Monkey by itself isn't racist, IMO. But add another word for "covered entrance", and you may have a fight on your hands.
then i live in a cave, because up until that thread, i didnt know about monkey being a racial slur.
More "monkey" stupidity:
http://www-cgi.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0402/18/pzn.00.html
In Focus" tonight, how to lose your job over a single word and not even a four-letter word. This story raises questions about what some say is political correctness run amuck. This man, Jeff Bogg, says he was fired by Southwest Airlines for using the word monkey.
He joins us tonight in Detroit for an exclusive television interview.
Good to see you, Jeff. Welcome.
JEFF BOGG, FIRED BY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: How are you, Paula?
ZAHN: I'm fine, thanks, sir.
If you would, briefly describe to us what happened to you.
BOGG: I have a handicapped child, a special needs child. And December 5, we went to the church. And they do a thing for children.
And while they were sitting on Santa Claus's lap, the photographer was saying "Smile. Say monkey." And my wife and I talked about it. She's a preschool teacher and we thought it was great. The next night was the Dallas maintenance party for Southwest Airlines. And during the course of the evening, I walked through the foyer. And an African-American family was having their photograph taken.
And I stood there and I said, "Smile. Say monkey." And two of the gentlemen approached me and said they took offense to it. And I apologized immediately and told them -- I assured them I didn't mean anything by that. And we went about our way.
ZAHN: Then, shortly thereafter, you were fired, weren't you?
BOGG: Yes, ma'am. That was December the 9th nine and I was terminated on January 6, that morning.
ZAHN: And what reason did they give you for firing you, for saying something that was perceived as racist? BOGG: No, ma'am. They told me that it was inappropriate conduct. And the termination letter they handed me said that I'd used the word monkey during an African-American photo shoot and the family took offense to it.
ZAHN: We actually have a statement from Southwest Airlines I'd like you to react to tonight, Jeff.
And I'm reading it halfway through, where they basically say that you had a leadership position at the company and -- quote -- "We expect our leaders to set the example and lead with the highest degree of integrity. We are angry and dismayed at Mr. Bogg's account of the events that led to his termination. And we don't agree with his version of the facts."
BOGG: I think I was a political scapegoat, executed for that. I have a -- like I say, I have a handicapped child. And we know that kind of thing profusely, because we go to the store. We get the stares and they walk around us and stuff like that. So, I know that and I wouldn't offend anybody intentionally.
ZAHN: And you said you apologized, so you do understand why some people might have perceived your saying that word as racist?
BOGG: Well, when the two gentlemen approached me and said they took offense to it, that's when I apologized. And I told the young lady from human resources that I would apologize to the family, meet with the family, whatever it took. And I assured her I didn't mean anything by it.
ZAHN: Are you bitter about what happened?
BOGG: Yes, ma'am, somewhat, because I was almost 16 years with Southwest Airlines, a spotless record.
ZAHN: So, do you ever plan to use the word monkey again when a picture is taken?
BOGG: No, ma'am, I won't say anything at picture time, not even say cheese.
ZAHN: Now let's get the views of two African-Americans on the Bogg controversy, nationally syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams and civil rights activist Lawrence Guyot, both in Washington tonight.
Welcome, gentlemen.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Guyot, I want to start with you this evening. Do you think Mr. Bogg should have been fired for using the word monkey?
LAWRENCE GUYOT, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Absolutely.
ZAHN: Why? GUYOT: I think because racism permeates all of America. Some corporations have become responsible and they have talked to their leadership about what's possible, what's acceptable and what's not.
ZAHN: But he said he meant no harm by it.
GUYOT: You know, we can't take the position that an explosive, triggering word has to be imbued with intent, because, once we do that, I can go to anyone and say anything I want. And that's not allowed.
We live in a very fragile, racial context. When I go out -- when I leave this studio and I try to catch a cab, I'm going to be treated differently than any other white American. White America does not have to plan and prepare itself for putting its children in that kind of situation.
This gentleman, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and I'll say, OK, he wasn't aware of what he was doing. That in no way spares him from the corporation being efficient and responsible.
ZAHN: All right.
Well, what about that, Armstrong, Guyot basically arguing that the intent didn't matter here, that, at its root, the word is racist, regardless of what the man meant?
ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: You know, I speak as an American, not a hyphenated American.
