# Will Harry Reid be forced to step down? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 10, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394 "2010-01-10T15:39:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/241 "2010-01-15T14:08:05Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > You’re the one who doesn’t get it, bra. Reid didn’t say anything offensive, period. Don Imus did. Trent Lott did. Reid did not. It’s just that simple. Look, I agree that Reid did not say anything that is offensive, exclaimation point. But, if Mitch McConnell had said the same thing that Reid said, it would have been labeled as offensive by those who now are defending Reid. It’s just not that complicated for you to get it. Diogenes the Cynic of lore was said to always be in search of an honest man. You are not being honest. > [@](#): > > by the way. Lott as forced out by his own party. Irrelevant. > [@](#): > > Imus was fired because he lost all his sponsors. It’s called capitalism. His sponsors bailed because of the broo-hah-hah raised by the professional race-hucksters. ---
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/242 "2010-01-15T14:13:18Z")
> [@kingbighair](#): > > Reid was talking about how the electorate would be more comfortable with a fair skinned black man who speaks a language they have in common. Is that wrong? Why don’t you give him the benefit of the doubt you give Don Imus? Another one that doesn’t get it. What do think would happen if Don Imus said the exact same thing Harry Reid said? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/243 "2010-01-15T14:17:55Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > But, if Mitch McConnell had said the same thing that Reid said, it would have been labeled as offensive by those who now are defending Reid. And we know this is true because there’s no way to prove it’s false. ---
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/244 "2010-01-15T14:31:05Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Imus’ problem was that he not only used some racially charged language, he picked on a target most people agreed didn’t deserve it (a successful women’s basketball team) and what he and his people said was unfnny. Does intent not account for anything? I agree, it was an ill-attempt at humor, but his intent was not to be offensive. Suppose the majority of players on the team had been white, and Imus said, “Man, what a bunch of Amazons”. I don’t think he would have lost his job, because the race-hucksters would not have come out of the woodwork. Samething… had the race-hucksters not been looking for a reason to pounce, and made it an issue, the comment would have gone un-noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/245 "2010-01-15T14:37:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And we know this is true because there’s no way to prove it’s false. Well, what do you think? You think the Left would not pounce on McConnell if he said the same thing Reid said? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/246 "2010-01-15T14:38:54Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > Does intent not account for anything? I agree, it was an ill-attempt at humor, but his intent was not to be offensive. It counts for _something_, yes, but it doesn’t make the issue go away. And it’s not really accurate to say “his intent was not to be offensive.” I used to listen to Imus a lot. They got laughs by shocking people, so there is not a clear line between trying to get laughs and trying to offend. > [@](#): > > Suppose the majority of players on the team had been white, and Imus said, “Man, what a bunch of Amazons”. I don’t think he would have lost his job, because the race-hucksters would not have come out of the woodwork. There’s no racial component to calling a woman an Amazon, and it’s arguably a compliment. So you’re right, he probably would not have lost his job for it and Sharpton probably would not have said anything. I’ll go even further and say that if Imus had said the team played great and he was rooting for them, he wouldn’t have been fired for that, either. > [@Paleface](#): > > Well, what do you think? You think the Left would not pounce on McConnell if he said the same thing Reid said? Some people might, and if they did, they would be wrong. Since that isn’t happening it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/247 "2010-01-15T14:46:26Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > Look, I agree that Reid did not say anything that is offensive, exclaimation point. But, if Mitch McConnell had said the same thing that Reid said, it would have been labeled as offensive by those who now are defending Reid. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/248 "2010-01-15T14:47:55Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > if Mitch McConnell had said the same thing that Reid said, it would have been labeled as offensive by those who now are defending Reid. You have some proof of this, or is it just their general assholish nature that causes it to be so? I usually find it helpful in understanding things to stick with the situation at hand, rather than dream up an artificial scenario in which the playactors act according to some general feelings I have about their underlying brutishness. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/249 "2010-01-15T14:48:54Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > His sponsors bailed because of the broo-hah-hah raised by the professional race-hucksters. Imus lost sponsors because they didn’t want to lose business. “Race hucksters” do not have control over what people are willing to buy and not buy. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/250 "2010-01-15T14:51:13Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > Another one that doesn’t get it. > > What do think would happen if Don Imus said the exact same thing Harry Reid said? Probably nothing, especially if he said it in private. Maybe some right winders would be offended, though. They seem to be awfully offended by Reid. I think they need to lighten up, personally. ---
