J Gordon Hylton just used the N word live on GEM$NBComcast

[malaise]

He was supposedly giving history lessons on the Redskins and how they got that name.
Host was visibly upset and called him on it.

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! This must be lighting up the Twitter world about now.

[Cleita]

1. Yep, he cut him off but since he was talking about it

in a historical context not as an insult, I think the host practiced censorship and should have let him make his point.

[malaise]

2. There is no historical context for banned words

I'm with the host on this one.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

3. Read Huckelberry Finn.

Watch Blazing Saddles (for a laugh), or Django Unchained (ok, for another laugh). There is plenty of historical context.

[malaise]

6. One of my favorite movies of all time and certainly one of my favorite authors

That said, the context is different - the word is banned on radio and TV.

The word fuck is used everywhere, but you sure don't hear it on radio or TV (outside of night time cable).

[Dr Hobbitstein]

13. Oh, you were referring to it's use

OTA. I see. My mistake.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Was putting turkey in the oven, so did not hear the full exchange, but...

if I am writing a story of slavery I will have to use the word, no way around it, the bills of sale have it.

In fact, while doing research I was reading a narrative that used that, and a few other words, extensively. Why? They were written at the time, and a kid saw what I was reading. I was reading that on an e-reader on the trolley. He got PISSED I tell you. It took a good twenty minutes to explain the context and why the material mattered.

You know what is sad? He learned far more of the context of the word in that ride than he ever did in HS.

So if I write a narrative of labor involving the period between oh 1600s to all the way to 1965 (nice cut off date), the word is more than just relevant. IMHO if the context by the guest was historical, there is no problem with it and we should simply not run from it but learn from it.

[malaise]

7. Well truthfully Twain used it long before it was banned

and it's in several books.

My problem with the guest was that he appeared to be finding reasons to support the Redskins name.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. As I said, I did not hear the exchange

As is, the red skins should have changed their name a decade ago, and the same goes for the Atlanta Braves.

[malaise]

16. Ironically the Redskins were Braves before they were Redskins

since they played at Brave Field in Boston.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. I am just talking of the present

when they should have done such, out of respect for native cultures.

[Cleita]

9. We will never know because he wasn't allowed to finish his point. n/t

[Cleita]

5. He is a historian and I think he was. He also said a word that

is used to insult my ethnicity too. I really wanted him to finish his point. On this I'm afraid we are in disagreement. The host was being PC and I don't blame him. The channel does have to worry about its FCC license.

[malaise]

11. No problem sis - we don't have to agree on everything

and yes I heard the other word as well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. You are correct on the FCC licence

and to wit, the word is not one of the banned words either.

[LittleBlue]

10. He's a Marquette professor, isn't he?

From what people are saying, he was using it in an historical perspective.

I don't think racism was the intent here.

[malaise]

15. Never saw it as racism

but it was unnecessary - he knows that word is banned.

[Duckhunter935]

12. He should have been

allowed to continue, He was giving the HISTORY of many words and how they have been used. CONTEXT is everything here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. For the record, here are the seven banned words

The original seven words are:
Shit
Piss
Fuck
Cunt
Cocksucker
Motherfucker
Tits

So no, the N word is not technically banned. It is just mostly not used over the air, nor is the word finable by the FCC, and this is cable. Cable shows are not fined for using these words, why certain HBO comedy shows use them extensively.

[okaawhatever]

19. History flashback: Does anyone remember that word being used in a political ad? From Wiki:

Stoner ran for governor of Georgia in 1970. During this campaign, where he called himself the "candidate of love", he described Hitler as "too moderate," black people as an extension of the ape family, and Jews as "vipers of hell."[1] The primary was won by civil rights supporter and future President Jimmy Carter. Stoner then ran for the United States Senate in 1972, finishing fifth in the Democratic Party primary with just over 40,000 votes. The nomination and election went to Sam Nunn.


During his Senate campaign, the FCC ruled that television stations had to play his ads due to the fairness doctrine. His ads included the word "nigger."

Other than that dark moment I would love to see the Fairness Doctrine brought back. It's essential to the future of democracy. Maybe this time we can put a caveat; no hate speech allowed.

[malaise]

20. Did not know that

Thanks