Listen, what the guy did not express in his remarks was that, when the photographer said, "Say monkey," the kids went into laughter. They were really excited about the reaction. And so, obviously, it was harmless. Obviously, we live in a very sensitive, very politically correct society. And, obviously, there is still pockets of racism in America.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: All right, but, Armstrong, even you have to acknowledge saying that to children is a much different context than him saying that to some African-Americans who were having their picture taken.
WILLIAMS: But you know what? The bottom line is, even his neighbors who just happened to be Americans who are black who live next door to Jeff, say he's a good guy. They've known him for a long time. And they were stunned that someone would take his word monkey to mean that he tried to offend this black family.
He came into the room the very night, fresh off of hearing the reaction from the kids. He was feeling very good about it. He saw the photographer. And without even thinking, he's just looked over, saying, having fun, saying, hey, say monkey. They were offended. When the two gentlemen walked up to him and said, hey, man, I was offended by that, he immediately said, oh I'm sorry, because we are dealing with adults here. He realized at that point that they were offended by it. He said he was sorry. He apologized and he thought that it was over. Yes, he made the comments. Yes, I can see how that family may have been offended. But this man doesn't have a track record of making racist comments or offending people. He used bad judgment for people who are overly sensitive and reacted the wrong way.
But the man is not a racist. He meant no harm and shouldn't have been fired. This is not what the civil rights movement is about. This is not racism. This is just the system, including Southwest Airlines, overreacting to a situation.
GUYOT: That's just not true.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Guyot, what about that argument, that this is political correctness gone amuck?
GUYOT: I wouldn't have come to participate in a program about political correctness.
On these facts, the only concession I'll make is, the airline should have told him how serious they considered this before they fired him. That's my only concession.
ZAHN: But a whole month period went by before they did so. In fact, he said he was given the impression when he first went to H.R. that there wasn't a problem at all.
(CROSSTALK)
GUYOT: Ms. Zahn, I've made the concession. But I'll make no other. If a black person had done the same thing, I would feel he should be treated the same way.
This is not about people being oversensitive. This is about the day-to-day life of what being black in America is to some of us. And let's be clear. We have an opportunity and a challenge and a responsibility to deal openly with the discussion of race. And until we do that, we'll have a million of these. And we can't tolerate that.
These anecdotal situations could become very explosive. Suppose the two family members had gone up to him and hit him. Then we get into a whole, you know, question of
(CROSSTALK)
GUYOT: ... this conflict escalating.
(CROSSTALK)
GUYOT: This is not about political correctness. This is about equity.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Armstrong, I need a brief closing word.
WILLIAMS: I think it's a generational situation.
Guys like Lawrence and others still live in that time period. I polled many people today to discuss this, even before coming on the air tonight. Not one person thought that this guy should have been fired and not one person, who just happened to be black, thought that guy was a racist and meant any harm by his statements. This is just overreaction and just blown out of proportion. Southwest Airlines should apologize to this man and give him his job back.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: All right, we've got to leave it there.
Gentlemen, Guyot and Armstrong Williams, I've got to move on.
GUYOT: Southwest should continue. And other corporations should follow that good example.
WILLIAMS: Poor example.
ZAHN: Thank you both, gentlemen. Appreciate your time.
http://www-cgi.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0402/18/pzn.00.html
In Focus" tonight, how to lose your job over a single word and not even a four-letter word. This story raises questions about what some say is political correctness run amuck. This man, Jeff Bogg, says he was fired by Southwest Airlines for using the word monkey.
He joins us tonight in Detroit for an exclusive television interview.
Good to see you, Jeff. Welcome.
JEFF BOGG, FIRED BY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: How are you, Paula?
ZAHN: I'm fine, thanks, sir.
If you would, briefly describe to us what happened to you.
BOGG: I have a handicapped child, a special needs child. And December 5, we went to the church. And they do a thing for children.
And while they were sitting on Santa Claus's lap, the photographer was saying "Smile. Say monkey." And my wife and I talked about it. She's a preschool teacher and we thought it was great. The next night was the Dallas maintenance party for Southwest Airlines. And during the course of the evening, I walked through the foyer. And an African-American family was having their photograph taken.
And I stood there and I said, "Smile. Say monkey." And two of the gentlemen approached me and said they took offense to it. And I apologized immediately and told them -- I assured them I didn't mean anything by that. And we went about our way.
ZAHN: Then, shortly thereafter, you were fired, weren't you?
BOGG: Yes, ma'am. That was December the 9th nine and I was terminated on January 6, that morning.
