Ramblings' Journal

Dick Gregory catches flack for "White Boy" comment on FNC

Monday night on Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes, activist Dick Gregory referred to CNSNews.com's Marc Morano derogatively as "White Boy" during an interview about Gregory's comments at a weekend rally in Atlanta, where he referred to Republicans as "racist thugs."

The exchange took place during the "Hannity & Colmes" program on the Fox News Channel. Gregory and Cybercast News Service Senior Staff Writer Marc Morano discussed comments Gregory made during an Aug. 6 march in Atlanta commemorating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act.

Reading from Morano's article, co-host Sean Hannity asked Gregory to confirm whether he had made a number of controversial remarks during the event.

The activist readily acknowledged that he had referred to Republicans as "white racist thugs" and called the United States "the most dishonest, ungodly, unspiritual nation that ever existed in the history of the planet."

But, when Gregory hesitated in his responses, Hannity turned to Morano for confirmation.

"You don't have to confirm what I said," Gregory charged. "I've already said it. So I don't need no white boy to come on and say yes, he said it."

Surprised by Gregory's reply, Hannity repeated, "No white boy? No white boy?" and asked Gregory if he wanted to apologize to Morano for calling him a racially charged term.

Gregory apologized for his remarks.

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson remained unconvinced by Gregory's apology, however.

"Just imagine what would have happened if Morano had called Gregory a 'black boy,'" Peterson said. "They'd be protesting Cybercast News Service and Fox News Channel, calling for the heads of the presidents of these organizations.

"But because Dick Gregory said it to a white man, it's okay," Peterson said.

He added that "we have a double standard in this country today, where black liberals can do and say whatever they want" because whites "have allowed themselves to be intimidated" by the fear of being called racists.

Fellow Project 21 member Mychal Massie pointed out that Gregory's comments underlined the double-standard in this country when it comes to racist statements by some blacks.

Massie criticized Saturday's march, pointing out that antagonistic statements by Gregory, as well as others by many of the speakers, including Jesse Jackson and Harry Belafonte actually degrade blacks. Speaking specifically of Jackson and Belafonte, Massie said, "To hear Jackson and Belafonte and these people talk, the only thing black people can do is shine shoes at a bus stop."

Posted by mhking at August 10, 2005 11:53 AM | TrackBack