# 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:** 16
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/301 "2014-07-10T03:27:46Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > - That said, I don’t think it’s racist to say “That fucking nigger just raped my family and stole my car”, or “That fucking jew bastard forclosed on my parent’s house”. Nor do I think it’s sexist to say “That cunt ex-girlfriend of mine spraypainted my car just because I dumped her!” In all 3 cases, the speaker is just really pissed at 1 individual, and is trying to use words to hurt the person, so they say the worst thing that they can say. People who aren’t violent often feel like they can only use words to fight, so they use the worst words they can. So you think that it would be hurtful and “the worst thing” to call someone a Jew or a nigger, but you don’t think that would be racist? To consciously try and use someone’s race as something to make them feel inferior and ashamed about? You don’t think that’s racist? :dubious: Srsly? ---
**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, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/302 "2014-07-10T03:32:27Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Heh. Disingenuous post is disingenuous. It would be adorable if… well, if we were idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/303 "2014-07-10T04:27:55Z")
> [@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. Wow, it’s like Stephen Colbert in real life. Only except, not funny. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/304 "2014-07-10T05:11:10Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > Holy shit, those are incredibly racist things to say, even when you’re pissed. Abso-fucking-lutely. > [@](#): > > I wouldn’t say that’s sexist, but it’s hateful and rude to the point that if I heard anyone say those words, I would not want to be around him. :: blink blink:: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: All I can say is … wow. Wow. ---
**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, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/305 "2014-07-10T11:03:12Z")
> [@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. I’ll pretend like this is genuine obliviousness (and maybe it is!). No, you can be a decent person and still say bad words, and still even say something racist. Sometimes decent people make mistakes, and saying racist things are some of those mistakes. So if you’ve said racist things, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a bad person, or a racist-to-the-core, but it means you said something racist. And, if you’re not a bad person, then in my opinion you should strive to not say things racist, and recognize that those times you said something racist were mistakes. So, if you’ve said something racist, but you still think you’re a good person, then here is what (in my opinion) good people would do: strive to not say anything racist again, and when you do slip up and say something racist, recognize it as a mistake and apologize, and recognize that any attitudes and instincts that seem to be pushing you to do or say something racist are negative and should be purged. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/306 "2014-07-10T11:27:59Z")
You can tell an awful lot about a person by how they choose to insult others. (What if the banker isn’t Jewish? Would you bring up the religion of a Protestant banker who forclosed on a mortgage? What if your hypothetical family was raped by a Dutch man?) ---
**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, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/307 "2014-07-10T11:50:38Z")
We don’t need to get into this “good person” stuff. The point is that you can if you want to change how racist you are and the easiest step is to not say racist things, even when you’re pissed off. ---
**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, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/308 "2014-07-10T16:52:33Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > We don’t need to get into this “good person” stuff. The point is that you can if you want to change how racist you are and the easiest step is to not say racist things, even when you’re pissed off. Actually, I’d say it’s easier to examine the thoughts before you get pissed off and recognize the racism in them. Get rid of the racism and the urge to call someone a nigger just won’t be there. ---
**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, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/309 "2014-07-10T22:58:10Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > So you think that it would be hurtful and “the worst thing” to call someone a Jew or a nigger, but you don’t think that would be racist? To consciously try and use someone’s race as something to make them feel inferior and ashamed about? You don’t think that’s racist? :dubious: Srsly? I’m saying that, while certainly not a nice thing to say, it doesn’t necessarily make the person saying it a racist. Let me ask which of the following statements is racist (or which is more racist: “That damn white trash redneck just shot my truck.” “Well, that white guy sure make me angry when he shot my truck, but he can’t help it. Everybody knows that being a gun nut is in white people’s DNA.” The 2nd sentence sounds nicer, but it’s basically the definition of racism. ---
**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, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/310 "2014-07-10T23:03:22Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’m saying that, while certainly not a nice thing to say, it doesn’t necessarily make the person saying it a racist. > > Let me ask which of the following statements is racist (or which is more racist: > > “That damn white trash redneck just shot my truck.” > > “Well, that