KLBJ-AM morning hosts suspended after ethnic slur flap

[Newsjock]

Source: Austin American-Statesman

KLBJ-AM's Don Pryor and Todd Jeffries have been suspended from their weekday show without pay for two weeks after their on-air discussion Tuesday repeatedly used an ethnic slur, the station's management announced this afternoon. The suspensions are effective immediately.

... On his show earlier today, Pryor said he regrets repeatedly using an ethnic slur to describe illegal immigrants during a discussion Tuesday on the morning talk show.

"I frequently use sarcasm and satire in my humor," Pryor told listeners this morning. "The first mistake I made is using the term. It's a highly offensive and outdated term that should never be used."

Pryor said he assumed the audience knew he was being sarcastic when he used the word "wetback," and he promised he wouldn't use it again.

... When Jeffries said the National Council of La Raza, the Hispanic advocacy group, encourages the use of "undocumented immigrants" or "undocumented workers," Pryor asked: "Whatever happened to the good old word 'wetback' ? What was wrong with that?"

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/16/0716slur.html

[MadMaddie]

1. They should have been fired

How could they not know that in TX that type of language would be found offensive?

See this is how they justify it...oh just making a joke.

[MrModerate]

2. You know, trying to keep up the chipper chatter for two or three hours a day . . .

Is really tough, so I'm not surprised when I hear one of these guys has stumbled over his own tongue now and again.

However, you're still a dickhead when one of your "jokes" depends on racism as the punchline.

[obliviously]

3. If you think it might be the wrong

thing to say it probably is!

[imdjh]

4. Is that actually in common usage in Texas?

If I heard that term when I lived in California, I don't recall it. I do remember references to a "bunch of fucking Mexicans" at least a couple of times to describe certain individuals engaged in antisocial behavior, but similarly a "bunch of fucking suburban assholes" described others doing the same antisocial behavior so it was more a descriptor than an epithet.

[Terry in Austin]

6. Pretty darn common

Maybe not frequent (depending on who you hang with), but it's certainly common -- the way my grandma used to use the term.

[tularetom]

8. Nope, here in CA the most common epithet for hispanics is "beaner"

And it always amazes me the acceptance that the term seems to have. People who would recoil in horror at the word "nigger" or "kike" don't seem to think twice about complaining about all the beaners in Wal Mart or at the county fair.

[Bette Noir]

10. Tulare-- the central valley?

In LA, I haven't heard either "beaner" or "wetback" in 40 years.

[izquierdista]

12. Thank Carlos Mencia for that

He has made a lot of money reviving that epithet (and stealing material from other comics). These terms of endearment based on food have been around forever and are found in every culture. In English we have frogs (French), krauts (Germans), limeys (British), and just this week, the Republicans have been trying to woo back the watermelon and fried chicken eaters. Southern Italians call northerners polentone and the northern Italians have their words for the pasta eating south.

Grouping others by their diet is probably the least offensive way of lumping people together and painting them with the broad brush. As long as groups of people differ, some small-minded fool will think of an adjective to describe the others and use it as a pejorative. Who knows, some Mormon could be stirring up hate against the caffeiners right now, and you wouldn't hear about it until he incited some hate crime with his tirade.

[tularetom]

13. As you say it goes back a lot further than him

Check out this clip from "Up in Smoke"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biFPi0rSgaA

[Romulox]

15. Um. the proper term is MEXICAN AMERICANS!

"It's like a protest tune, man!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2K-_2AHYh0

:rofl:

[RebelOne]

24. When I was a lot younger, I remember that illegal aliens

were always referred to as "wetbacks." Now, this goes back a long time.

[Blue_Tires]

14. good point on epithets based on food associations

I have also heard Koreans called "dog eaters"

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. Not really

It was, many years ago, like around 20+ something years ago. Not so much now. If they're a racist it's usually "damn Mexicans" or the ever classy "illegals". At least that's what I run up against.

[Terry in Austin]

5. Porous border

Looks like a couple of more undocumented Texans snuck their way into the People's Republic of Austin. Taking our media jobs, too.

We keep trying to send 'em back, but they've got us surrounded!

:hide:

[lindisfarne]

7. Well heck, after listening to US Senators in the Sotomayor hearings, they probably thought it was

acceptable now.

[scarface2004]

9. here in houston they run all the trades.....

so mr or jose or luis or vicente is what we call them.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. """This adds to the pussifacation of America when you worry about someone's "feelings". ""

Yeah, but you will go running back to your freeper friends crying like a baby after you are served up your pizza.


""HOW CAN I BE A FOREIGNER IN MY COUNTRY!!???""

Now who is the poor baby with hurt widdle feewings? Go suck your thumb.

[Jim from No Fla.]

20. ???

What is a freeper? On never mind your avatar says it all.

[Steerpike]

18. Good Morning!

I think you need to be aware of your bosses feelings before you say something that can get you fired. You can really say anything you want. If you say something on the job that your boss does not like...then guess what? You find yourself streamlined from the operation. It's simple economics Gringo Feo! I mean sir...

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Steerpike]

26. Ha!

If nothing else, you are a charming and well spoken young man.

[Coventina]

19. Wow, where to begin? With the sexist language or the ethnic bigotry?

Never mind, not worth my time or effort....

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. "I was showing ALL races start their own "slurs"

No you weren't.

You SAID it but that doesn't make it true. Do you have any links to back that up?

Never mind. Clearly you and your EDUCATION (what? third grade?) can't grasp the concept of a slur.

[Coventina]

27. Apologies if I misinterpreted. I thought you were using "pussifacation"

as if it were a bad thing.

If you meant it in a positive sense, then I withdraw the charge. I'm very much pro "pussification" (my preferred spelling) of America myself!

:toast:

However, I don't see any proof that black folks instituted the use of the "n-word."

Also, just because a particular ethnic group practices bigotry within its ranks does not mean any and all slurs are "fair game" for use without the taint of bigotry. IOW: if you call a Mexican a "wetback" it doesn't excuse you simply because some Mexicans call other Mexicans "wetback."

[Starry Messenger]

22. And cross burning is just a harmless old Scottish custom!

How oppressed you are! Geez, I think you may have taken a wrong turn here friendo.