Courtesy of Yahoo.com & Dylan Stableford ~ The Cutline
Political commentator Roland Martin has been suspended indefinitely by CNN over a series of tweets he published during the Super Bowl.
"Roland Martin's tweets were regrettable and offensive," CNN said in a statement. "Language that demeans is inconsistent with the values and culture of our organization, and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful consideration to this matter, and Roland will not be appearing on our air for the time being."
Those comments, published on his personal Twitter feed, concerned a two Super Bowl ads, including an H&M spot showcasing a new David Beckham underwear line.
Martin wrote:
If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl
Earlier in the game, Martin chastised a player for wearing pink:
Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass
Several gay and lesbian rights groups were outraged. GLAAD said CNN ought to fire Martin: "Advocates of gay bashing have no place at CNN." Even Glenn Beck found Martin's comments insulting.
Martin first tried to defend his tweets as lighthearted ribbing of Beckham's sport. "I made several cracks about soccer as I do all the time," Martin wrote on Twitter. "I was not referring to sexuality directly or indirectly regarding the David Beckham ad, and I'm sorry folks took it otherwise. It was meant to be a deliberately over the top and sarcastic crack about soccer; I do not advocate violence of any kind against anyone gay, or not. As anyone who follows me on Twitter knows, anytime soccer comes up during football season it's another chance for me to take a playful shot at soccer, nothing more."
The CNN contributor later formally apologized, issuing a statement:
Based on several tweets I made on my Twitter feed on Super Bowl Sunday yesterday, I have been accused by members of the LGBT community of being supportive of violence against gays and lesbians and bullying. That is furthest from the truth, and I sincerely regret any offense my words have caused.
"What Martin tweeted—advocating beatings for men who'd enjoyed the David Beckham underwear ad shown during the Super Bowl plus the same for a New England Patriot clad in a pink suit—was the equivalent of cheerleading for violence against gays," Washington Post columnist Erik Wemple, the first to report Martin's suspension, wrote Wednesday.
Martin did not return a request for comment.
No word on how long he will remain off CNN's airwaves.
Side Bar ~ I always liked Mr. Roland Martin and perhaps some may say were being too sensitive but being a CNN commentor, you out of all people should know that yours tweets were inappropriate?
"If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl" . . . LIKE REALLY Mr. Martin!
I understand Freedom of speech, however, I would like to believe after looking back on that tweet, you would have to said to yourself, yep . . Perhaps I was being insensitive to the LGBT community, without them calling you up on it. I mean come on now hindsight is 20/20. Your followed by so many people that linger on your every word, yet, you really was on one that day!
Mr. Martin . . . From Gay Man to Straight Man . . . You know David Beckham Supberbowl XLVI Undewear Ad was hot. Let's face it David Beckham oozes sex appeal (#pointblank), you don't have to be gay to give him his props!
No comments:
Post a Comment