# Anthony Cumia of "Opie and Anthony" fired for "racist tweets" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 5, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381 "2014-07-05T00:02:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/281 "2014-07-09T19:36:44Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I think it’s notable that the examples **Rucksinator** picked for supposedly non-racist uses of slurs – a black violent rapist, and a Jewish greedy banker – fit the worst stereotypes like a glove. > [@Hippy Hollow](#): > > Not to mention a stalking woman. Exactly. If **Rucksinator** had used examples like _“That cunt ex-girlfriend of mine for[e]closed on my parent’s house just because I dumped her”_ or _“That fucking jew bastard just raped my family and stole my car”_, they would still be racist and sexist. But at least they wouldn’t be so **stereotypically** racist and sexist. Much lower on the ridiculousness scale, but still IMHO worth calling out, is the fact that **Rucksinator** apparently thinks that _stealing someone’s car_ is a violation serious enough to be mentioned in the same breath as _raping someone’s family_. :rolleyes: _“That fucking chink just karate-kicked my brother’s head off and knocked over my mailbox!”_ _“That fucking wop just knifed my mother and spilled my coffee!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/282 "2014-07-09T20:39:04Z")
> [@shodan](#): > > no, the rule is as explained. where??? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/283 "2014-07-09T21:05:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > where??? You must not have read it the first time, silly… ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/284 "2014-07-09T21:39:40Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t agree. The meaning intended and conveyed by referrring to someone as a “black person” is signifcantly different from referrring to the same person as a “nigger”. That seems reasonable to suppose for normal circumstances. > [@](#): > > If you want to call that “connotation” instead of “semantic content”, it makes no difference. It makes a HUGE fucking difference. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/285 "2014-07-10T00:08:27Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > So…you’re saying that merely posting racist rants on the twitternet isn’t racist, because it’s just words? And words aren’t acts? Seriuosly? > > Here’s the racist rant: [http://gawker.com/siriusxm-host-claims-cuntrag-assaulted-him-in-racist-1599491744](http://gawker.com/siriusxm-host-claims-cuntrag-assaulted-him-in-racist-1599491744) > > That’s, you know, racist. Or is it only racist if you use the word “nigger”? But savages, animals, “it”, bitch, cunt, “they aren’t people”, that’s not racist? Because hey, if you used those words to describe white people it wouldn’t be racist, so it’s not racist if you use those words to describe black people? Yeah, actually it would be racist to use those words to describe white people, if you used them to describe white people as a group. “White people are savages” is a racist statement. And there are plenty of racist black people, racist Chinese, racist hispanics, racist indians, racist Indians, and every shade of ethnocentrism and prejudice you care to imagine. If you think it’s unfair that we never talk about how some Chinese dude said something racist against some Indian dude, you’re certainly free to start threads about it. > > As for the First Amendment stuff, where to start? How does using my 1st amendment right to call what he said racist deprive someone of their first amendment rights? > > He said racist shit, which he has a 1st amendment right to do. I say that what he said was racist, which I have a 1st amendment right to do. You say that I don’t have a right to call what he said racist, which you have a 1st amendment right to do. > > Thing is, you have a 1st amendment right to say shit, even it it’s stupid and wrong and repugnant. Anthony said stupid repugnant shit. I said truthful shit. You’re saying wrong shit. All these statements are protected by the 1st amendment. > > If Sirius fires Anthony over the shit he says, nobody has a right to a job. I certainly am not advocating or agitating or hoping that anyone gets fired over a racist rant. I’m just advocating and hoping that when someone makes a racist rant we can summon the courage to call a racist rant a racist rant. If people want to keep listening to a radio show despite the host being a racist, then fine. But if you try to argue that what he wrote wasn’t racist, then I’ll disagree. If you try to argue that saying/writing racist rants doesn’t make you a racist, then I’ll disagree. If on the other hand you argue that just because someone is a racist that doesn’t make them an inhuman animal, I’ll agree. > [@Kimstu](#): > > Exactly. If **Rucksinator** had used examples like _“That cunt ex-girlfriend of mine for[e]closed on my parent’s house just because I dumped her”_ or _“That fucking jew bastard just raped my family and stole my car”_, they would still be racist and sexist. But at least they wouldn’t be so **stereotypically** racist and sexist. > > Much lower on the ridiculousness scale, but still IMHO worth calling out, is the fact that **Rucksinator** apparently thinks that _stealing someone’s car_ is a violation serious enough to be mentioned in the same breath as _raping someone’s family_. :rolleyes: > > _“That fucking chink just karate-kicked my brother’s head off and knocked over my mailbox!”_ > > _“That fucking wop just knifed my mother and spilled my coffee!”_ I used rape in my first example because that’s pretty much the worst thing you can do, and I made it “my family” to make it so over the top that you would realize that I was making as extreme an example as possible. I used the jewish person forclosing on a house as an individualized example of the someone else’s previous example of racism (Something along the lines of “Jews are taking over the media”). And then I made up an example regarding a woman. In hindsight, I suppose I should have had the ex-girlfriend raping my family, the black guy foreclosing on the house, and the jewish guy stalking me. I had no idea that those would be less offensive examples. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/286 "2014-07-10T00:12:57Z")
