Closet Racism In Hollywood

Why would one expect entertainers to be any more free of bigotry and prejudice than anyone else? So long as people are afraid of others this is what we must expect.

The solution, and even that is only a partial solution, is to make people less afraid of each other, to make them feel like everyone wants them to do well and to be happy.
That can be brought about as is shown in "Invisible Hand" a novel I am publishing on Gather at hariseldon66.gather.com and also make available, complete and without ads
at:

http://www.unc.edu/~mason/hand.html

This solution is neither of the right wing nor left wing nor based on any religion.

Personally, I would much rather face a hood wearing KKK member then a close racist like these celebs I mentioned in my article. At least with a professed racist you know where you stand. Unlike with a closet racist, who hides his real face and motives from the rest of the world.

I don't know if the apologies were sincere or not, but I don't think they were. I havent' forgave, or over looked the racist remarks because it keeps happening. I'm sure there are many racist in the entertainment world, and sooner or later they will come out of the closet.

Judi,sounds like a great dream.

We cant force someone to be politically correct. If someone wants to be racist, it is a free country, let them have their own opinions. If you are racist, you are actually cheating yourself. For to be filled with venom, it will eat at them. I dont care whether you are black, white, or whatever. You will find racist everywhere. SOme blacks hate whites and call them white trash, crackers, etc. Some whites hate blacks and use the n word. But why is it not alright for white people to say it, when so many of the blacks call each other the n word. To me that is racist.
As far as celebs being racist. SOme of them feel that they can and do anything. It doesnt matter what it is. They are above the law. They dont live in a world of reality. The characters that they play or the images that they have of themselves is their reality. They can buy anything, go anywhere they want, in the movies that they appear in, they get to play pretend. It must be hard to come down to earth sometimes. They get tons of attention. Us common folks can only imagine, what this would do for you. Doors are open to them , that are closed to us. I am not defending them, but I think they are a legend in their own minds. I dont think that their saying they are sorry, means anything at all. The public forgives them and they go off making their millions.

Juan ~ Excellent questions. Personally, I feel it's only right to accept an apology short of it clearly being a sarcastic one. We all err and we all deserve the opportunity to redeem ourselves. Now if the same slip happens again, then it's time to question the sincerity. I believe most of the people involved did have sincere regrets, whether self-serving or not. Public outcry taught them to be more careful. Paraphrased, "Let him without err cast the first stone."

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Kieran, thanks for comments and thanks for headsup on the my article being featured.

Juan ~ You're more than welcome. Your approach to the issues and their topics are very well handled. Thank you for being one of the (what I regard as) better quality Gather publishers.
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It's sad really. Unfortunately I think they reflect what a lot of people still believe and have just been caught out because of their celebrity. Very archaic approach from people in positions where they deal with other ethnicities all the time, people quite as, if not more famous than they.

juan-What about the jolly weatherman Al Roker Pokes Fun at Epilepsy? Guess it depends which way discrimination goes.. These people are public figures and are jumped on because every second they are under the public microphone and camera never having privacy. Granted they might be bigots, racists, however, they should also have a right of opinions.

I am not defending the actions, but on the other hand what is said in anger...even you might slip and allow hate or other not so nice words come out. Don Imus made a mistake and he also went far beyond what most would have done to make it clear...an appology including the teams and individuals acceptance of it.

Al Roker was all about Don Imus being dismissed but I see he felt he should have different punishment? Should we say he was spared because of race? Racial issue is wrong but heck we can disciminate and poke at handicaps?

Mayor of New Orleans calls it a choculate city?
Stacy Ann 'Fergie' Ferguson - Rap Singer Too Drunk To Fly

Double standards are allowed.?

Juan- No one is perfect and I understand being upset but only suggest mentioning the other side also of this..DWI..guy was not in right mind..and you mention what he said..I would rather question the DWI which could kill someone..verses judgement of him going off verbaly.

Juan- Do you honestly know who Duane "Dog" Chapman is? Here some information-
Chapman, a former gang member with 18 prior convictions for armed robbery, was sentenced to five years in a Texas prison in 1977 after being convicted of the first degree murder. You mentioned TAPED PHONE conversation..kinda talks to privacy issue here..but then again, we can not tape terrorists..but second rate tv show star with racial insults? Son sold the information for money...hmmmm

Jaun- My question to you, do you ever give an apology? Ever apologize to a loved one? Would you not want your apology accepted? Can people learn from past mistakes and move on?

