Careless talk costs lives, and this week it also cost a US radio presenter his job, writes Tomi Ajayi. Talk-show host David Lenihan was live on-air, arguing the case for Condoleezza Rice to become the next commissioner of the National Football League. What happened next is unfortunate.
He said: "She's got the patent résumé of somebody that has serious skill. She loves football, she's African-American, which would be kind of a big coon. Oh my God - I totally, totally, totally, totally am sorry for that. I didn't mean that."
As far as Freudian slips go, this one was fairly awful. Lenihan later explained that he had meant to say, "a big coup". The manager of KTRS, the St Louis radio station, apologised to Ms Rice and listeners immediately. He then fired the hapless presenter. Lenihan, understandably, was distraught. He had been at his "dream job" for a mere two weeks. "It kinda stinks," he said.
Well yes, it does a little.
Not wanting to "fan the flames" of hate, the radio station pre-empted the stream of complaints, preserving their integrity by letting Lenihan go. A similar thing happened a year ago when Rob Blair, a Las Vegas TV weatherman, said during a forecast, "For tomorrow, 60 degrees, Martin Luther Coo- King Jr day". Despite correcting himself in time, he too was sacked for his careless error.
There are two lines of reasoning in Lenihan's case. Either it was a Freudian error, revealing the presenter's unconscious thoughts, feelings and prejudices, or it was a genuine, forgivable slip of the tongue. On hearing the story my first reaction was the latter. More than anything, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the guy.
The station's official apology was warranted, although the firing seems overly cautious. Had Lenihan been unrepentant, or even unaware of his malapropism, his dismissal would have been justified. He was not right to say what he did. However, Lenihan was mortified. His emphatic admission of guilt suggests he is not a closet racist.
The general manager of KTRS, Tim Dorsey said, "There can be no excuse for what was said." Perhaps there is. KTRS were swift to judge and slow to forgive, for not all accidental errors of speech can be attributed to Freudian slips. We have been all been prone to similar tips of the slung. Careless and irresponsible Lenihan may be. But racist? Without more knowledge of the situation be wary of presuming this.
The use of pejorative language against people of any race, religion or minority group is unacceptable. As a young black woman, that goes without saying. Yet in our current politically correct climate, professional death awaits any journalist or presenter who fails to tread carefully in the minefield of potential offence.
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