Posted on 09/23/2003 2:57:22 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
September 23, 2003, 9:03 AM EDT
ROCHESTER, N.Y. --
A radio talk-show host was suspended for two days Monday for alluding to Rochester's black mayor as a monkey.
Bob Lonsberry apologized to Mayor William Johnson Jr. in taped remarks at the beginning and end of his three-hour show on WHAM radio, which was handled by a stand-in host Monday.
"I would certainly apologize for any interpretation of my words which would appear to be racist," and Lonsberry, who is white. "I am not a racist. But then racism is in the eye of the beholder, not in the heart of the speaker."
Lonsberry, a Republican, has been highly critical in recent months of Johnson, a Democrat who is running for Monroe County executive -- the region's top political post -- in the November election.
Last Thursday, as monkey sounds played in the background, Lonsberry joked about "monkeys loose up at the zoo again," the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.
"That's really fine, really fine," he said. "Yeah, yeah, and he's running for county executive. What is with that?"
He made a similar reference last month after an orangutan escaped from its cage at a city zoo. "Headline: Orangutan escapes at zoo, runs for county executive. Fascinating stuff," he said.
Johnson was elected Rochester's first black mayor in 1993. While Lonsberry did not mention Johnson by name, the mayor told the newspaper that he believes Lonsberry "should know better."
Steve Minarik, the county Republican Party chairman, said Lonsberry's commentary was "beneath the standards of public discourse" and questioned whether the suspension was severe enough.
The station did not say whether Lonsberry will be paid during the suspension or when he will return.
Last year, Mayor Johnson was also the target of remarks by current Republican county executive, Jack Doyle, deemed racially insensitive by political rivals. Johnson announced his candidacy after Doyle said he would not seek re-election this year. Doyle, who is white, has said the controversy had no bearing on his decision.
Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press
Bedtime For Rino!
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Molon Labe, you fascist ape!
16 posted on 09/23/2003 1:16 PM PDT by TERMINATTOR ((R)nold's like a chrome plated Yugo - all show and no go! McClintock for Governor of California!)
Mayor Brown will just have to grow up and take it in stride. The rest of us did.
Very; but it's only one direction. If you are of any ethnic strain that has ever been discriminated against (except us Irish, of course, since they're white), then you can be as racist as you want.
But let any white person who's exposed to possible recriminations by minorities spew any kind of invective, even in response to like treatment by any minority, and it's Katy bar the door.
The "possible recrimination" phrase means that KKK people can spew anything they wish, since no minority can really do anything to punish them. But we all saw what happened to Senator Trent Lott (R-MS): He had the Senate Majority Leader position to lose, and liberals of every stripe made sure he lost it.
The black version of the KKK (Nation of Islam) has always been free to spew hatred of Jews and whites with no repercussions of any kind.
Maybe it's just a matter of expectations instead of a blatant double standard? Yeah, that's it ...
There is increasing violence in Rochester. I park on Verona to go to Rochester Red Wing games. Go further Weast on Verona and you're apt to get jugged. The mayor makes a few comments about this violence, but did 'ya see the "I'm offended" crowd come out of the woodwork after the Lonsbery comments.
There was a shooting (I believe) and the Rochester D&C gave a list of the suspect. No race of the suspect was given. It had something like "man in baggy pants and black hooded sweatshirt". I e-mailed the reporter and said that's not really a lot of information. Could be an incomplete description, sloppy reporting or the paper trying to be PC. I suspect #2 or #3.
Love him or hate him, Lonsberry gets ratings in the Noon slot. I don't think he meant anything by the comment. If WHAM cans him, their ratings for that time slot will tank.
This uproar is exactly why cities and towns flounder. Spend an inordindate amount of time chastizing citizens to be PC, and then do little or nothing to attract businesses to the area.
P.S.: (R)nulled is still a liberal, fascist, gun grabber!
All Furman had to say that day when asked about using the "n-word" was: "yeah I say it every day when I sing along with my favorite rap group!" Boy the libs would have never gotten over that!
Me thinks this Mayor "DUDE" is just a little to sensitive....
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