends a Mexican in Mexico might not offend a Mexican born and raised in Miami. Other than just not saying anything I think the only way to get over this problem is for people not to be so caught up by small comments and stereotypes unless what was said is something truly nasty and racist that was intentionally meant in a bad way.
It is hard for me to comment or whether his suspension is fair or unfair. I don’t know the entire story, what Griese was trying to say to Montoya, or what his intensions were. Considering what I read from the article of Miami Herald, I can say that this suspension is unfair and I don’t see how his comment was offensive. But certainly, I do believe that if he was suspended there needs to be a valid reason for it (one that I absolutely ignore). Maybe if I read more about the topic and find different views I can make my own oppinion.
ReplyDeletewow. I dont know in what contect Griese said this comment but i think i think the reaction of ESPN or his bosses were a little to drastic. I dont see why they would suspend him over this joke or comment. I am hispanic and i think it was funny. I mean they have said worse things about other celebrities, political actors and so forth.
ReplyDelete-jessica ruiz
I don’t know if the suspension was fair or unfair. I believe that anything said could be offensive or nice; it all depends on the way or in the context the words were said. By reading this article I cannot identify if the expression “out having a taco,” spoken by Griese, was offensive or not. I think this article doesn’t give enough information about the way the phrase was said; however, by giving Griese a good reputation, this article makes me feel that Griese was not trying to offend anyone with those words. Therefore, I believe that if the words were said without the intentions of hurting someone, the suspension was a drastic measure, and if the words were said trying to hurt someone, the suspension fell short.
ReplyDeleteI think that the suspension was understandable but at the same time it wasnt fair.
ReplyDeleteI believe people should take into account the consequences of their actions, and in reality being suspended for a week isnt that bad. Sure people make mistakes, that happens. But if Griese wouldnt have gotten suspended I believe there would have been even more controversy. With others saying, why could he get away with saying things like that, that can be offensive to some?
So in my opinion the suspension was for the be st. He is human and mistakes happen but whether it was offensive to some or not, the right measurements were taken.
-Stephanie Hurtado
Honestly, as I read what he said, I really did not understand what he was referring to and how that could have been offensive. Either way, I think that suspending him was very unnecessary and quite dramatic. Apparently, Griese is a normal human being who makes MISTAKES and according to the article he has been 'perfect since 1972' and one mistake and its handled, in my opinion...horribly. The article didnt inform me much as to what happened or why he said that, but other than that I still believe that the situation could have been handled another way.
ReplyDeleteandicancareless -- Marilyn Robleto
ReplyDeleteThe suspension of the coach was understandable. His superiors would have faced much ridicule if they had not punished the behavior becuase they would be seen as people who allow this type of racism. Thus, regardless of the comment or the severity of it the bottomline is that the organization's reputation must remain untarnished in the eyes of the masses.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is rediculous that a little comment (with absolutely no malice behind it) is getting this much attention. We all know that worse things are said by people we associate with everyday, and w e don't think twice about it. This was clearly an old man with a poor attempt at humor (that just so happened to be racially based). It is clear that it was said in jest, and without any malintent involved.
ReplyDeleteI, like the author of the article, am hispanic and feel that I've got minority carte blanch on issues like this. With that being said I can't find how (as a hispanic) I should be insulted by Griese's comment. Maybe I just have a sense of humor, but I just don't see what all the hoopla is about.
Bob Griese's suspension was unfair, however, not surprising in my opinion. The author of the article says it best when he says "Punishing Griese doesn't make you sensitive to racism; it just makes you look like you'd very much like to appear sensitive to racism. That isn't the same thing at all."
-Ryan Aguilera
I believe that his reaction was a bit too dramatic in this situation. He did not have to take it to that extent. However, I can understand that he is human and makes mistakes. I do think that people need to realize and think about what they do before they actually do it.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this article does not give us enough information to judge Griese. Nevertheless, I understand why an individual would be offended by his actions.
