Poll: Was the response to Kobe Bryant's use of the word "******" appropriate?

[Fanboy]

Buh? What does Kobe Bryant have against Harley Davidson owners?! I think his use of the word "******" was inappropriate, since the referee does not own a Harley Davidson. The fine is fine with me; It is more than enough for the NBA to buy the referee a Harley Davidson Motorcycle.

I also think that the LGBT people taking this as an act of homophobia are just bored, and possibly ran out of real things to be offended by.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

This guy got away with rape, I hardly think his reputation can get much lower and besides its not like 100k is anything more than spare change for him.

 

[Doctor Glocktor]

My brain hurts from the sheer amount of stupid from this.

I mean, fining him over a common slur? Like, REALLY?

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Is everyone trying to be that politically correct nowadays? It like every time I fart someone is in the news for uttering the words "gay" or "retard" in some fashion when it's not used in a derogatory way.

 

[Exocet]

$50K per swear word?Who the hell is running the NBA?Soccer moms?
He insulted the referee,give him punished ingame,a foul,time out,anything sports related.But money?
Wasn't there something written down in a random piece of paper about speech?I believe it described speech as cheap...wait no,inexpensive...no,still not it....Ah yes,free.Free fucking speech.

 

[Richard Hannay]

Wasn't there something written down in a random piece of paper about speech?I believe it described speech as cheap...wait no,inexpensive...no,still not it....Ah yes,free.Free fucking speech.

And if the NBA were government-run, that would matter, but it isn't. It's a private organization.

 

[Stevepinto3]

It's tempting to say I'm biased against pro-athletes, but really I find it hard to sympathize with any problems of millionaires short of their family being murdered. I mean, what's one hundred grand to Kobe?

As for saying it, it would be good practice for him to learn to watch his mouth. Like it or not kids look up to these people. And no, I don't buy the "Oh I'm not a role model" excuse. When you're in the spotlight like that you have to understand your actions have consequence.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Kobe said retard, he would be getting sued by Palin. Didn't you know you can't say retard anymore in public if you are famous.

You shouldn't be saying it in public regardless.

 

[The Gnome King]

For those of you who do not follow the NBA, Kobe Bryant was playing in a game Tuesday night against the Spurs when he was called for a technical foul and had to be taken out of the game. Kobe disputed the call, and was visibly upset and called the referee, who by all accounts is not a homosexual, a "fucking ******". This was caught on camera.

Kobe was fined $100,000 by the NBA Commissioner (Kobe is officially appealing):

Kobe Bryant's comment during last night's game was offensive and inexcusable. While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000.

He has also drawn the ire of many LGBT groups and sports writers, commenting about how this is yet another episode that proves the homophobic attitude in American sports.

"Gay Slur Speaks Volumes About Homophobia in Sports" http://www.thegrio.com/sports/kobes-gay-slur-speaks-volumes-about-homophobia-in-sports.php

However, the reaction from sports fans on various forums I visit has been much more mixed. Some have defended Kobe's apology/explanation:

What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.

Some forum users made the argument that use of the word "******" is so commonplace among young males that it has completely lost its original meaning as a gay slur, and should not be taken as self-consciously malicious towards gay people. Others made an interesting argument that had Kobe called the referee a "fucking retard", he would have received more flak for saying the word "fucking" than the word "retard", and he certainly would not have been fined $100,000. The word "retard" is such a part of common parlance that people rarely mean it as a direct insult to the actually mentally disabled. However, unlike homosexuals, the mentally disabled are not a powerful group politically. I'm not sure how much I agree with that personally, but it may be a valid argument.

What do you guys think, was the response to what Kobe said justified or overblown?

I think it should be handled in the same way that a white man dropping the "N bomb" on TV should be handled. It's a slur, it's hateful, and if you're not one you really have no call to use the term about anybody else. Just as the "N word" is laced with hatred from what it used to mean, so is the term ******, a word that reminds us of a time when gays were burned at the stake for their sexuality.

Just as blacks don't like to be reminded that they were at one point in history considered less than people, neither do homosexuals.

As for people defending Kobe, people will defend their celebrates from *anything* - I mean, let's be honest; this isn't the worst thing Kobe has done and been defended for...

I think they should fine him and if he's truly apologetic, he should donate a large sum to, say, GLADD.

http://www.glaad.org/

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Kobe said retard, he would be getting sued by Palin. Didn't you know you can't say retard anymore in public if you are famous.

You shouldn't be saying it in public regardless.

