Posted on 01/20/2014 8:20:05 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
A San Antonio weatherman apologized Thursday for using a racially insensitive term while referencing Martin Luther King Jr. Day during KABB FOX 29's morning broadcast.
Meteorologist Mike Hernandez referred to the upcoming holiday meant to celebrate the life of the civil rights leader as Martin Luther 'coon' Day.
The word has historically been used as a racist term to refer to African Americans.
The station issued an apology via their Facebook page and Hernandez later said he was sorry for what he claims was a mispronunciation.
Hernandez apologized to those who were offended by the mistake and told the San Antonio Express-News that he is mortified anyone would think he intended to use a the racial slur on the air.
It was absolutely a slip of the tongue, he said. I would never ever, ever say anything like that intentionally. It just came out.
Horace Brown, vice president for the San Antonio Branch of the NAACP, declined to comment on the incident.
Responses on social media erupted after the San Antonio FOX affiliate posted an apology to Facebook.
Meteorologist Mike Hernandez unintentionally said a term when trying to reference Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This term is racially insensitive, the station wrote. We do not tolerate this language. We sincerely apologize to you, our viewers, for the use of this offensive language on our air.
Please know that we take this seriously and we are taking action internally. We appreciate each and every one of our FOX San Antonio viewers and this in no way reflects the views of our station, the post continued.
Hernandez said he meant to say Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is Monday, but in his hurry to get it out, he misspoke. In every subsequent reference in the broadcast he made a point to say King's name slowly and clearly, he said.
KABB General Manager Dean Radla said he reviewed the tape and believes it was clearly a case of Mike misspeaking. Radla said his biggest concern is that we don't want to offend anybody who heard it.
Radla added that the station would issue an on-air apology during its 9 p.m. broadcast and on the morning show, FOX News First which airs from 5 to 9 a.m. on KABB.
Hernandez said he was meeting with station leaders Thursday to discuss the matter. Radla said the station was handling it internally, and that Hernandez would continue to do weather on KABB and fill in occasionally on its sister station, WOAI.
Before coming to KABB's weekend news some four years ago, Hernandez worked at WOAI (then KMOL) from 1989-99, and for years as the main meteorologist at an Albuquerque, N.M., station.
He said he didn't receive any calls or complaints at the station during the broadcast and continued with the morning show.
I'm from the old school, Hernandez, 57, said. You make a mistake, you just keep going.
http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/freudian-slip
Sorry, I don’t know how to post pictures here.
We call it “Martin Luther the King Day” after that Eddie Murphy movie.
I thought it was the day we defeated the aliens.
A friend of mine said her dad used to say “Marching Luther King Day.”
The EZ at the end of his name will give him partial immunity. Unless of course he’s a “White hispanic” in which case he has NO immunity and will have to suffer the consequences of Speaking While White.
I love it when minorities play the racist game against each other. Its a win win situation.
Gotta be Columbia, MD. I used to live there. lol
The z at the end of his name will protect him.
Could be worse. I'm surprised they didn't name it "Prius Way".
“Does anyone here remember the ON AIR skit Richard Pryor did with Chevy Chase during the first season of Saturday Night Live? They were trading nicknames for each others race....funny stuff.”
Go watch the episode of Sanford & Son where Lamont is in court fighting a traffic ticket and the only white person in the room is the arresting officer. Foxx makes a comment that there are enough N——er’s in the room to make a Tarzan movie! The episode is on YouTube.
“Craniorectumitis - needs a proctologist for emergency brain surgery.
Yes, What’s needed is an Optorectomy. A surgical procedure to sever the nerve that runs between you “bottom” and your eyes. It cures your $hitty outlook on things.
today is stonewall jackson’s birthday.
Didn’t Cartman become the Coon in Coon and Company in one (or more) South Park episodes?
Answer spictacular day.
The “word association” test. Classic.
Well, it certainly begs potty jokes.
Especially if you know a girl named April.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.