CNN fires broadcaster for racist comments

Hats off the CNN for having a zero tolerance policy for racist comments!

CNN has fired Rick Sanchez, who now joins a long list of broadcasters who talked before they thought – or at least thought through the implications of what they were saying – and paid the consequences with their career.

On Thursday, Sanchez called Comedy Central's Jon Stewart "a bigot," and he suggested that Jews run CNN and "all the other" networks. He was speaking on the satellite radio show "Stand Up! With Pete Dominick." Within 24 hours, CNN had fired Sanchez.

In the radio interview Thursday, Sanchez suggested that his career had been held back because he is Cuban-American. He railed against "elite, Northeast establishment liberals" who he said are prejudiced against "a guy like me." And he linked that point of view to Stewart and to his own bosses at CNN.

That might have raised eyebrows and earned him a private rebuke, but then he took his comments farther.

Singling out Stewart, Sanchez continued: "I'm telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart. And to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority?"

That was too much for CNN executives, who fired him simply by saying: "Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company."

NOTE:

• The State of Israel does not have a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; gay men may serve openly. 
• Though Israel does not perform gay marriages, the State does recognize gay marriages performed in other countries (so, someone legally married in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is legally married in the State of Israel).
• Same-sex marriage in Israel is supported by most of the population according to a 2009 poll.

According to the Christian Science Monitor:  The whole episode reflects an era in which not only "shock jocks" but a wide range of broadcasters feel increasing pressure to incite an emotional reaction from listeners and viewers and to start rhetorical fights. But for most outlets, there’s still a line not to be crossed involving race and religion.