ZAHN: And what reason did they give you for firing you, for saying something that was perceived as racist? BOGG: No, ma'am. They told me that it was inappropriate conduct. And the termination letter they handed me said that I'd used the word monkey during an African-American photo shoot and the family took offense to it.
ZAHN: We actually have a statement from Southwest Airlines I'd like you to react to tonight, Jeff.
And I'm reading it halfway through, where they basically say that you had a leadership position at the company and -- quote -- "We expect our leaders to set the example and lead with the highest degree of integrity. We are angry and dismayed at Mr. Bogg's account of the events that led to his termination. And we don't agree with his version of the facts."
BOGG: I think I was a political scapegoat, executed for that. I have a -- like I say, I have a handicapped child. And we know that kind of thing profusely, because we go to the store. We get the stares and they walk around us and stuff like that. So, I know that and I wouldn't offend anybody intentionally.
ZAHN: And you said you apologized, so you do understand why some people might have perceived your saying that word as racist?
BOGG: Well, when the two gentlemen approached me and said they took offense to it, that's when I apologized. And I told the young lady from human resources that I would apologize to the family, meet with the family, whatever it took. And I assured her I didn't mean anything by it.
ZAHN: Are you bitter about what happened?
BOGG: Yes, ma'am, somewhat, because I was almost 16 years with Southwest Airlines, a spotless record.
ZAHN: So, do you ever plan to use the word monkey again when a picture is taken?
BOGG: No, ma'am, I won't say anything at picture time, not even say cheese.
ZAHN: Now let's get the views of two African-Americans on the Bogg controversy, nationally syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams and civil rights activist Lawrence Guyot, both in Washington tonight.
Welcome, gentlemen.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Guyot, I want to start with you this evening. Do you think Mr. Bogg should have been fired for using the word monkey?
LAWRENCE GUYOT, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Absolutely.
ZAHN: Why? GUYOT: I think because racism permeates all of America. Some corporations have become responsible and they have talked to their leadership about what's possible, what's acceptable and what's not.
ZAHN: But he said he meant no harm by it.
GUYOT: You know, we can't take the position that an explosive, triggering word has to be imbued with intent, because, once we do that, I can go to anyone and say anything I want. And that's not allowed.
We live in a very fragile, racial context. When I go out -- when I leave this studio and I try to catch a cab, I'm going to be treated differently than any other white American. White America does not have to plan and prepare itself for putting its children in that kind of situation.
This gentleman, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and I'll say, OK, he wasn't aware of what he was doing. That in no way spares him from the corporation being efficient and responsible.
ZAHN: All right.
Well, what about that, Armstrong, Guyot basically arguing that the intent didn't matter here, that, at its root, the word is racist, regardless of what the man meant?
ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: You know, I speak as an American, not a hyphenated American.
Listen, what the guy did not express in his remarks was that, when the photographer said, "Say monkey," the kids went into laughter. They were really excited about the reaction. And so, obviously, it was harmless. Obviously, we live in a very sensitive, very politically correct society. And, obviously, there is still pockets of racism in America.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: All right, but, Armstrong, even you have to acknowledge saying that to children is a much different context than him saying that to some African-Americans who were having their picture taken.
WILLIAMS: But you know what? The bottom line is, even his neighbors who just happened to be Americans who are black who live next door to Jeff, say he's a good guy. They've known him for a long time. And they were stunned that someone would take his word monkey to mean that he tried to offend this black family.
He came into the room the very night, fresh off of hearing the reaction from the kids. He was feeling very good about it. He saw the photographer. And without even thinking, he's just looked over, saying, having fun, saying, hey, say monkey. They were offended. When the two gentlemen walked up to him and said, hey, man, I was offended by that, he immediately said, oh I'm sorry, because we are dealing with adults here. He realized at that point that they were offended by it. He said he was sorry. He apologized and he thought that it was over. Yes, he made the comments. Yes, I can see how that family may have been offended. But this man doesn't have a track record of making racist comments or offending people. He used bad judgment for people who are overly sensitive and reacted the wrong way.
But the man is not a racist. He meant no harm and shouldn't have been fired. This is not what the civil rights movement is about. This is not racism. This is just the system, including Southwest Airlines, overreacting to a situation.
GUYOT: That's just not true.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Guyot, what about that argument, that this is political correctness gone amuck?
GUYOT: I wouldn't have come to participate in a program about political correctness.
