Be nice
Sooner or later, it had to happen. Offensive ridicule disguised as humor was bound to hit the detonator that blew up a cultural time bomb. Every group that has been insulted, maligned or reviled probably wishes it had stopped with them, but there’s a collective sense of relief out there that it has finally happened.
Sort of.
Some media folks are daring enough to say they’re really concerned that if an outlet can fire Don Imus for his imflammatory remarks, “who’s next?”, as Alam Colmes rhetorically asked on Fox News. That’s one converesation this eruption has provoked – will ‘censorship’ of language and views that are offensive to some (in this case, most?) lead to open season on any broadcaster who says anything that offends some group?
The whole hate speech issue has threatened Christians who preach traditional values. And yet, Christians have often been the target of nasty jokes or tirades by comedians and talk show hosts.
So, who decides?
The other conversation bubbling up in public now is the about the coarsening of the language in general, the mean-spirited exchanges people are having these days. I remember working on a big Time story back around ’95 about the ‘culture wars’ before that became a ubiquitous term. If the sharp mind and pen of essayist Lance Morrow didn’t coin the term, he certainly picked up on it early at a time whwen the Clinton White House and the new Republican-run Congress clashed constantly, and ‘scorched-earth’ politics became entrenched as a strategy.
I interviewed Dwight Litfin at the time, president of Wheaton Collete, Billy Graham’s university. He talked about the marketplace of ideas devolving into…a shouting match (to paraphrase).
Which gets back to the shock jocks out there – and the comedians and rappers – who are making a load of money dehumanizing people. Particularly women, but racial and religious groups besides. Even political activists whose ideology differs from theirs. Suddenly, I’m hearing a lot of people saying ‘it’s about time – somebody should have stopped this a long time ago.’
Some people have been trying. If you’re a regular visitor to the Forum, you know I admire this document a lot, my sort-of mission statement in writing and broadcasting. If you have the time, read it. And this. I’m not seeing anyone else elevate the dignity of every person like these do. They encourage honorable behavior, nobility and responsibility. They address accountability, and what’s at stake in the field of social communications.
Some have to learn it the hard way.
At least it generates conversations.
One commentator this week said the Don Imus collision came down to the basics that we learned in kindergarten. You know, it really is that simple.
