Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Kathy Griffen, Hate Speeh and Jesus


Kathy's Remarks To Be Censored Because Catholics Have Snit

"A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this," Griffin said at this weekend's show, at which the academy gives out the awards there aren't time to hand out in Sunday's main Emmy telecast. "But he had nothing to do with this. Suck it, Jesus, this award is my God now!"

Now, I'm not sure where I stand on how hate speech should be classified and handled, but I'm pretty sure that this ISN'T hate speech (though many may find it offensive).

If she said "Suck it, Karl Marx!" it wouldn't be considered hate speech against Karl nor against Socialists.
If she had said, "Suck it, you child molesting socialists", that would be different.

Or, more to the point, if she had said "Everyone says 'thank you jesus', and I'm here to say, 'fuck off you christians'. Good night." THAT might be hate speech.

But she DIDN'T say that. She made a crack about a person who is dead (if he ever existed), or about a particular world-view. She didn't make any crack about the people who follow that view (other than the obvious subtext that people who get up there and thank jesus are generally not sincere).

But, yes, I can understand why the Catholic League finds it offensive, certainly. And they are doing EXACTLY what they are supposed to do. They are making a stink. Thats how these things work. You don't like something, you speak up. Thats how the whole Don Imus thing worked out.

I just think that calling it hate speech is an attempt to equate it with real threats against, say, gays, and providers of abortions, oh...wait...

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I can see that you obviously are about as smart as she is. Again, it is okay to say whatever you want about Christians, but heaven help you if you say anything about gays, blacks, Muslims, and so on. I believe that since everyone believes that we are a minority then we should get the same rights as they do. Equal treatment for all,right?

moleboy said...

and obviously you are part of this whole crowd who believes in the war on christmas.
Y'know what?
I'm an educated, straight, white male.
Know what I do when someone makes a joke at my expense?
I either laugh at it (because I don't take myself as seriously as you do, apparently) or I shrug it off because it would be really pathetic to be part of the most powerful demographic in america and play the victim.

When you are the biggest kid on the playground...