On these facts, the only concession I'll make is, the airline should have told him how serious they considered this before they fired him. That's my only concession.
ZAHN: But a whole month period went by before they did so. In fact, he said he was given the impression when he first went to H.R. that there wasn't a problem at all.
(CROSSTALK)
GUYOT: Ms. Zahn, I've made the concession. But I'll make no other. If a black person had done the same thing, I would feel he should be treated the same way.
This is not about people being oversensitive. This is about the day-to-day life of what being black in America is to some of us. And let's be clear. We have an opportunity and a challenge and a responsibility to deal openly with the discussion of race. And until we do that, we'll have a million of these. And we can't tolerate that.
These anecdotal situations could become very explosive. Suppose the two family members had gone up to him and hit him. Then we get into a whole, you know, question of
(CROSSTALK)
GUYOT: ... this conflict escalating.
(CROSSTALK)
GUYOT: This is not about political correctness. This is about equity.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Armstrong, I need a brief closing word.
WILLIAMS: I think it's a generational situation.
Guys like Lawrence and others still live in that time period. I polled many people today to discuss this, even before coming on the air tonight. Not one person thought that this guy should have been fired and not one person, who just happened to be black, thought that guy was a racist and meant any harm by his statements. This is just overreaction and just blown out of proportion. Southwest Airlines should apologize to this man and give him his job back.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: All right, we've got to leave it there.
Gentlemen, Guyot and Armstrong Williams, I've got to move on.
GUYOT: Southwest should continue. And other corporations should follow that good example.
WILLIAMS: Poor example.
ZAHN: Thank you both, gentlemen. Appreciate your time.
moshquerade
No Lifer
- Nov 1, 2001
- 61,504
- 12
- 56
only pussyhurt people look for ways to make things like that racist.
i will call someone a "silly monkey" and it's meant in an endearing way. anyone who dare think it is racist is really reaching for something that isn't there, and looking to cause trouble.
I won't argue with that. What I WILL argue with is anyone saying that monkey is ALWAYS a racist comment, or ALWAYS a harmless comment.
Like many words in the English language, it can go both ways, and context is vitally important.
Another example of hypersensitivity and people looking to be offended:
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:i3...t+the+snacks%22&hl=en&client=firefox-a
Posted on Fri, Jan. 28, 2005
Sorry about the snacks
Just think of all the ways a man might use a banana to offend a woman.
Then you may imagine why some people leaped to the wrong conclusion when a woman complained about a Columbus police officer eating a banana at the Civic Center as people gathered for a Jan. 15 civil rights march.
The woman was deeply offended, she told police. The police were deeply bewildered.
The offense was not what you might imagine it to be. I imagined the officer shoving the banana into his pants pocket to make others point at it and say, "Hey, is that a banana in your pocket or are you just glad to be here getting paid overtime?"
But that was not what offended the woman, who hung up on people who couldn't figure it out.
Then she called Mayor Bob Poydasheff. He said she just started berating him about the police. He told her he'd heard only compliments about how officers handled the weekend march in which the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other longtime civil rights activists led 8,000 people from the Civic Center to the Government Center.
"She said, 'No no no no, when the buses pulled into the Civic Center, I saw a policeman eating a banana.' And I didn't know what to say," Poydasheff recalled. "I was stunned. I said, 'What's wrong with that? Police were on their feet for eight hours. They had to get potassium in their system.'"
He said the woman told him the banana "was an affront to me and to others, including a former state senator." She wouldn't name the senator.
Why was she offended?
Well, it seems that in the context of the march, she took the officer's banana eating to imply an analogous racial slur relating black people to apes.
Such a comparison would not be uncommon in the parlance of racist propaganda, particularly in the old days. But these days that kind of talk is pretty rare -- and pretty obvious, too, when someone really means it.
So as racial slurs go, simply eating a banana now has to be considered rather subtle, for this particular area.
The mayor told the woman he'd check it out. And he did, and he learned that while police were working security at the march, the department sent around a snack van to give officers something to eat, and in fact bananas were among the snacks offered, and some officers did eat bananas.
So he called the woman back and explained all this, and added an apology. "I'm sorry you were offended, and let me apologize to you personally," he told her.
"Well, send it in writing," she told him.
So he did. Call it "The Banana Apology."