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/251 "2010-01-15T14:54:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > They got laughs by shocking people, so there is not a clear line between trying to get laughs and trying to offend. You’re right, let me re-phrase. He was not intending to be as offensive as it turned out to be. Yes, it was his on-air persona to be a degree of offensive. Perhaps he should have been chastised and brought into line. But, for Sharpton to have demanded his head on a pike, that was a little over the top. wouldn’t you agree? > [@](#): > > There’s no racial component to calling a woman an Amazon, and it’s arguably a compliment. ::sigh:: Let’s just say he used it as a perjorative. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/252 "2010-01-15T14:55:13Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > Does intent not account for anything? I agree, it was an ill-attempt at humor, but his intent was not to be offensive. Yes it was. There was no way to take that that wasn’t insulting. > [@](#): > > Suppose the majority of players on the team had been white, and Imus said, “Man, what a bunch of Amazons”. I don’t think he would have lost his job, because the race-hucksters would not have come out of the woodwork. What’s racially charged about “Amazions,” and hpow is that comparable to not only making a disparaging comment about a racial characteristic, but also calling them “whores?” > [@](#): > > Samething… had the race-hucksters not been looking for a reason to pounce, and made it an issue, the comment would have gone un-noticed. Who are these boogeyman “race hucksters” the right wing is so obsessed with? IDo you really think Al Sharpton exerts any power or influence over anybody? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/253 "2010-01-15T14:59:11Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > You’re right, let me re-phrase. He was not intending to be as offensive as it turned out to be. Yes, it was his on-air persona to be a degree of offensive. Perhaps he should have been chastised and brought into line. But, for Sharpton to have demanded his head on a pike, that was a little over the top. Not as over the top as calling an innocent womn’s basketball team “nappy headed hos,” but sure it’s over the top. So what? This is America. It’s called free speech. It’s also not the reason Imus was fired. The free market did that. > [@](#): > > Let’s just say he used it as a perjorative. “Amazon” is not perjorative. ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/254 "2010-01-15T15:01:10Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Who are these boogeyman “race hucksters” the right wing is so obsessed with? IDo you really think Al Sharpton exerts any power or influence over anybody? They are legion and they do exert an influence on the gullible public. If and when they say something is “racist”, universal condemnation soon follows. If they don’t then nothing happens. I don’t understand why this is controversial. I’ve seen this happen a number of times. Remember Biden and the “articulate black man” comment that was NOT racial. He still was attacked by the offenderatti and it took the Messiah himself to let him off the hook. ---
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/255 "2010-01-15T15:04:14Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > “Amazon” is not perjorative. If you have a feminine significant other, call her a “Amazon”, and tell her it’s a term of endearment. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/256 "2010-01-15T15:13:42Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > If you have a feminine significant other, call her a “Amazon”, and tell her it’s a term of endearment. Uh, I think it’s against board rule to wish death on another poster. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/257 "2010-01-15T15:13:44Z")
> [@Anduril](#): > > They are legion and they do exert an influence on the gullible public. You’re imagining things. If it seems like lots of people get offended by some stupid thing uttered by a pandering politician or trolling, idiot shock jock (and Imus isn’t even a conservative, is he? So how does he represent a “double standard?”), then that’s generally because it really is offensive, not because some “race huckster”: bug-a-bears are oppressing rich, white guys. The fact that the poiltical right is unable to perceive any difference between what Reid said and what Lott and Imus said is an indication of how tone deaf a lot of conservatives really are to the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Paleface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Paleface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paleface)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/258 "2010-01-15T15:17:33Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > You have some proof of this, or is it just their general assholish nature that causes it to be so? I usually find it helpful in understanding things to stick with the situation at hand, rather than dream up an artificial scenario in which the playactors act according to some general feelings I have about their underlying brutishness. But, since the subject concerns the “double-standard”, a legitimate way to approach it is to construct a hypothetical situation by reversing the parties. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/259 "2010-01-15T15:18:59Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > If you have a feminine significant other, call her a “Amazon”, and tell her it’s a term of endearment. It wouldn’t really fit. It just means “tall.” My wife is about 5’7. Not particularly tall. She wouldn’t get offended, just confused. The suggestion that white women everywhere should become incensed if someone called tall women “Amazons” is not a very powerful or persuasive one. Maybe you should try something else. If you try hard enough, I’m sure you can come up with an imaginary scenario plausible enough to demonstrate sufficent imaginary hypocrisy by the left. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394/260 "2010-01-15T15:21:21Z")
> [@Paleface](#): > > But, since the subject concerns the “double-standard”, a legitimate way to approach it is to construct a hypothetical situation by reversing the parties. Hypotheticals are not demonstrations. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-harry-reid-be-forced-to-step-down/524394.md?page=14)