Schlessinger announces end to show after racial rant

Schlessinger: “I articulated the 'n' word all the way out -- more than one time.” On August 10, Schlessinger launched into a racially charged rant, during which she -- in her own words -- “articulated the 'n' word all the way out -- more than one time.” Among other things, Schlessinger told an African-American caller that she had a “chip on [her] shoulder” and later stated: “If you're that hypersensitive about color and don't have a sense of humor, don't marry out of your race.” The next day, Schlessinger apologized.

During an August 17 interview on CNN's Larry King Live, Schlessinger announced that when her radio contract expires at the end of the year, she will not renew it. She said that, following her racial rant, “my First Amendment rights have been usurped by angry, hateful groups.”

Malkin and others praise Schlessinger

Malkin: "[T]he incomparable Dr. Laura" has “battled political correctness for years.” In an August 17 post on her blog, Malkin responded to Schlessinger's announcement, writing:

She's a broadcast and publishing legend. She's battled political correctness for years. Tonight, the incomparable Dr. Laura announced that she's ending her daily radio talk show -- in order to allow her to speak her mind more freely.

More power to her.

Malkin concluded: “Look forward to seeing and hearing more of her.” She also directed readers to Schlessinger's website to “show your support.”

Maloney: “Who can blame” Schlessinger “for being disgusted?” In an August 18 post attacking progressive organizations, including “the far-left parasites at Media Matters,” for playing a role in Schlessinger's departure, Brian Maloney praised Schlessinger on the conservative blog Radio Equalizer, writing that she “threw in the towel after 30 years of leading the fight against cultural decay in America.” He then asked: “Who can blame her for being disgusted?” Maloney had previously brushed off controversy over Schlessinger's racial rant, characterizing her use of a racial epithet as “daring to have a frank discussion on race with an African-American caller and pointing to irritating media double-standards.”

Morgan: “Another conservative voice silenced.” On August 17, conservative commentator Melanie Morgan wrote on her blog that she was “very, very saddened to hear” of Schlessinger's decision to end her show and offered this opinion:

Another conservative voice silenced? You bet. Liberals will be claiming her scalp, and it will be sickening to watch in the next few hours and days ahead.

You might disagree with her advice, but Dr. Laura's morals were always in line with her religion and its teachings.

Graham: “Schlessinger didn't use the N-word against anyone.” Purporting to contrast Schlessinger's comments with Don Imus' infamous description of the 2007 Rutgers women's basketball team as “nappy-headed hos,” Media Research Center director of media analysis Tim Graham wrote:

At least Imus actually insulted the Princeton [sic] women's basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.” Schlessinger didn't use the N-word against anyone. She discussed the social taboos around the word without applying it to anyone. (Black academics write whole books about it -- with an N-word title.) You can certainly say that she didn't need to take this detour or use the actual word if a Media Matters monitor is listening in. But it cannot be said that Dr. Laura is some sort of white supremacist who just put on a sheet.

Media Matters weren't listening to her show to expose her as a racist. They object to her social conservatism, her pro-life, pro-marriage stands, and were looking for a way to silence her. This is the second time Dr. Laura has been censored by the Left. Her TV show was killed and buried (almost before it aired ) in 2000 by gay-left censors with the website StopDrLaura.com.

Media Matters was joined in their Shut Her Up campaign by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in a campaign to pressure advertisers -- as well as by UNITY Journalists of Color, an alliance of four different minority-reporter groups: the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Asian American Journalists Association, and the Native American Journalists Association.

This item has been updated to include Tim Graham's comments.