Commentary

On Tracy Morgan’s rant: ‘What offends me is the fact that he apologized’

On Tracy Morgan’s rant: ‘What offends me is the fact that he apologized’

St. Louis’ local KSDK-TV’s opinion segment — “I’m just sayin’” — was designed to provide a forum for local opinions, but it’s turning out to be a complete nightmare.

Take a look at this segment of the show, where Jefferson County resident Joe Hipperson makes his opinions known about the Tracy Morgan incident. Watch and cringe over the dumbing down of our civilization:

So, 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan is getting some static because of homosexual jokes he made in a recent stand up routine. But what he said doesn’t offend me: what offends me is the fact that he apologized.

Look, comedy is an art, and any art that is subject to censorship, reminds me that freedom of speech is only allowed … if minorities allow it.

Explain to me how the gay community, which is called a minority, can be so powerful that they become the majority. But quickly relinquish the title when they need to become the minority again.

Case in point: does anybody remember Eddie Murphy apologizing in the 1980′s for his best selling comedy records full of his anti-gay remarks? No, you never remember because he never did apologize. It was humor, it was satire, and it was funny.

Before I start commenting on the fallacies of that argument, it’s important to note that Joe is a very good liar.

In 1983, Eddie Murphy Eddie Murphy kicked off his comedy special “Delirious” with this:

“I’ve got some rules while I’m doing stand-up. Faggots aren’t allowed to look at my ass while I’m on stage.”

Four years later he responded to previous criticism in “Raw,” asking, “Do you know what it’s like to have a nation of fags mad at you?!”

In later years, Eddie Murphy did eventually apologize, thus invalidating Joe’s arguments completely.

It is also beneficial to point out that comparing Eddie Murphy and Tracy Morgan is like comparing apples and oranges. Tracy’s comments were not only insensitive, he compelled anti-gay violence. In his his Nashville routine (emphasis on the bold), Tracy said:

Gays need to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying.

Gay is something that kids learn from the media and programming.

My son “better talk to me like a man and not in a gay voice or I’ll pull out a knife and stab that little nigger to death.”

I don’t fucking care if I piss off some gays, because if they can take a fucking dick up their ass… they can take a fucking joke.

If talking points threatening violence on another person, regardless of the sexual orientation, makes you laugh Mr. Joe Hipperson, then there is something completely wrong with you. It is because those kind of jokes are not funny whatsoever.

Verbal threats of any kind of violence have no business being in comedy routines. And you know what: Tracy is doing his part to be socially responsible, such as volunteering with GLAAD helping LGBT youth. If that offends you Joe, so be it.

That is the truth, and you know what? “I’m just sayin’”.

Below: Joe Hipperson makes his homophobic claims on air on KSDK’s “I’m Just Sayin’”

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