Doesn’t seem to matter what goes on today, there is always the spin factor that comes back as people try to put a light on what they said. Kind of makes me wonder, why they simply don’t say what they mean in the first place, so we can all avoid this endless game of spin and damage control, or did they?
Take the whole issue of Tim Hardaway (see commentary ‘He Just Can’t Win’) and how he opened his mouth, spewed his venom and now has tried to put a different spin on it twice. You would think that someone with his degree of success, would have been a bit more diplomatic, but then again, was he saying what he means, and is now simply trying to cover his ass? Is it that he chose the wrong words to use or was it how he truly does feel?
“I don’t hate gay people,” Hardaway said. “I’m a goodhearted person. I interact with people all the time. … I respect people. For me to say ‘hate’ was a bad word, and I didn’t mean to use it.” (story)
Kind of makes you think, if this is just not more damage control double talk. If there wasn’t a loud outcry by the GLBT world, would he be trying to make nice now? Would he apologize? As John Amaechi pointed out, (see commentary ‘What Is A Real Man’) it has brought to the surface the deep rooted homophobia that exists in the United States today, (see commentary ‘Legacy of Bigotry’) despite all the rhetoric to the contrary. Just as I pointed out in my novel, Rage, homophobia is not lessening and attacks on Gays continue, even in the Adult Industry world, as evident in my commentary ‘What Words Mean’.
Mel Gibson did it when he got caught mouthing off about Jews, Michael Richards when he went nuts using the ‘n’ word, and now Tim Hardaway. Seems to me that in all cases here, these people simply let their guard down, and spoke what they actually feel. Why should we accept the half hearted apology and spin? Is it because we want to find a way to forgive them, or is that deep down many support what they have said?
The more these people try to spin what happened, the more I tend to disbelieve it. While what Hardaway said was hurtful, he has that right to speak his mind, and say what he believes. To now try to backtrack, well its bullshit. I’d rather admire the man for speaking his mind, speaking his truth, than have him suddenly cave to pressure. To me, that isn’t a man, just someone more interested in public opinion, so he can once more make those endorsements and rake in the cash.
This really isn’t about Hardaway being sorry, but that it is costing him money. So now he backtracks, puts the spin on it so we will all feel relieved and all. However, he hasn’t really said he was sorry, only that he used the wrong words, and spoke when maybe he shouldn’t.
He also lost at least one of his endorsement deals, and he ordered his name dropped from advertising at a car wash he owns in Miami, saying he made that decision “to ensure the safety of his employees.” (story)
Reading that last part of his statement, i am totally skeptical. Way I read it, he assumes that we Gays will suddenly come and harass his employees, that they are somehow in danger by being associated with him due to his anti gay slurs. The reality is, it is people like Hardaway (see commentary ‘Celebrating One’s Success’) that create the violence, that spur the attacks, and his removal is, in my opinion, due to him trying to hide his name, until this blows over. It isn’t about protecting his employees, but about protecting his business.
