"Radio Canada rapped for Obama assassination joke"

[Pirate Smile]

Radio Canada rapped for Obama assassination joke

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's public broadcaster was wrong to show a skit that joked about the possible assassination of President Barack Obama and suggested he could be a thief, an industry panel ruled on Monday.

The New Year's Eve "Bye Bye" comedy program -- shown by the French-language Radio Canada network -- generated more than 200 complaints. In one segment, two hosts discussed Obama's election in November 2008. Obama, who took office in January, is the first black U.S. president.
"We're not racists. It will be good to have a Negro in the White House. It will be practical. Black on white, it will be easier to shoot him," one of the show's hosts remarked.

The Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council said it found "nothing redeeming in the allegedly comedic notion that an American president should be shot, still less that this would be easier to achieve because of the color of the president's skin. It was a disturbing, wounding, abusive racial comment".

The show also featured an interview with an actor pretending to be Obama. The host said, "The blacks, you all look alike," and then warned viewers to hide their purses.
The council said the comments and sketches breached regulations, adding they went "too far in terms of Canadian broadcast standards."
The producers of the show denied the skits had been racist, saying they had meant to mock the characters making the offensive remarks.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE54O48020090525?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews

:wtf:

[proteus_lives]

1. Seems to be a theme in Canada.

Didn't a comedian get sued up in Canada a few years back because he was doing a a stand-up routine and it offended a couple audience members?

Aren't much for free speech up in the Great White North huh?

[cyndensco]

2. This has nothing to do with the (non)existence of free speech in Canada, IMO.

As determined by the Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council, there is "nothing redeeming in the allegedly comedic notion that an American president should be shot, still less that this would be easier to achieve because of the color of the president's skin. It was a disturbing, wounding, abusive racial comment".

[Metric System]

3. THAT's what you take away from this?!?

[tuvor]

4. US citizens offended by Michael Richards' racist rant were prepared to sue him.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2790779

[proteus_lives]

5. They're be wrong too.

I'll make the same complaints about the US too, if you don't like what a person is saying then leave/don't listen/form a venue with a counter-argument. I hate a lot of what I hear/see and read about but I would never sue or attempt to legally punish a person for saying it.

I may not associate with said person or leave a place of business.

I have a greater hate for censorship then I do for unfunny jokes or political rants.