I'm Sorry, So Sorry, Please Accept My Apology
Speaking of Jennifer Wilbanks, Hispanics Across America has demanded that she apologize for initially saying that she was kidnapped by a Hispanic before she admitted she had simply run away from her impending marriage. The demand doesn't appear on the organization's website (yet), but it's in the news (see the last two paragraphs). Did you notice that Mr. Mateo, the president of Hispanics Across America, wants her to apologize to the Hispanic community first, and then to her fiance and her family?
The argument goes like this, apparently: By blaming a Hispanic, Jennifer Wilbanks has strengthened the stereotype of Hispanics as dangerous criminals. That was a bad thing to do, so she should apologize to those affected by her irresponsible lie.
I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with this. It depends on the emphasis, I suppose. Do we believe that stereotypes are dangerous in and of themselves, or dangerous because they lead to violent actions?
If we believe they're simply evil, then maybe anyone who uses one should indeed try to mitigate the damage they've caused by strengthening it. That would include Jennifer Wilbanks. And, if you believe there's such a thing as a human soul, it's a pretty compelling argument to say that exposure to this kind of ugliness is spiritually damaging.
If, on the other hand, we believe that stereotypes are dangerous because of what they might lead to, then here's my question: Does anyone seriously believe that Jennifer Wilbanks' use of a stereotype is going to make anyone think it's true? Is someone watching television going to say "Boy, I never thought Hispanics were dangerous criminals before, but if Jennifer Wilbanks said so, it must be true"?
Even if we're talking about the time before her kidnapping story was revealed as a lie, would any sane person accept the stereotype on her say-so? (We're not talking about those who might use this incident to support a prejudice against Hispanics that they already hold - those people are beneath contempt anyway.) No, a troubled young woman refers to the Hispanic stereotype under the pressure of a huge, probably neurotic error, and Hispanics Across America finds this dangerous to their pride or safety? No way.
I'm a Jew, and as subject to this sort of hypersensitivity as any other minority, but this is getting stupid, people. And as for the insistence that Jennifer Wilbanks apologize to the Hispanic people before she apologizes to her family, her fiance and the people in her town, it's a demand that assumes that we have more of a duty to political correctness than to those we love. Horse manure. That might be true if Jennifer Wilbanks were a public figure already. If anyone owes the Hispanic people an apology (and I'm not at all sure anyone does), it's those dingbats who believed Jennifer Wilbanks' lie and spread it all over the tabloids. Jennifer Wilbanks herself is nothing more than a private citizen who tripped over her own personality problems and fell into a media cesspool. Thank God her fiance is generous or foolish enough to fish her out.
Benshlomo says, Get that camera out of my face.
The argument goes like this, apparently: By blaming a Hispanic, Jennifer Wilbanks has strengthened the stereotype of Hispanics as dangerous criminals. That was a bad thing to do, so she should apologize to those affected by her irresponsible lie.
I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with this. It depends on the emphasis, I suppose. Do we believe that stereotypes are dangerous in and of themselves, or dangerous because they lead to violent actions?
If we believe they're simply evil, then maybe anyone who uses one should indeed try to mitigate the damage they've caused by strengthening it. That would include Jennifer Wilbanks. And, if you believe there's such a thing as a human soul, it's a pretty compelling argument to say that exposure to this kind of ugliness is spiritually damaging.
If, on the other hand, we believe that stereotypes are dangerous because of what they might lead to, then here's my question: Does anyone seriously believe that Jennifer Wilbanks' use of a stereotype is going to make anyone think it's true? Is someone watching television going to say "Boy, I never thought Hispanics were dangerous criminals before, but if Jennifer Wilbanks said so, it must be true"?
Even if we're talking about the time before her kidnapping story was revealed as a lie, would any sane person accept the stereotype on her say-so? (We're not talking about those who might use this incident to support a prejudice against Hispanics that they already hold - those people are beneath contempt anyway.) No, a troubled young woman refers to the Hispanic stereotype under the pressure of a huge, probably neurotic error, and Hispanics Across America finds this dangerous to their pride or safety? No way.
I'm a Jew, and as subject to this sort of hypersensitivity as any other minority, but this is getting stupid, people. And as for the insistence that Jennifer Wilbanks apologize to the Hispanic people before she apologizes to her family, her fiance and the people in her town, it's a demand that assumes that we have more of a duty to political correctness than to those we love. Horse manure. That might be true if Jennifer Wilbanks were a public figure already. If anyone owes the Hispanic people an apology (and I'm not at all sure anyone does), it's those dingbats who believed Jennifer Wilbanks' lie and spread it all over the tabloids. Jennifer Wilbanks herself is nothing more than a private citizen who tripped over her own personality problems and fell into a media cesspool. Thank God her fiance is generous or foolish enough to fish her out.
Benshlomo says, Get that camera out of my face.
posted by benshlomo at 3:18 PM
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