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Over the week preceding the Fourth of July holiday weekend, yet another athlete (college or professional) was caught on video tape abusing a woman. The right fist to the woman’ face hasn’t been addressed as to reason for the punch nor have we read defense attorney justification for the punch. Ultimately, there is no justification. (Full five minute video with punch thrown near 1:59 minute mark) The full video of the incident shows the woman struck at the young (19 year old) first. Again, it makes no difference and justifies nothing. The athlete man was wrong and has been kicked off the Florida State University (FSU) football team.
OK, let’s fold the despicable assault into the legal system with witness testimony and the video linked above.
A local Tallahassee television station ran a segment on the incident: linked here. (We hope the woman presses charges). Actually, depending on Florida State Law, the woman may not have to press charges for charges to ensue.
Why is this a TPI news related item? Our ever present watch and monitoring of Joe Scarborough should provide a hint. Scarborough often portrays as a moderate conservative who ridicules far Right dogma as much as he criticizes acts of liberalism. After passing through Scarborough’s all too frequent emotional on-air melt downs with associated yelling and distorted facial expressions, close scrutiny reveals an endemic conservative core. This morning while going out of the way to facilitate alive discussion of the FSU quarterback incident, Scarborough showed his true colors. We have posted the full Morning Joe segment below, but first let’s visit with perspective on this mornings reporting and discussion.
Florida State quarterback De’Andre Johnson’s alleged assault of a woman in a Tallahassee bar: “What about the culture that would have a guy think he could get away with punching a blonde woman…like…the other alleged victim at the bar?”
Later in the show, Scarborough repeated his concern for the “blonde” women allegedly assaulted by FSU athletes.
When a television producer and a show hosts repeats such a statement, it is hard to believe the message wasn’t as delivered as desired.
I hope you have now grasped the reason we visited the issue. “Blonde?” The real life active tells all. Would Joe and his producers have gone there if the quarterback had been a white male? How about consideration of the clarifying adjective if the woman had been an African-American or (non-blonde Latino or Asian?) Or, better yet, what if the woman had been brunette? While we are certain the story would have garnered some coverage via Scarborough and company as Joe’s roots are in the Gulf Coast of Florida and we are certain he has an affinity for Florida football. But, there comes time for serious consideration of white privilege as the segment was crafted and unfolded. If Joe’s first mention of “blonde” was deemed “NOT OK”, his producers would have ear-piece as such and the conservative mouthpiece would have avoided a second mention. It makes one wonder.
Wonder why Mika didn’t introduce the segment. I believe Willie “whatever you say, Joe” Geist introduced the segment.
We are aware many whites abhor the very mention of racism. In fact, many white people do not even accept that varying bias, bigotry and the ultimate racism exist in our non post-racial society. And, then there are those who know it as surely as they breathe air to sustain life, and they relish it. No problem, but think again about Scarborough’s double-down “blonde.” Can you find rationale for the adjective?
We are not positing on Scarborough as a racist. we factually do not believe such. We are very much positing about the extent to which ‘white privilege’ manifest in our society, especially in the minds of many conservatives. While Scarborough mouthed the words, we imagine millions also experienced the very dame cognitive process that contributed to the “blonde” segment.
And there-in lies the shame.
…AND THE BAND PLAYS ON…
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