Roland Martin Suspended from CNN

Posted on February 9, 2012 at 7:11 am by Bob Cesca

Roland Martin was suspended from CNN for tweeting very homophobic things during the Super Bowl including this:

Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass

And this:

If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him

Yeah, I would have suspended him too. But also for being a shitty pundit. While I was at it, I would fire Erick Erickson for saying far worse things online since forever.

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  • http://twitter.com/SugaRazor Razor

    Can we also discuss how hilarious it is that the guy wearing an ascot is the one bragging about his masculine credentials? I’m pretty sure wearing an ascot in any room full of Budweiser-infused meatheads during the Super Bowl will end with them screaming about your “man card.”

    And meanwhile, Erickson and Loesch remain untouched.

  • http://twitter.com/38_28_38 jezebel

    Amen Bob!

  • http://www.osborneink.com OsborneInk

    After serving his timeout in the corner, Martin should have to pay for his comments about soccer with 45 minutes as a running midfielder.

    • http://www.twitter.com/bobcesca_go Bob Cesca

      Seconded.

  • Miranda

    I don’t think the tweet about the pink suit had anything to do with homophobia…no self-respecting gay man would wear that tacky suit (did you see the picture?) – that tweet was about clowning a dude wearing a country ass easter suit – and I guarantee you he had on pink shoes to complete the show.

    • http://drangedinaz.wordpress.com/ IrishGrrrl

      Miranda, I agree….bad style has nothing to do with homophobia….

  • stacib23

    Okay, somebody help me understand this – what does “smack the ish out of him” mean?

    • http://phydeauxpseaks.blogspot.com Bob Rutledge

      He couldn’t use the word “shit” because it might offend people. Which reminds me of something I saw on Facebook:

      “I have three things I’d like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don’t give a shit. What’s worse is that you’re more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night.” — Baptist Minister Tony Campolo to his congregation (Do not know who Tony Campolo is but dang!)

      • stacib23

        Okay, now that I understand that, I don’t see the homophobic part. Oh well, I guess all things aren’t meant to be understood. Thanks, Bob R.

  • http://mdblanche.myopenid.com/ mdblanche

    Great. Can we now suspend LZ Granderson for calling on the President to pick a pointless fight with House Republicans over what day of the week to hold a speech to prove he wasn’t a wimp, and this week calling on Senate Democrats to pass a House bill that beats up on people on public assistance because if they don’t House Republicans will say mean things about them?

  • http://drangedinaz.wordpress.com/ IrishGrrrl

    Bob, I disagree with you 0n this. These were pretty damn lame things to suspend someone over. But I do agree that CNN has a consistency problem. If a liberal even remotely hints at something non-PC (as is the case here with Martin) they suspend and/or fire him. If a conservative says horrible, horrible things by anyone’s standards, they hire him. I wonder when someone is going to sue them for the inconsistency…..

    • Corebela

      Incredibly Offensive statements are part of the republican platform. Reprimanding for it for be…… “Liberal bias”

    • stacib23

      Whew – I thought I was the only one that didn’t see the punishment fitting the crime here.

  • JMAshby

    What Martin said was stupid, but I think Erickson’s “goat fucking child molester” line and Loesch’s “I’d drop trou and join in” were both worse.

  • 1Georgia_Girl

    I’m left wondering now. Does everyone get a standard crucifixion hereafter for not condoning homosexuality or for voicing any disagreement or opposite view. Martin’s statement is so benign it hardly reaches the bar of condemnation of the gay lifestyle. So what if he doesn’t approve, is he no longer entitled to an opposing opinion if he wants to be able to pay his bills or eat?

    Where is this all going? Anyone who doesn’t automatically approve or validate gays gets jailed or killed one day soon? Silencing people’s dissent with threats or ruining their lives for not blessing everything everyone wants to do is a slippery slope. Is this how our democracy is evolving? Many may dislike someone based on their race, creed or religion, but as an American, no one should fear death or ruin from someone’s or some group’s personal ire; all should be afforded the right to live peaceably. As an AA, I do not hope to change the mind or heart of a racist at gunpoint; I only want to live free of the fear of being killed solely because I’m black, whether he ever accepts me or not.

    Growing up in the Jim Crow south I understand and identify with all those who have suffered or are suffering persecution, . .Muslim, AA, Jews, Hispanic, gays..and even now Christians. But the “hate speak” ON BOTH SIDES in our discourse must be careful not to paint us all as bigots or, God forbid, one day all killers eventually in the end.

    • http://twitter.com/SugaRazor Razor

      CNN is a private business that responded to public outcry, which is nowhere near “jailing or killing” people for “not validating” gays. That’s the free market at work – people told a company their employee offended them, the company responded so they wouldn’t lose business.

      No one forced CNN to suspend him, they made that decision themselves. No one arrested Martin, nor was he killed, so what does this have to do with our democracy?

      But yeah, anyone who “doesn’t validate” gays is a bigot and there’s no “both sides” here. You’re either a tolerant, respectful person or a bigot.

      And before you twist my words, I’m not calling Martin a bigot, he’s just an idiot. But anyone who actively refuses to “validate” (whatever that means) gay people, or “dissents” against gays is a bigot.

    • EsiS

      Um, Roland didn’t say “I don’t think being gay is right.” Which, frankly, is bigoted, but whatever. Both his tweets called for violence against someone. That for sure crosses all lines of decency, particularly for a public figure.