1.) The black employee would have almost certainly immediately retaliated with a much stronger blow. White people have culturally domesticated themselves so much now that most will not defend themselves. This has both pluses and minuses. If Katt Williams himself acknowledged exactly what I just said, during one of his shows, his audience would laugh and everyone in this thread calling you a racist wouldn't bat an eyelash.
2.) If it had been a white celebrity attacking a black Target employee, the immediate default assumption all of society would make is that this white celebrity was a racist, and insane. His career would be over. It'd be Michael Richards part 2. If Katt Williams wishes to continue his comedy career after this, not only will he be able to, but he'll be able to tell jokes about this incident starting with "YES I slapped that cracker, and lemme tell you why..." which he will be allowed to word in as racist a way as he likes, and be met with uproarious laughter from his audience regardless of what he says or whether he displays any contrition or bothers to make any sort of token noise about "but seriously y'all shouldn't do that." or not.
Whereas on the other hand, if theoretical white comedian didn't go on a nation-wide apology tour, and reassure one and all he was not racist, he'd be done as previously stated. He'd never get another large auditorium show again, but if he went on radio show, for instance, and said "yes I slapped that N-word and lemme tell you why..." the world would explode. In addition to his career being done, the radio show would be shut down.
3.) Someone in an authority position might honestly entertain hate crime charges. Whereas as it is now? The thought won't even cross a single mind.
4.) If the white employee had struck back, he'd lose his job and probably face a much nastier public opinion than if the hypothetical black employee did. He might lose his job too, but I think the chances would be lower. Wouldn't want to risk public outcry. Black employee would be lauded as hero if he knocked out white comedian, in many quarters.
----------------------------------------------------
You asked, and I answered.
And FYI, I actually have found Katt Williams' stand-up routine to be pretty funny. At times... some of it is a little too referential to a culture I'm not part of, but the more accessible stuff has been kind of funny. I recall laughing at some line about him being a little leprechaun or something. Maybe a leprechaun pimp or something like that.
I think a lot of celebrities go off the deep end or stumble, the pressure of their celebrity etc maybe gets to them...
I don't feel any hatred toward Katt Williams for doing this, it's just kind of an amusing story. I don't even hate the media for the disparity in how they'd cover this if the celeb was white. I find it disheartening and stupid, but I'm too used to it to get upset.
Even the posters in this thread who use opportunities like this to bark "racist! racist!" like seals begging for fish from their trainer don't bother me that much. They're fully indoctrinated into the current PC mindset, as so many people are, and as I was. Not really their fault.
I merely wanted to try to honestly entertain your hypothetical and keeps my answer real, yo.
Facebook
Twitter