# Martin Bashir, you call that an apology? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 19, 2013, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245 "2013-11-19T07:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/101 "2013-11-27T16:26:50Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Shaking my head in disbelief. Rolling my eyes. Appreciating those Black conservatives that have the wherewithal, independence and courage to not follow along. And laughing my ass off when a[Republican wins an election because the voters assumed he was Black](http://gawker.com/white-republican-wins-election-by-convincing-voters-he-1462172659)and whined when they found out otherwise. HA! Funny stuff. I don’t really follow your train of thought, I confess. You were astounded, you disbelieved, but you had an explanation? I mean, generally, when i’m astounded by someone’s actions. When i’m in disbelief, it’s because things run contrary to my expectations. But you seem to already have an understanding as to actions here, and they seem to have run entirely within your expectations. > [@](#): > > You know, even if you take the U.S.'s history with slavery off the table, it’s still a very bad thing. Are you of the mind that all allusions to “slavery”, “enslavement”, etc. directly and necessarily point to that particular history? I don’t think the phrase has to be a synonym for it to be appropriate in explaining it. Don’t know why you’re placing the bar there. I think you’ve misunderstood my point. I’m saying what you’re saying here; there is no type of slavery, allusions to the U.S.'s history included, that isn’t a bad thing. I’m of the mind that all allusions to “slavery”, “enslavement”, etc. should directly and necessarily point to, you know, slavery and enslavement. If they don’t, then they are unreasonable points, and given the context in which the examples of Biden and Palin use them, likely a matter of attempting to tie one’s political enemies to what is necessarily an evil thing. I have to confess i’m slightly offended that you would think I would consider slavery to have some form where it is not a very bad thing. I mean, really, if I saw you write even something like “Hey, slavery sometimes isn’t bad!” I think i’d probably assume you’d mistyped or phrased rather than actually think you meant that, because it would be pretty dumb! > [@](#): > > As I said, I have little problem when the word is used and there’s no or little chance of it being conflated with America’s history of slaver. Palin’s usage falls into that category, unless someone thinks that Chinese will be coming over here and running our companies the way plantation owners ran their plantations. > > Conversely, Biden’s remark, speaking to a predominantly Black audience was trying to drum up fear that the Republicans wanted to put American Blacks “back in chains”—_which they were actually in at one time_. If you don’t see a world of difference between those two, I don’t think I can help you. And you may start campaigning for abolishment of the use of any variation of the term slavery when not talking about the actual American history of enslavement. Well done on adding that “predominantly” in there - it really does help the point you’re making. Anyway; as i’ve pointed out, i’m not saying “slavery” in these two instances is an allusion to “historical American slavery” here, quite the opposite. I think there’s a decent argument there that the limits of Chinese labour practices as regards workers is about as close to slavery as would be acceptable to profit from in American political terms, but that to one side, Palin is still using the term. She’s using the term for a reason. Even if all that she’s using it for is just to link her opponents to a very bad thing (which i’d say she probably is, likewise Biden) without actually meaning “They’re coming to put you in chains!”, though of course both actually used those words, too. > [@](#): > > OMG? We used the same word to describe a thing that is tightly associated with it. Guilty as charged. I imagine that if you and I were both asked to describe water and each of us included “wet” in our definitions, then something must very well be afoot! Exactly so! So when you talk about Biden’s no-good, very-bad thing, and point to his use of direct shackling terms as being evidence of the directness of what he’s saying, it seems perfectly reasonable to say that we should judge Palin’s use of such terms in the same way. Likewise, when you’ve pointed to Biden’s use of such terms to suggest that he was being hyperbolic rather than metaphorical, likewise, it seems reasonable to use that same standard when looking at Palin’s words. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/102 "2013-11-27T16:27:51Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Maybe. But the sociaology experiment/election in Houston that got the White guy elected gives support to my position. > > Too freakin’ funny! On what basis does it give support? ---
**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:** [December 4, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/103 "2013-12-04T20:41:05Z")
Jeez… [Marin Bashir resigns over comments.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/04/martin-bashir-resigns-msnbc_n_4385884.html) Too bad. One fuck up and you’re out the door. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/104 "2013-12-04T21:23:53Z")
Hah! Yeah, he ‘resigned’ all right…in the sense that it allowed him not to be fired. 😃 Should have happened the day he said it! It’s a black mark against MSNBC (not that they’ve ever cared much about that sort of thing) that they waited until they felt they had no other choice to then do the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/105 "2013-12-04T23:07:05Z")