What Chapman said, was not said under the influence of alcohol and if you listen to the tapes it gives you a better look into what the man is really like. Second, I only mentioned a few of the many instances in which a celeb or pro athlete used a racial slur or jumped into a racially charged rant, because he or she was inconvenienced by us lowly common folk.

As for accepting their apology, I do not know them personally, so my acceptance of said apology is not relevant nor will it affect in anyway the way these closet racist celebrities conduct themselves.

One last thing, racism is wrong no matter what color, race or ethnicity the perpetrator of that racism is.

What Chapman said was a private phone call to his son. Like I said he is a convicted murderer..
Don Imus apologized to his audience and all who were offended by his comments.

Racism is however often seen where it is not. Saying something out of anger doesnt make someone a racist because they use a racial slur but does mean they have an anger issue and poor judgement. I do not condone racism but to me calling someone a racist based on instance, where you admittingly do not know the individual is also promoting racism. Al Roker ableism discrimination was worse then most since it was on national television...not in anger, not in private, not when drunk

Closet racism...hmmmm...are you not treating celebrities differently then common folk go to stereotyping in fact treating all celebs the same based off the crimes or errors of a few....hmmm

Appears you are in fact also practicing the same trait you are ranting about

Donald, the two main points of my article were:

One, the different way we treat celebs and pro athletes. American society by large tend to forgive more easily, the idiocies of those in the limelight even if includes racism.

Two, there is a lot of racism in Hollywood, that tends to be overlooked or put in the backroom, in order to make money.

I do not hold celebs to a different standard, nor do I condone any type of racist behavior or attitudes, no matter who holds to those ideas. As far as ranting is concern, I think this article and my posting have remained and have adhered to a mature tone and an intelligent debate.

Juan- " the different way we treat celebs and pro athletes" is basicly placing them to a different standard. I think Americans are more critical of this social group then other groups. Since we do not have the microphone or camera to most American families..we have no idea of personal beliefs or reactions.

Racism is not new, not isolated, and to not expect it where humans work and exist is living a world that will never exist.

Genderism, ableism, many isms are overlooked for money and belief humans will not discriminate one way or another. When we also look for racism..we find it everywhere even where it is not.

Hi Juan,

Reguarding racism ...it doesn't matter what color your skin is if it's too thin. None of us are perfect so take one on the chin now and then. You might come out better for it.
Laugh ...ignorance is funny.

Juan-Although we debated and disagreed some, please, please keep this type of articles coming..like the Walmart one..because it does make people think about these issues and topics..many of us hold various opinions and its nice to discuss them here. I commend your approach.

Topics like this one deserve 100+ hits...you want 100 hits though it has to be about games or trivia. sad

Donald, thanks for the compliments and I do enjoy a good debate. I have always felt the exchange of ideas and different points of views can only add to our growth.

I know there is a portion of individuals that agree with and even praise the racists atttitudes held by indviduals such as Imus and Ann(Eva Braun) Coulter. But then that is what makes America great, we tollerate all ideas and believes, regardless of how idotic they maybe.

Juan, you may or may not get this comment since you posted 10 days ago, but felt I had to weigh in on this one..

First, it's not only the inappropriate statements made by these "well-known" (I hate to call them celebrities anymore) people, it's the repercussions (mostly negative) that stem from their utterances.

Second, 1000 apologies won't take back the word/action-the damage has already been done!!!

Mari, I agree. The genie has been let out of the bottle and no publicist driven and scripted apology can put it back in.

I think people should own their own actions, attitudes, and values, and quit fronting about other people. If other people are bigoted, they have their reasons, and they own it, certainly not you. Political correctness only goes so far, and rightly so, unless you want to establish a "Thought Police" constabulary in America. I helped get Harold Washington elected Mayor of Chicago, but the guy was trashing Catholics like me on a Church doorstep at a Sunday morning service before he even got elected. He made "Black Hollywood" possible, beginning with Whitney Houston. Similarly, George Lopez and the new Hispanic Mayor of Los Angeles trashed easy target rich white girl, Paris Hilton, which I strongly resent. Look to your own, look to yourself, I say. I worked under a Black boss who fired me for taking my earned vacation time at PBMS. Never again. That was in 2004, and I am still paying the price for my open mindedness. The guy is a Church leader in Virginia, too. Can you imagine that? I am not a "happy camper" and with very good reason, as I see it. So then, go mind your own mindset.

There is no good reason for being bigoted or racist. There is also no reason for defining individuals by their race. "I have a black ___" tells more about someone than they realize. Accepting the status quo, should never be a given. It is only when we raise our voices, when we see a wrong that we can grow as human beings and as a country.