Political, media elites enable Griffin, Maher

By Clarence McKee
Special to the Outlook

British Prime Minister Theresa May said after the London terrorist attacks this weekend that there was “too much tolerance of extremism in our country.”
It’s too bad someone in the political, religious, and media leadership in our country won’t say the same thing about the new-found tolerance of shameful vulgar, obscene, and tasteless comments of journalists and entertainers flooding the airwaves and social media  — mostly directed at the president of the United States.
The latest example is CNN host Reza Aslan calling the president “a piece of s***” Saturday after Trump tweeted the need for his travel ban.

 
This was preceded a day by HBO’s Bill Maher using the “N” word on his HBO show “Real Time.”

 
There seems to be no limit to what some unhinged liberals can get away with and what the Democratic, political, and journalism establishments will condone and tolerate when it comes to attacking conservatives or even making disgusting comments about various groups. They have no shame!

 
Over the past few weeks, as I have discussed in this space, we have seen obscene homophobic comments by Steven Colbert about the president and Vladimir Putin; Bill Maher making incestuous references about the president and his daughter; and, most recently, the sickening ISIS-like photo-shoot image of Kathy Griffin holding a bloody decapitated head of the president.

 
Given the general pattern of silence and failure to condemn such actions by most Democratic leaders, liberals and the media — implying that such language and actions are acceptable — there is no wonder why Maher felt so comfortable uttering the “N” word.

 
As disgusting as his having no problem using the word, is the fact that his comment was met by laughter and applause by his audience! But that is only half of the distasteful story.

 
Maher was responding to a question from his guest, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.,  who asked him, “Would you like to come work in the field with us?”
Maher asked, “Work in the fields?” “Senator, I am a house ‘n****r.’”

 
Sasse, joined with the audience with a chuckle and made no comment on the use of the word.

 
After an all-night flight from Los Angeles, Sasse apparently had time to reflect on his failure to rebuke Maher. In a series of well scripted early morning tweets, he said he wished he had spoken up, “ . . . free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn’t good enough.”

 
He added, “Here’s what I wish I’d been quick enough to say in the moment: ‘Hold up, why would you think it’s OK to use that word? The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It’s therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don’t use it.’”

 
Sorry senator. Too little too late, and don’t tell us — tell Maher.

 
If you had really felt deeply in your gut that way about the “N” word you wouldn’t have chuckled and would have immediately chastised Maher for using it. In fact, you could have become a national hero in many quarters for taking him on.

 
I wonder if Maher thought it was funny when vandals spray-painted “N****r” on NBA super-star LeBron James’s Los Angeles home’s front gate. Police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. In his weak apology, Maher said he regretted that he used the word “in the banter of a live moment.” I wonder if the vandals will use that line as a defense.

 
At least HBO’s response was a bit firmer calling Maher’s comment “completely inexcusable and tasteless.”
I bet the HBO response would have been different if a Republican or conservative host had used that term they probably would have been suspended, fired or — even had their show cancelled.

 
No such condemnation as of yet from other liberal entertainers, including Blacks, Black journalists, Democratic leaders, their media friends, or those key Democratic party allies — the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Congressional Black Caucus including Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

 
But let’s not forget, Maher is a member of their liberal Democratic club.

 
As long as such language and actions are accepted, condoned, and tolerated by the political and media elites, they will not only continue, but will get worse — with ominous consequences for our country and way of life.

 
Clarence V. McKee is president of McKee Communications, Inc., a government, political, and media relations consulting firm in Florida. He held several positions in the Reagan administration as well as in the Reagan presidential campaigns. He is a former co-owner of WTVT-TV in Tampa and former president of the Florida Association of Broadcasters. Read more of his reports — Go Here Now.