Dated Jan. 22, it says: "As I said in our telephone conversation, I am sorry you found Columbus police officers eating bananas on the street when you arrived in Columbus for the protest. Let me assure you there was no intent to offend. The officers needed some nutrition after standing long hours on the street and they particularly needed the potassium available in bananas and some other fruits."
Later the mayor writes: "There was no thought of insulting or offending anyone and perhaps this was thoughtless on our part. In any case, let me offer my sincere apology for anything our officers may have done that gave offense to you or anyone else."
Did this satisfy the woman?
"I haven't heard from her," Poydasheff said Thursday. "And quite candidly, I don't care. Our officers did no wrong."
The woman may never have seen the letter, because the address apparently is wrong. The address on the letter is for "Towers Ferry Road" in Marietta, with a 30039 ZIP code. That code is for Snellville.
I found a business on Powers Ferry Road in Atlanta that otherwise matched the address, with a 30339 ZIP. I called that company, and a worker told me a woman with the name to which the letter's addressed does work there. But that woman never called me back, and I don't want to publish the name if I can't confirm it.
If the correct woman does get The Banana Apology, she'll see the mayor writes: "I want to assure you, as I did in our telephone conversation, that any offense was entirely unintentional and I guarantee you it won't happen again."
Or maybe it will. Does the city plan to deny officers bananas during public events?
"Absolutely not," the mayor said. "They can eat all the bananas they want."
No doubt some hard-core racists still would use a fruit or a cracker to offend someone, if they got the chance.
But sometimes a banana is only a banana.
Contact Tim Chitwood at (706) 571-8508 or tchitwood@ledger-enquirer.com
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:i3...t+the+snacks%22&hl=en&client=firefox-a
Posted on Fri, Jan. 28, 2005
Sorry about the snacks
Just think of all the ways a man might use a banana to offend a woman.
Then you may imagine why some people leaped to the wrong conclusion when a woman complained about a Columbus police officer eating a banana at the Civic Center as people gathered for a Jan. 15 civil rights march.
The woman was deeply offended, she told police. The police were deeply bewildered.
The offense was not what you might imagine it to be. I imagined the officer shoving the banana into his pants pocket to make others point at it and say, "Hey, is that a banana in your pocket or are you just glad to be here getting paid overtime?"
But that was not what offended the woman, who hung up on people who couldn't figure it out.
Then she called Mayor Bob Poydasheff. He said she just started berating him about the police. He told her he'd heard only compliments about how officers handled the weekend march in which the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other longtime civil rights activists led 8,000 people from the Civic Center to the Government Center.
"She said, 'No no no no, when the buses pulled into the Civic Center, I saw a policeman eating a banana.' And I didn't know what to say," Poydasheff recalled. "I was stunned. I said, 'What's wrong with that? Police were on their feet for eight hours. They had to get potassium in their system.'"
He said the woman told him the banana "was an affront to me and to others, including a former state senator." She wouldn't name the senator.
Why was she offended?
Well, it seems that in the context of the march, she took the officer's banana eating to imply an analogous racial slur relating black people to apes.
Such a comparison would not be uncommon in the parlance of racist propaganda, particularly in the old days. But these days that kind of talk is pretty rare -- and pretty obvious, too, when someone really means it.
So as racial slurs go, simply eating a banana now has to be considered rather subtle, for this particular area.
The mayor told the woman he'd check it out. And he did, and he learned that while police were working security at the march, the department sent around a snack van to give officers something to eat, and in fact bananas were among the snacks offered, and some officers did eat bananas.
So he called the woman back and explained all this, and added an apology. "I'm sorry you were offended, and let me apologize to you personally," he told her.
"Well, send it in writing," she told him.
So he did. Call it "The Banana Apology."
Dated Jan. 22, it says: "As I said in our telephone conversation, I am sorry you found Columbus police officers eating bananas on the street when you arrived in Columbus for the protest. Let me assure you there was no intent to offend. The officers needed some nutrition after standing long hours on the street and they particularly needed the potassium available in bananas and some other fruits."
Later the mayor writes: "There was no thought of insulting or offending anyone and perhaps this was thoughtless on our part. In any case, let me offer my sincere apology for anything our officers may have done that gave offense to you or anyone else."
Did this satisfy the woman?
"I haven't heard from her," Poydasheff said Thursday. "And quite candidly, I don't care. Our officers did no wrong."
The woman may never have seen the letter, because the address apparently is wrong. The address on the letter is for "Towers Ferry Road" in Marietta, with a 30039 ZIP code. That code is for Snellville.