So, just so I’m clear, which of these are racist?: That white trash hillbilly foreclosed on my parent’s house! That asshole just cut me off! That white asshole just cut me off! Which of these demonstrate my disdain for all females?: That bitch just raped my entire family! That cunt just raped my entire family! That person whose sex I will not mention just raped my entire family! ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/287 "2014-07-10T00:15:37Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > … Much lower on the ridiculousness scale, but still IMHO worth calling out, is the fact that **Rucksinator** apparently thinks that _stealing someone’s car_ is a violation serious enough to be mentioned in the same breath as _raping someone’s family_. :rolleyes:… I was just looking for examples of things that would make someone very angry. I didn’t spend a lot of time balancing the severity of those hypothetical crimes. I’ll try to do better with my ridiculous hypotheticals in the future. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/288 "2014-07-10T00:20:34Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I used rape in my first example because that’s pretty much the worst thing you can do, and I made it “my family” to make it so over the top that you would realize that I was making as extreme an example as possible. I used the jewish person forclosing on a house as an individualized example of the someone else’s previous example of racism (Something along the lines of “Jews are taking over the media”). And then I made up an example regarding a woman. In hindsight, I suppose I should have had the ex-girlfriend raping my family, the black guy foreclosing on the house, and the jewish guy stalking me. I had no idea that those would be less offensive examples. Dude, just own that the first things that came into your mind for your hypothetical black guy was violent rape, and for your hypothetical Jew it was financial greed, and for your hypothetical woman it was crazy stalking. It wasn’t a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/289 "2014-07-10T00:50:09Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I used rape in my first example because… . In hindsight, I suppose I should have … But instead, you just went with your instincts. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/290 "2014-07-10T00:57:32Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > So, just so I’m clear, which of these are racist?: > > That white trash hillbilly foreclosed on my parent’s house! > That asshole just cut me off! > That white asshole just cut me off! > > Which of these demonstrate my disdain for all females?: > > That bitch just raped my entire family! > That cunt just raped my entire family! > That person whose sex I will not mention just raped my entire family! I don’t believe for a minute that you don’t know the answers to these questions. The racist/bigoted/prejudiced/sexist ones are the ones that use racial epithets that emphasize the historically disadvantaged social group membership of an individual. If you really needed an answer, “person” and “asshole”—with no further modification—don’t do that. Thus, “cunt” and “bitch” are sexist, but “dick” is not, because men as a group have not been the victim of systematic oppression in our society. “White” by itself is possibly—but unlikely—to be racist. “White trash” and “hillbilly” are definitely bigoted. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/291 "2014-07-10T00:59:43Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I was just looking for examples of things that would make someone very angry. Having your house foreclosed on by a Southern Baptist might get you a bit upset, but if he’s Jewish, well that really smarts. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/292 "2014-07-10T01:43:22Z")
I think what Rucksinator is trying to say is that sometimes people will use racist words even when their motives are not primarily about racism, but rather anger. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/293 "2014-07-10T01:47:56Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I think what Rucksinator is trying to say is that sometimes people will use racist words even when their motives are not primarily about racism, but rather anger. And, to borrow from the pit thread, people may use racist words when their children are dating out of their race because they are concerned for their children’s wellbeing… and it’s still racism. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/294 "2014-07-10T01:53:05Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I think what Rucksinator is trying to say is that sometimes people will use racist words even when their motives are not primarily about racism, but rather anger. It’s still racism. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/295 "2014-07-10T02:00:41Z")
Hey, don’t be so quick to judge, guys! Maybe when a white guy pisses him off, he shouts racial slurs at him too, instead of just calling him an asshole. You never know. :steeples fingers: ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/296 "2014-07-10T02:59:07Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I don’t believe for a minute that you don’t know the answers to these questions. > > The racist/bigoted/prejudiced/sexist ones are the ones that use racial epithets that emphasize the historically disadvantaged social group membership of an individual. > > If you really needed an answer, “person” and “asshole”—with no further modification—don’t do that. > > Thus, “cunt” and “bitch” are sexist, but “dick” is not, because men as a group have not been the victim of systematic oppression in our society. “White” by itself is possibly—but unlikely—to be racist. “White trash” and “hillbilly” are definitely bigoted. I’m not sure that that really clears things up. I mean, for the most part, I think I get it. If you say a bad word, then you are a bad person. If you say a racist word, then you are a racist. If you say a misogynist word, then you hate all women. If the word “punk” has ever escaped your lips, then you hate all children. I get that. But if I call an actual prostitute a “whore”, does that mean I hate all women? Or just prostitutes? I’ve said a lot of bad words in my life. It’s getting hard for me to figure out at this point who I _ **don’t** _ hate. ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/297 "2014-07-10T03:02:09Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I think what Rucksinator is trying to say is that sometimes people will use racist words even when their motives are not primarily about racism, but rather anger. That’s true. What he failed to mention is that only racists do that. Racists are notoriously bad at hiding their racism when they’re angry. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/298 "2014-07-10T03:05:03Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’m not sure that that really clears things up. I mean, for the most part, I think I get it. If you say a bad word, then you are a bad person. If you say a racist word, then you are a racist. If you say a misogynist word, then you hate all women. > > If the word “punk” has ever escaped your lips, then you hate all children. I get that. But if I call an actual prostitute a “whore”, does that mean I hate all women? Or just prostitutes? > > I’ve said a lot of bad words in my life. It’s getting hard for me to figure out at this point who I _ **don’t** _ hate. Heh. Disingenuous post is disingenuous. ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/299 "2014-07-10T03:06:53Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’ve said a lot of bad words in my life. It’s getting hard for me to figure out at this point who I _ **don’t** _ hate. You seem pretty fond of White Power Anthony. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/300 "2014-07-10T03:10:06Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Hey, don’t be so quick to judge, guys! Maybe when a white guy pisses him off, he shouts racial slurs at him too, instead of just calling him an asshole. You never know. :steeples fingers: Oh yeah. I use hateful words like “cracker” and “white trash” and “republican”. I’d make incest jokes, but in the heat of the moment, it’s kind of hard to come up with a good incest joke, so I usually just scream out the basic white slurs. I guess that means I’m racist against white people too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381.md?page=16)