I think this whole situation is ridiculous, should Griese have made the comment? Probably not there is a chance he could offend some people of the Latin community. But sports announcers are constantly saying bad jokes, I’m pretty sure it’s in the job description. Instead of suspending Griese for such a minor and accidental offense the network should have just had him issue a public apology and explain that he did not mean to offend anyone with his comment. When Griese was suspended it made a huge deal out of a small situation. In today’s politically correct world it seems there is another line drawn everyday that public figures can’t cross, where will it stop?
ReplyDeleteI think that by suspending Bob Griese absolutely nothing was solved. He didn't really offend Montoya by saying "out having a taco". He could have mentioned any other type of fast food but instead he mentioned the taco. I don't believe it was terribly wrong and i don't believe he deserved suspension from the station. If Montoya did in fact take it the wrong way Griese should have just apologized. On the other hand, the station might have suspended Griese to avoid any confrontation with Montoya or Montoya's lawyers. Either way, the suspension might have been too much.
ReplyDeleteGriese's comment was taken way out of proportion. Although his statement had a mildly racist undertone but I’m sure with his credentials his intentions were not to be construed as racist. Even though it could be offensive to some I don’t think it garnered a suspension. The article has some mention about whether Griese’s race had something to do with the way people took his comment and I would have to agree. If he was Hispanic, people would have taken it in a more comical way, the way it was meant to be taken. This was kind of like the previous Obamacare article, in the sense that people are just blowing something up that wasn't meant in a derrogatory manner.
ReplyDeleteI think all this fuss over this issue is too much. To err is human. Everyone is bound to make mistakes and blurt out things which may be stupid and insensitive to some but a little comical to others. However have we not all grown as people from different cultures to be able to hear some jokes about ourselves? Because each and everyone of us at times will make a joke about others from a different cultural background. Instead of taking it so emotionally I believe we should just laugh at it and see the humor in it, unless it is actually a rude comment. I think people nowadays are more open minded and can deal with a couple of jokes and all this ordeal is a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteI think the suspension was too drastic. Althought the comment demanded some type of attention, suspending him with his clean slate was too extreme. He could have received a loghter punishment or maybe just putting it out there that he said something racist. Just making it public knowledge I think was enough punishment. Not everyone is going to look at him the same, especially now. With the extreme results is going to come extreme attention.
ReplyDeleteUnless something really rude and offensive was said, the consequences shouldn't be so severe.
After reading the Miami Herald article, I find myself completely baffled by the whole situation. I cannot understand how a man's innocent and harmless joke could lead to a one week suspension. Given Bob Griese's notable reputation, there was no need for ESPN to take such severe measures. Although it was a racial comment and a bit stereotypical, the embarrassment alone should serve as enough punishment for Griese. Overall, the entire situation was greatly exaggerated. In my opinion, there are much more important issues that deserve greater attention. Everyone makes mistakes, Griese just happened to make his while on air.
ReplyDelete-Yaray Agosto
I found this article very interesting. I don't think what he said is offensive, but his igorance. Maybe he knows the differences in the cultures and didn't realize what he said, or maybe he truly doesn't know the difference, which is fine. In that circumstance then, he shouldn't make any remark. I found it unfair to suspend him, but I understand how the people who suspended him felt scared and obliged to do so for the audience. I do feel he did it out of innocence and that's why I believe there was no reason for the negative attention.
ReplyDelete-Darisley Arcia
I don't see any reason why Mr. Griese should be punished. It was a
ReplyDeletejoke, a simple joke.
"I think that people are just being overly sensitive to something that
doesn't offend anyone, not even Montoya himself. This is a matter that
has been blown out of proportion, and is completely unfair; people are
just focusing on this instead of all the impeccable years that Mr.
Griese has been working in the media. "
--Emily
I truly believe it’s ridiculous that such a miniscule, non offensive comment received such a dramatic and drastic consequence. I can’t see why anyone would misinterpret such comment. I am a Hispanic individual and can’t believe how anyone in the Hispanic community would feel offended with Griese's comment. In my opinion, Griese’s punishment was unfair because the severity of the circumstances were minimal.
ReplyDeleteI'm appreciate your writing skill.Please keep on working hard.^^
ReplyDelete