I hear that word a lot out in public. Pretty much slang for stupid at this point. I'm not going to even lie I do use retard and retarded out in public.

Just because other people do it doesn't make it a good thing. People who are actually mentally retarded have to deal with all kinds of shit on a daily basis, and if they're just walking by when they hear you say that, for all they know you were saying it to them.

 

[The Gnome King]

Kobe said retard, he would be getting sued by Palin. Didn't you know you can't say retard anymore in public if you are famous.

You shouldn't be saying it in public regardless.

I hear that word a lot out in public. Pretty much slang for stupid at this point. I'm not going to even lie I do use retard and retarded out in public.

Yes, and women were at one point in time referred to as "broads" and "dames" and "sweetcakes" at work. Think about it - would you want your wife or sister to be objectified like this in the workplace? I'd bet not.

Language changes for a reason. Just because something is slang doesn't mean it should be.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Putting aside everything else, when top stars earn what they do, I'm more than happy to see them punished in the only way they understand, by taking away some of their coke n hookers money when they misbehave or break the rules.

Abusing the referee isn't on, if you manage to make the ref feel threatened, you could affect his decisions, so abuse needs to be dealt with strongly.

Also,

Kobe said retard, he would be getting sued by Palin. Didn't you know you can't say retard anymore in public if you are famous.

You shouldn't be saying it in public regardless.

I'd suggest that you shouldn't be saying it now people who can afford lawyers don't want you to. Sadly it's not about 'right and wrong', it's about are you offending people who can afford to run you thru the courts for months.

As for Wayne Rooney, the UK football player, he was widely criticised for swearing at a SKY TV camera after scoring a goal. Most of it seems to be about his 'role model' position, as if kids have never told anyone to fuck off until last week. It all depends how much clout your sport has as a 'respected' sport, as to how much you can really slam your stars for being sweary.

As for role models, overpaid sports star isn't a great one, as only 0.001% of professional athletes make it, and then only if you choose one of the 'cool' sports, doesn't matter if you can throw the javelin half a mile, no-one cares, there's not enough ad space for Nike to sponsor a javelin.

I do agree that he shouldn't have said it, but the outcry is vastly overblown.

There was an incident with Cheryl Cole (Britain's got Talent Judge and ex-wife of footballer), who violently assaulted a bathroom attendant in a nightclub. Apparently she called the woman a 'black *****' while she was punching her in the fact. Again, the press decided the words 'black *****' were far more exciting than a serious violent assault.

 

[Saviordd1]

Wasnt the most brilliant thing to say but i do have to agree that the word ****** doesn't really mean homosexual anymore, it more refers to idiot and morons.

 

[Xealeon]

Wasn't there something written down in a random piece of paper about speech?I believe it described speech as cheap...wait no,inexpensive...no,still not it....Ah yes,free.Free fucking speech.

Free speech does not work as a catch all "I can say whatever to whoever whenever". Certain words and phrases are not protected under free speech and vulgar language directed at someone is one of those.

 

[Cheesus333]

Someone famous got angry and said something offensive? QUICK, TAKE THEIR MONEY. THAT WILL HELP.

If anyone can explain the logic behind fining a man a hundred grand for swearing - of all things - then I would be very grateful for that. Until then, I'll just fold my arms and shake my head (metaphorically speaking) and wonder why the Hell anyone thought this made sense.

 

[Gigano]

If there isn't any malice towards gay people behind it, then I'd say it's an overreaction.

Guy should've obviously chosen his words better (or better yet kept his mouth shut), but he's a adrenaline-pumped athlete in the heat of the moment using a term that no longer exclusively refers to a derogatory description of gay people.

Words don't count as much as the intended meaning, so if it can be gauged that they were for the referee only, and included nothing in way of describing his view the gay community - there appear to be no indication to the contrary - then slap him lightly on the wrist for mouthing off to a referee, and let his poor phrasings skills be poor phrasings skills.

If it was actually a description of how he view the gay community, then like all other discriminators he's a piece of filth unworthy of the slightest respect or pity. But in dubio pro reo [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_dubio_pro_reo] and all that.

This pathetic US obsession with purified words seems more like some kind of front in order to not deal with how certain minorities are actually treated in reality anyway. If only we don't say it, then it'll go away; or at least we won't have to look into it.

 

[Actual]

He should be fined for not being sporting. Sportsmen should be held up to the highest moral standards to ensure that they are good role models and the sport is kept gentlemanly.

I do agree with him that the word ****** can be used without any malice towards gay people.