I’ll miss him. Too bad the people at Fox never apologize, let alone resign, over their controversial comments. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/106 "2013-12-04T23:30:14Z")
Bah! I go so far as demand someone defecate on Sarah Pailin, and no one makes me resign from this Board. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/107 "2013-12-05T00:30:52Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’ll miss him. Too bad the people at Fox never apologize, let alone resign, over their controversial comments. There are controversial comments and then there are controversial comments. I don’t believe anyone at Fox ever stated someone should piss and shit in the mouth of some Democrat. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/108 "2013-12-05T00:59:40Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > There are controversial comments and then there are controversial comments. I don’t believe anyone at Fox ever stated someone should piss and shit in the mouth of some Democrat. Please. If the likes of Rush, Hanity, and Ann Coulter were held to the same standards as Martin Bashir, they would have been out a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/109 "2013-12-05T01:26:10Z")
Him and Piers Morgan need to be deported back to the UK ---
**Author:** ![Werekoala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Werekoala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werekoala)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/110 "2013-12-05T04:16:22Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Please. If the likes of Rush, Hanity, and Ann Coulter were held to the same standards as Martin Bashir, they would have been out a long time ago. Cite. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/111 "2013-12-05T06:21:10Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Please. If the likes of Rush, Hanity, and Ann Coulter were held to the same standards as Martin Bashir, they would have been out a long time ago. So you’re saying that Fox absolutely will not tolerate standards below those demonstrated by Bashir and would have immediately fired anyone failing to meet those admittedly low standards? Interesting! It’s rare to meet anyone hereabouts who’s willing to toss such bouquets Fox’s way. And pssst…Rush isn’t in the employ of Fox. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/112 "2013-12-05T10:35:01Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Him and Piers Morgan need to be deported back to the UK Nuh-uh. You wanted Piers Morgan, and now you have to keep him. No givesie-backsies. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/113 "2013-12-05T12:36:38Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > So you’re saying that Fox absolutely will not tolerate standards below those demonstrated by Bashir and would have immediately fired anyone failing to meet those admittedly low standards? > > Interesting! It’s rare to meet anyone hereabouts who’s willing to toss such bouquets Fox’s way. > > And pssst…Rush isn’t in the employ of Fox. LOL. Nice try. Also, I’m speaking of right wing pundits in general, not just Fox. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/114 "2013-12-05T12:57:26Z")
> [@Werekoala](#): > > Cite. [Here you go.](http://www.politicususa.com/2013/12/04/martin-bashir-lost-job-rush-limbaugh-day.html) ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/115 "2013-12-05T14:26:11Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Here’s all the commentary possible: You’re a simple-minded partisan hack. Coming from you that’s quite amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/116 "2013-12-05T14:46:57Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Nuh-uh. You wanted Piers Morgan, and now you have to keep him. No givesie-backsies But…but…you sold us broken merchandise ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/117 "2013-12-05T14:49:42Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > [Here you go.](http://www.politicususa.com/2013/12/04/martin-bashir-lost-job-rush-limbaugh-day.html) Ha!! A Liberal complaining about double standards. Now I’ve heard it all 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/118 "2013-12-05T14:57:03Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Jeez… > [Marin Bashir resigns over comments.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/04/martin-bashir-resigns-msnbc_n_4385884.html) > Too bad. One fuck up and you’re out the door. Oh well. I have to wonder, when this initially blew up, if he knew he’d end up resigning would he have apologized? If ever there was a time for courage, to dig in and say, “Yeah, that’s what I said. It’s totally true, now fuck off you pustulent quim.” it was then. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/119 "2013-12-05T15:00:40Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > I have to wonder, when this initially blew up, if he knew he’d end up resigning would he have apologized? If ever there was a time for courage, to dig in and say, “Yeah, that’s what I said. It’s totally true, now fuck off you pustulent quim.” it was then. Nah, he’s British, he could never be that rude. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245/120 "2013-12-05T16:02:31Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Nah, he’s British, he could never be that rude. 😃 Naw, I’ve seen that [documentary](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0459159/)about Malcolm Tucker. “Come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-bashir-you-call-that-an-apology/674245.md?page=7)