I found a business on Powers Ferry Road in Atlanta that otherwise matched the address, with a 30339 ZIP. I called that company, and a worker told me a woman with the name to which the letter's addressed does work there. But that woman never called me back, and I don't want to publish the name if I can't confirm it.
If the correct woman does get The Banana Apology, she'll see the mayor writes: "I want to assure you, as I did in our telephone conversation, that any offense was entirely unintentional and I guarantee you it won't happen again."
Or maybe it will. Does the city plan to deny officers bananas during public events?
"Absolutely not," the mayor said. "They can eat all the bananas they want."
No doubt some hard-core racists still would use a fruit or a cracker to offend someone, if they got the chance.
But sometimes a banana is only a banana.
Contact Tim Chitwood at (706) 571-8508 or tchitwood@ledger-enquirer.com
moshquerade
No Lifer
- Nov 1, 2001
- 61,504
- 12
- 56
Kyteland
Diamond Member
- Dec 30, 2002
- 5,747
- 1
- 81
A story from down under about the use of the word monkey.
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15111083-23211,00.html
JASON Akermanis has enjoyed an unlikely trifecta of wins after losing his radio show on Brisbane based indigenous station 98.9FM for calling the management "monkeys".
The Brisbane Lions star has picked up a spot on rival station Triple M, doesn't have to worry about finding a $20,000 bond sought by 98.9 for him to remain on air, and has also escaped a potential $5000 AFL fine for breaches of the league's code of conduct.
In an unusual bonus, Queensland opposition leader Lawrence Springborg has launched a spirited defence of the flamboyant footballer, saying the axing of Akermanis's show was political correctness gone mad.
"He didn't do anything wrong," Mr Springborg said.
"Does that mean that if I want to call somebody 'a galah', I'm attacking gays because they've got a bit of pink?
"Does it mean that if I want to call somebody 'a cockatoo'. I'm attacking somebody because they're white? I mean that's just absolutely stupid stuff."
Akermanis, his former teammate Craig McRae and their Aka and Macca show were axed by 98.9FM after Akermanis referred to the station's bosses as "monkeys", a remark considered offensive by 98.9FM general manager Tiga Bayles, who dumped the segment.
Akermanis has explained his choice of words as off-the-cuff and intended to explain his frustration of having the show's airtime cut by a third.
"I understand what I said can be taken the wrong way and have apologised for it," he said.
"But it should also be said if we paid $20,000 to the station we could have kept the show on air."
Mr Bayles confirmed a $20,000 bond had been requested as a way of resolving the issue.
Akermanis's remarks could have cost him a $5000 fine had the Lions deemed they had broken a code of conduct. But Lions chief executive Michael Bowers said the club believed the incident had been dealt with.
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15111083-23211,00.html
JASON Akermanis has enjoyed an unlikely trifecta of wins after losing his radio show on Brisbane based indigenous station 98.9FM for calling the management "monkeys".
The Brisbane Lions star has picked up a spot on rival station Triple M, doesn't have to worry about finding a $20,000 bond sought by 98.9 for him to remain on air, and has also escaped a potential $5000 AFL fine for breaches of the league's code of conduct.
In an unusual bonus, Queensland opposition leader Lawrence Springborg has launched a spirited defence of the flamboyant footballer, saying the axing of Akermanis's show was political correctness gone mad.
"He didn't do anything wrong," Mr Springborg said.
"Does that mean that if I want to call somebody 'a galah', I'm attacking gays because they've got a bit of pink?
"Does it mean that if I want to call somebody 'a cockatoo'. I'm attacking somebody because they're white? I mean that's just absolutely stupid stuff."
Akermanis, his former teammate Craig McRae and their Aka and Macca show were axed by 98.9FM after Akermanis referred to the station's bosses as "monkeys", a remark considered offensive by 98.9FM general manager Tiga Bayles, who dumped the segment.
Akermanis has explained his choice of words as off-the-cuff and intended to explain his frustration of having the show's airtime cut by a third.
"I understand what I said can be taken the wrong way and have apologised for it," he said.
"But it should also be said if we paid $20,000 to the station we could have kept the show on air."
Mr Bayles confirmed a $20,000 bond had been requested as a way of resolving the issue.
Akermanis's remarks could have cost him a $5000 fine had the Lions deemed they had broken a code of conduct. But Lions chief executive Michael Bowers said the club believed the incident had been dealt with.
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