Trial Set For Firing Over Use Of 'N' Word

[bonnie]

Trial Set For Firing Over Use Of 'N' Word

By Michael Klein

Inquirer Staff Writer

A federal jury will be asked to decide whether it is acceptable for an African American person, but not a white person, to use the "n" word in a workplace.

U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick has ruled that former Fox29 reporter-anchor Tom Burlington's lawsuit against the station, claiming a double standard and alleging that he was the victim of racial discrimination, may go to trial. However, Surrick denied Burlington's claim of a hostile work environment.

Burlington, who is white, was fired after using the "n" word during a June 2007 staff meeting at which reporters and producers were discussing reporter Robin Taylor's story about the symbolic burial of the word by the Philadelphia Youth Council of the NAACP.

Burlington, who began work at the station in 2004 and is now working as a real estate agent, was suspended within days and fired after an account of the incident was published in the Philadelphia Daily News. He alleges that he "was discriminated against because of his race," according to court documents. He claims in his lawsuit that at least two African American employees at Fox29 had used the word in the workplace and were not disciplined.

The dispute began after Taylor, who is white, used the phrase the "n" word during the 2007 staff meeting. She said participants at the burial had said the full word "at least a hundred times or more," according to court records.

"Does this mean we can finally say the word n-?" Burlington asked colleagues, according to depositions.

Nicole Wolfe, a producer and one of the three African American employees among the nine people at the meeting, exclaimed: "I can't believe you just said that!"

Burlington told Taylor that although he did not necessarily expect her to use the word in her story, he thought that doing so gave the story more credence.

Burlington says he used the word only once and approached several attendees after the meeting to explain himself. The Daily News account said he had used the word more than a dozen times.

Surrick, in denying Fox's request to have the suit dismissed, said that federal courts had not determined whether a double standard, if true in this case, would violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which deals with equal opportunity in employment.

On the one hand, he wrote in a memorandum Dec. 23, the word is "considered by many to be the most offensive in the English language" and "has been used by whites as a tool to belittle, oppress, or dehumanize African Americans. When viewed in its historical context, one can see how people in general, and African Americans in particular, might react differently when a white person uses the word than if an African American uses it.

"Nevertheless, we are unable to conclude that this is a justifiable reason for permitting the station to draw race-based distinctions between employees."

Surrick wrote that "there is evidence in this case to suggest that at least two African Americans said the word in the workplace with no consequences."

Surrick wrote that a jury would have to decide whether Burlington was a "victim of political correctness run amok" - as Burlington's suit contends - or a victim of "his own poor judgment."

On Dec. 30, Surrick denied Burlington's attempt to prevent Fox from mentioning at trial that after the meeting, he told his former coanchor Joyce Evans that someone had referred to her as a "n- bitch."

Burlington had said he was simply illustrating what he considered to be an unacceptable use of the word, court filings say. Evans was not at the staff meeting.

The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 18.

A Fox spokeswoman on Tuesday said the station disagreed with the judge's decision about the disparate treatment and looked forward to presenting its case to the jury.

[phkrause]

Do we know the context as to how he used the "n" word? Not that that really means anything one way or the other anymore. I'm just curious.

[bonnie]

Do we know the context as to how he used the "n" word? Not that that really means anything one way or the other anymore. I'm just curious.

If the word is acceptable for some to use it is acceptable for all.If all are not fired that use it,none should be.It is in music,so called moronic comedy many times and people laugh.Those that use it are lacking a little in language skills

[fccool]

This is a touchy issue primarily because of the history of racism that black people endured not so presently. I understand that we do have a black president now, and we've come a long way since then... yet the pain and ideology is still repugnant. A white man uttering the n word is offensive for that reason.

Black people sort of embraced it and turned it into a friendly greeting by altering it slightly, but it does not change the history associated with it. The thing is that the word is intended to be as trenchant and derogatory label for a certain group of people. It's like me asking someone... use the n-word in a sentence . It's a derogatory label. It's hard to use it and make it not offensive outside of its cultural context.

If a word "whore" would be used to describe all women repeatedly over a century... we can be certain it would be of the same status as the "n"-word.

[bonnie]

This is a touchy issue primarily because of the history of racism that black people endured not so presently. I understand that we do have a black president now, and we've come a long way since then... yet the pain and ideology is still repugnant. A white man uttering the n word is offensive for that reason.

Black people sort of embraced it and turned it into a friendly greeting by altering it slightly, but it does not change the history associated with it. The thing is that the word is intended to be as trenchant and derogatory label for a certain group of people. It's like me asking someone... use the n-word in a sentence . It's a derogatory label. It's hard to use it and make it not offensive outside of its cultural context.

