Just a day before a CNN correspondent caught backlash for saying the N-word on-air, one of her fellow reporters was defending the use of the racial slur during broadcasts.
As previously reported, CNN’s Susan Candiotti was reporting on a story on Sunday, April 8 concerning the shootings of five back men in Oklahoma that many believed to be racially motivated. Candiotti quoted a status update on one of the suspect’s Facebook pages: “‘Today is two years that my dad has been gone, shot by and please excuse the language, it’s very sensitive. Shot by a f—ing n—er.’”
The correspondent later apologized for using the word after receiving backlash, backlash that Don Lemon obviously sees as unwarranted.
On Saturday, Lemon was having a roundtable with some of his white co-workers on-air when he noted that he hates when the N-word is censored.
According to Newsbusters, who transcribed the conversation, Lemon said he hated “sanitizing” the word but it takes the value out of its meaning.
“And when I said that word, I’m going to say it again, the N-word, I just wish, I hate saying the N-word. I think it takes the value out of what that word ready means, especially when we are reporting it. And I don’t care what color the reporter is, I think someone should say, “That person calls someone n—er,” instead of saying the N-word, because I think it sanitizes it.”
Lemon then went on to note that he hates it in music or when it’s used in a misogynistic way, but not when it’s used in news.
“No, no, no. I don’t mean in that context. I’m not talking about on the street. I hate it in music — listen. Listen. Hang on. I hate it in music. I hate in those kinds of things. … But what I’m saying is in the reporting of a story, you should say the word not sanitize it.”
Is saying N-word instead of n—er really sanitizing the word or is it being respectful of viewers who might be offended by such language?
And if anchors are allowed to say n—er, then should they be allowed to blurt out other racial slurs?
#QuestionsThatNeedAnswers Don.