white guy sure make me angry when he shot my truck, but he can’t help it. Everybody knows that being a gun nut is in white people’s DNA.” > The 2nd sentence sounds nicer, but it’s basically the definition of racism. They’re both racist. As were the other various examples you’ve given, and as were Cumia’s tweets. The second is probably more racist. ---
**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, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/311 "2014-07-10T23:04:55Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > “Well, that white guy sure make me angry when he shot my truck, but he can’t help it. Everybody knows that being a gun nut is in white people’s DNA.” > > The 2nd sentence sounds nicer, but it’s basically the definition of racism. How about “That black woman sure made me angry when she punched me. Everyone knows that they are animals.” ---
**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 11, 2014, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/312 "2014-07-11T00:04:57Z")
I like this game! Is it racist if I say: “Golly that woman sure beat my ass when she noticed I was taking pictures of her tits!! She’s black and animalistic, I’m white and racist.” ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/313 "2014-07-11T00:11:34Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > They’re both racist. As were the other various examples you’ve given, and as were Cumia’s tweets. The second is probably more racist. They also aren’t conveying the same sentiment. The first one is just straight up anger at what happened. The second is anger and either an attempt to ameliorate the situation to yourself (if said genuinely and sincerely), or it’s building upon and increasing your anger with a negative statement or judgment about the person’s (racial) culture (if said sarcastically or snidely). But even if the second version’s end portion was meant sincerely, it’s still racist or bigoted because it attributes a negative characteristic to an entire culture universally and also attributes that characteristic to that person with no evidence other than the fact he is part of the culture you have just stereotyped. The first one is racist or bigoted, too. It just describes the person using a few adjectives that convey the same sentiments that the snide second version explicitly spells out. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/314 "2014-07-13T03:21:19Z")
Cumia defends himself. > **[Anthony Cumia Defends Racist Comments Fox News Red Eye Video](https://www.mediaite.com/tv/anthony-cumia-defends-himself-on-foxs-red-eye-i-wasnt-being-racist/)** > > Anthony Cumia was recently fired from his popular Opie and Anthony Show for what SiriusXM deemed a "hate-filled" rant on Twitter after he was allegedly punched in the face by a black woman. At 3 a.m. Saturday morning, Cumia made his first television... “&$;;-:” changed to “?;-:”. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/315 "2014-07-13T09:43:41Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > Cumia defends himself. > > [Anthony Cumia Defends Racist Comments Fox News Red Eye Video](http://www.mediaite.com/tv/anthony-cumia-defends-himself-on-foxs-red-eye-i-wasnt-being-racist/) > > “&$;;-:” changed to “?;-:”. I was wondering if he was going to speak. I guess he needed more time with his media image damage control company than your average doofus. And on Fox, too. What a surprise. I suppose the other folks involved in this altercation will be making the media rounds soon, too. So he doesn’t understand why he got fired for tweets (and not his show talk) and would do it all again. Lesson learned! ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/316 "2014-07-13T10:04:06Z")
I wonder why the Fox host gave Anthony a pass on his violent imagery while he (Anthony) complained about blacks being violent. I especially enjoy all the laughing and giggling the hosts are doing to show how serious(ly funny?) Anthony’s tweets were. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/317 "2014-07-13T10:22:22Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > They’re both racist. As were the other various examples you’ve given, and as were Cumia’s tweets. The second is probably more racist. I disagree. His second example is definitely racist. His first one is not. He’s talking about a specific individual, relaying a fact while throwing in an ad hominem. Now you might argue that using the term redneck is in and of itself racist, but I think that goes too far. There are rednecks out there. People who self-identify as such. Now, if the guy was more of a preppy wall street banker and he was called a redneck, particularly by someone non-whiteI think you’d have a point. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/318 "2014-07-14T05:57:02Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I wonder why the Fox host gave Anthony a pass on his violent imagery while he (Anthony) complained about blacks being violent. I especially enjoy all the laughing and giggling the hosts are doing to show how serious(ly funny?) Anthony’s tweets were. You understand that there’s a difference between “violent imagery” and actual violence, right? ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/319 "2014-07-14T06:27:33Z")
There’s a good reason Fox has a reputation for being #1 with racists. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381/320 "2015-12-21T15:58:41Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I wonder why the Fox host gave Anthony a pass on his violent imagery while he (Anthony) complained about blacks being violent. I especially enjoy all the laughing and giggling the hosts are doing to show how serious(ly funny?) Anthony’s tweets were. Cuz Fox is made of white people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-fired-for-racist-tweets/692381.md?page=17)