Mediaite.com:
As you may recall, on last Thursday’s edition of America Live, Fox News contributor Jehmu Greene called the Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson a “bow-tying white boy” in response to Carlson’s criticism of Elizabeth Warren‘s qualifications.It doesn't surprise me one bit that conservatives are outraged and calling for black liberal and FOX News political contributor Jehmu Greene to be fired after she called Tucker Carlson a “bow-tying white boy," during a heated debate last week. While she hasn't addressed the matter publicly, word has it that Greene has apologized to Carlson in private...and that should be enough. But, of course, that's not enough to some conservatives who want Greene to not only lose her job, but are typically calling it a "double standard" because if a white guy said it....well, you know the rest. And maybe they're right. But this is where some conservatives don't get it and sadly, never will.
Many outraged conservatives have called upon Fox to fire Greene. For example:
On the conservative site World Net Daily, one columnist wrote that “If Fox News has any integrity, it should immediately and without apology fire Jehmu Greene.” Right-leaning media watchdog Accuracy in Media criticized Fox for it’s lack of punishment and bemoaned the network’s “standing by [Greene].”@jehmu Greene just called @TuckerCarlson & his friends "Bow-tie wearing white boys." #foxnews should fire Jehmu now. Her comment was racist.
A Fox News spokesperson told Mediaite that “Jehmu apologized to Tucker by phone after the segment and he accepted her apology.”
Fox’s decision not to fire or publicly reprimand Greene may be a bold move given her lightning-rod comments, but it makes for a few interesting thoughts:
Perhaps Fox isn’t as beholden to its decidedly right-leaning audience as many believe. They haven’t succumbed to pressure to fire Greene, and have made an effort to hire more progressive contributors like Greene and Sally Kohn in the last year.
And the lack of punishment may also show that Fox has no interest in being the “PC Police.”
When it comes to matters of race, black folks in this country will always the upper hand on the topic due to the brutal and dark history of how this country was found, the millions who died because of it, Jim Crow laws and the fact that nothing much has changed today, no matter how much we like to think it has. This is how it is and this it always shall be...until racism is officially declared dead in this country. And that will never happen...even with the first half-black president still in office.
So while Greene's comment to Carlson was both stupid and ignorant, it wasn't "racist" because black people can't be racist in a country where they hold no power. And that's what racism is about: power, the same way sexism is. Racism is about white privilege, regardless if it's overt or not overt. Thus, it's why we still need affirmative action in this country. It's a huge reason why black unemployment remains double that the national average here. It's mostly why our criminal justice system disproportionately targets and incarcerates people of color.
So while Greene owes Carlson an apology for being ignorant, the history of her race here in America is why she deserves to keep her job. It is also why, unfair as it may be, if Carlson had said gone there with Greene...yes, in all likelihood, he'd be looking for a new gig. And to folks who can't deal with that either they need to shut up and or help to end racism in this country.
RELATED: Kincaid: Fox News Won’t Fire Black Racist Commentator
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