Who Decides What Is Offensive Speech?
Roseann Barr was terminated for her tweet. The challenge is, who decides when something is said raises to level that the person should lose their job? If a comedian degrades another person, like at the White House Correspondents Dinner, should that person have lost her job?
The standard for something offensive at my work has been defined as not what I think if I said something but what the person who heard it thought. I might tell a joke that I thought was harmless, but if someone found it offensive I could get fired.
So what is the standard? If Sarah Huckabee Sanders found Michele Wolfe’s jokes offensive, should Michele be fired and not be allowed to perform again? If a rapper has misogynistic lyrics that are offensive to women, should he be let go by his recording company? Should a radio station lose their FCC license for playing offensive music?
In no way do I agree with what Roseanne Barr texted. She has the free speech to that say it, but she also should have understood that there are consequences for that speech.
I just want to know where the line is. Is it a moving target? If a man said the same “jokes” about Sarah Huckabee Sanders, would the condemnation been harsher?
I think stupidity is offensive. Should I be able to file a grievance against someone at work who I find stupid? I know that sounds outrageous but that is the times we live in. Somebody somewhere is offended by something someone else said.
As I said, there are consequences for free speech. I just want the condemnation to be equally enforced.
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