If a word "whore" would be used to describe all women repeatedly over a century... we can be certain it would be of the same status as the "n"-word.

If it is so touchy then all should stop using it. A black man uses that word in my house no matter "how he embraces it" he will be told to leave.

A white man using it in my house for any reason will be told to leave.

If the word is offensive,it is offensive.

Not to many people seemed offended when the Jerry brown group,I believe his wife referrered to Meg Whitman as a whore.

Flat out that woman should have had her mouth slapped

[Woody]

I think the Blacks feel they are entitled to the word and the whites are not.

[fccool]

Quote:

If it is so touchy then all should stop using it. A black man uses that word in my house no matter "how he embraces it" he will be told to leave. A white man using it in my house for any reason will be told to leave.

If the word is offensive,it is offensive. Not to many people seemed offended when the Jerry brown group,I believe his wife referrered to Meg Whitman as a whore. Flat out that woman should have had her mouth slapped

It's not an issue what should and should not be. Slavery should not have been, yet it was. It should have been offensive, yet we still had one group of people lording over the other for non other reason than color of their skin... and they would call those people niggers, meaning a sub-human chocolate man who is fit for nothing better than being a slave.

As far as black people using nigga to refer to each other, there's a cultural term called re-appropriation. Basically works like this:

1) You call someone a derogatory word repeatedly

2) They start using it among themselves in a positive manner to drown your attempts to demean them

3) They later punish you for trying to do the same

I think it's fair . If my friends give me a nickname, and it would be as$%@$% . I may know that it's a tongue-in-cheek name in context of our friendship. I certainly would have no reason to think that if other people use it ... it would mean the same thing. I would highly doubt it, and probably thing that these people would have something against me. It's not about the word in this case, but who says that word and what it meant to accomplish. In one case it gives a friendly context, and in other it's questionable.

In context of the reporter, he wanted to know if he could start using it now to refer to black people. He got his answer

PS. I'm white, and I was allowed to use the word excessively when referring directly to my black friends on basketball teams I played with. They don't punish every single white man for using the word. That should be clear. They only punish the ones they don't know. If you angry and outraged about it... there's very little you can do to change the reality... and have many white grandparents (perhaps not yours) to thank for it :)

[bonnie]

far as black people using nigga to refer to each other, there's a cultural term called re-appropriation. Basically works like this:

1) You call someone a derogatory word repeatedly

2) They start using it among themselves in a positive manner to drown your attempts to demean them

3) They later punish you for trying to do the same

I think it's fair . If my friends give me a nickname, and it would be as$%@$% . I may know that it's a tongue-in-cheek name in context of our friendship. I certainly would have no reason to think that if other people use it ... it would mean the same thing. I would highly doubt it, and probably thing that these people would have something against me. It's not about the word in this case, but who says that word and what it meant to accomplish. In one case it gives a friendly context, and in other it's questionable.

In context of the reporter, he wanted to know if he could start using it now to refer to black people. He got his answer

PS. I'm white, and I was allowed to use the word excessively when referring directly to my black friends on basketball teams I played with. They don't punish every single white man for using the word. That should be clear. They only punish the ones they don't know. If you angry and outraged about it... there's very little you can do to change the reality... and have many white grandparents (perhaps not yours) to thank for it

There are many people that use words to demean others.People don't get fired for using them.

Blacks do not own tise word.Any moronic black man using it oon my property would be told very quickly just how stupid and offensive he was

[fccool]

You'd only make more enemies yourself. Why the need for such vengeance over a word? I have to admit that at times I find this issue to be playing a 100 year victim card... and it sort of shows some cultural immaturity. Mature people like Cosby have no shame to admit their problem with such attitude. Yet, you doing that would be like calling your husband stupid for some silly habit that you don't like. It's not that big of a deal. All of us have double standards . I do! It's not a good thing, but sometimes... pride does get better of me.

[phkrause]

PS. I'm white, and I was allowed to use the word excessively when referring directly to my black friends on basketball teams I played with. They don't punish every single white man for using the word. That should be clear. They only punish the ones they don't know. If you angry and outraged about it... there's very little you can do to change the reality... and have many white grandparents (perhaps not yours) to thank for it

Excellent post fccool, I also had this growing up in NYC. Most if not all my friends outside the church were all Balck and Hispanic. I was one of the very few white's that was tolerated when saying the n word in BB, Basketball, FB, games etc. Of course than being young an foolish was proud that I was allowed useish(sp) of the n word. Now I would never say it amongst my black friends even though a few have said, no problem, we know who you are and what you stand for.