Barking Up the right Racist

I feel like I have to address this. For anyone who hasn't been paying attention, there is a guy called Duane "Dog" Chapman who is a bounty hunter and has his own show on A&E (or at least he did). Recently his son has been dating a black woman, and "Dog" reacted badly to this. He left a voicemail on his son's cell phone (if I understood correctly) saying that since sometimes his family and crew use the N word, and he wasn't going to some "F.... N...." hear him say it and sell it to a tabloid and ruin everything that he had worked so hard for, he didn't want his son with her anymore. His son then turned around and sold the recording of the voicemail to a tabloid... guess that backfired huh?

I keep hearing people ask the question, "Is he really racist, or did he just use the word?" I had a very profound reaction to that... HUH?!?!?

How could anyone listen to what he said and come away with any reaction other than that he is indeed racist? I mean, if Don Imus is considered racist for using the term "Nappy Headed Hoes" (which, while an incredibly stupid thing for him to say is not overtly racist) then how can someone calling his sons girlfriend an "F... N..." possibly not be a flat out racist comment?

If he had just chased down a fleeing criminal, and hurt himself in the process, and said that to him, I could see a case being made that he blurted it out in a fit of rage, and doesn't really feel that way, it would still have been unacceptable, but I can see where it could happen. On the other hand, for it to be said about his son's girlfriend based solely on the fact that he doesn't want her around because she is black... how else can you take that?

Now, as I understand, A&E has taken his show off the air and suspended him, at least for the time being. I'm not taking a position as to whether he should be fired from his show or not, that is up to the sponsors, the network and the shows viewers. As for the rest of us, let's just be honest enough to say that what he said cannot be taken in any way other than as racism.

I think that the best thing for him to do now is to get out and talk to people, and own up to his racist feelings, however strong they may be, and work through the issue in the public eye. I also hope that he won't go to "rehab" since it's not like they can tell him anything that most anyone couldn't already tell him. That is just my opinion though.

My point today is simply this: If it walks like a racist, talks like a racist... well, you get the picture.