Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Let the Dog Out

I will say, going into this, that I realize I am of the minority here, but since this is "Mary's" world, Mary being me, I am entitled to my opinion, even if it veers way off from the majority.

I wasn't posting at the time of the scandel involving Dog the Bounty Hunter, so although this is old news, I've still just gotta say it. If you remember, Dog lost his show on a major cable network because his son sold a taped copy of a private conversation between Dog and himself. In the conversation, Dog was saying he didn't want it to get out that he referred to a certain black person as a n****. He went on to express his concerns about the way he talks getting out because the general public wouldn't understand. The fallout from the taped conversation being made public was much as the Imus fallout. The media went crazy, depicted Dog as a racist and illiminated him from anything they could, smearing his reputation. I think the media have totally missed the point. We are a hypersensitive society. If certain words are said, or gestures made, the media hops on the "racial" bandwagon, quick to take names and ask questions later.

The sin in the Dog scandel is not what Dog said. Although that is where everyone would like to shine the spotlight. Let me take that same spotlight and shine it in your face. Have you ever had a private conversation where the contents of it were so personal that should anyone but the recipient of your thoughts hear it, it would damage the way others view you? C'mon. We all have. Whether those thoughts were muttered to our spouses, close friends or in a bar after getting snockered, we ALL have said things in private that we would not want to get out. Dog should not be critisized or judged over comments he made in what he thought was a private conversation. The sin of the whole scandel is that his son, for the sake of how much money? sold that perceived private conversation to be made public. That is a shame when a son turns on the father for $$. Doesn't anyone see that the son is in the wrong as much if not more than Dog?

If Dog is wrong for comments he made, I say we all are wrong and should be held accountable for our private conversations. It's really pitiful that the media, who does the most damage by making personal lives public, hops on the "Destroy Dog" bandwagon for doing the same thing that Dog's son did.

Is Dog's opinion right? Should he be able to get away with saying the N word in a phone conversation? I don't say the N word myself and never will. I don't even let people that visit my home say it without asking them not to. However, if we are going to scrutinize a private conversation, I say no need to fear Big Brother. He is here. In each of us. We don't have the authority to critisize anothers personal feelings shared in a private conversation.

If you still believe Dog was wrong and that he should be slaughtered for his opinion, I challenge you to listen to yourself next time you are in an intimate conversation with your spouse, friend or at the bar. If those feelings and opinions were broadcast during half time at the Super Bowl, what would people think of you? It's time to stop pointing fingers and realize that what we find so repulsive and unthinkable in others, has probably been done by ourselves a time or two. Judge not......