Most jobs will fire you for using the n-word or any other slur regardless of the reason. This isn’t PC culture gone too far or any other non-existent nonsense.
Disco Writer used the N word in the writers room.
- Thread starter Gingerbread Demon
- Start date
This was a writers bullpen, not a carebear convention. It IS run amok. That's one of the best writers they could have possibly had and they ran him off, period.
How the hell did the DS9 writers room cope then when they did "Far beyond the stars?" The N word was used in that episode, so it must have been mentioned in the writers room?
No. They could have investigated, found the complaint baseless, and told the complainer to go pound sand.
It’s a professional environment. While I agree that in this exact case, he had a valid reason. But it’s a blanket rule because others will abuse it and they will justify it in really shitty ways. Mostly how it’s “unfair” that some people can use slurs and others can’t.
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I clicked on the article and saw the writer was Walter Moseley. I've read some of his Easy Rawlings novels and loved them Never read any of his sci fi. But, kinda glad I didn't know about him before this. If I'de been looking forward to his episodes and this happened, I'de be even more disappointed.
Corporations can't afford to have multiple sets of rules for behavior in the workplace. Corporate HR's get killed in court when plaintiffs can prove there are multiple sets of rules for different people. If Moseley really didn't get fired, it's probably only because he wasn't a boss and perhaps because he is black, which automatically subtracts any malice from what he said.
There are plenty of things you just can't get away with incorporate settings anymore. That is as it should be because there are any number of knuckleheads out there complaining about PC and "wokeness" who would like nothing better than to go back to the days when you could say anything at work and you just tell the other person to get over it.
As for who might have snitched, if it was a "conservative white guy", even if his reason was "if I can't say it, (in a corp setting), then he can't say it" (in corp setting), I couln't argue with that. Those are the rules.
I hope Walter learns from this.
Not if you use a little common sense.
Moseley's an old guy.
Lincoln said "The charming negress."
Or has Tarintino dropped a trailer recently?
Or has Tarintino dropped a trailer recently?
I highly doubt a black writer went to HR to snitch on Walter Mosley of all people.
Not only is Mosley accomplished, but being black in corporate America, (especially in Hollywood) is a rare thing and to undermine another black writer to the boss (HR) over something like discussing racism from a cop back in the day, seems highly unlikely. A private convo about using that word around non-black people, sure I could see that happening, but running to HR to tell on an esteemed black writer, nope.
Mosley is an odd character though with a biting personality. I can see how he could rub some the wrong way. Maybe he was sizing up people in the room, if not challenging them too much. Why was he telling the story of the cop in the first place? It's likely this wasn't the first time he discussed race or racism in the room and this is what made that person feel uncomfortable. The n-word was just something that they could run to HR with to catch him on.
Not only is Mosley accomplished, but being black in corporate America, (especially in Hollywood) is a rare thing and to undermine another black writer to the boss (HR) over something like discussing racism from a cop back in the day, seems highly unlikely. A private convo about using that word around non-black people, sure I could see that happening, but running to HR to tell on an esteemed black writer, nope.
Mosley is an odd character though with a biting personality. I can see how he could rub some the wrong way. Maybe he was sizing up people in the room, if not challenging them too much. Why was he telling the story of the cop in the first place? It's likely this wasn't the first time he discussed race or racism in the room and this is what made that person feel uncomfortable. The n-word was just something that they could run to HR with to catch him on.
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How is it baseless? Because you aren’t offended?
Yes, it's a false flag.
It's either a skeevy underhanded plot to destroy Walter, or we are dealing with a complete snowflake.
I am not sure the issue is that CBS wasn't within their rights. Only that the person was wrong to rat him out. If they were trully offended they could have spoke up when he was talking and said that he/she was bothered by what he was saying or ignore it or leave the room for a moment. I bet they didn't because some part of them knew how absurd it is to call a old black man talking about experienced racism a racist. Instead like a coward they rat him out without even talking to the guy. Jason
As a reader of simply the NYT opinion piece, "Why I Quit the Writers’ Room," linked to in the OP's Variety article, and as a reader lacking descriptions of what happened from the other parties involved, I can't say much more than that it would be unfair for an HR department to react this way—regardless of whether there's any more to this particular story or Mosley's recounting is accurate as it stands. To better understand what actually happened in this case, it would be ideal to hear from other witnesses, including from the complaining party in their own words describing just what it was that offended them, but also from others. But none of that has any bearing on the fact that Mosley presents a convincing argument why HR reactions such as the one he describes for the stated reasons are completely unfair. The idea that a team who can't communicate among themselves about something has any business writing* a script about it is ludicrous.
* - or otherwise conceiving, as per "He said, very nicely, that I could not use that word except in a script."
* - or otherwise conceiving, as per "He said, very nicely, that I could not use that word except in a script."
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Well, he should have been fired for saying the word Neelix. That's a cardinal sin.
Neelix should have been assigned cleaning duty on an airlock.
"oops" Pressed the wrong button.
Even when you're quoting other people?
Because he apparently quoted what a cop said.
I've seen it abused here, that's why we have a blanket rule with no exceptions.
Remember the 2nd episode of The Office?
Michael Scott quoting a Chris Rock sketch about n-words.
They are all so young!
Larry ##cking Wilmore HAS fu##ing hair!!
It's sad that his sticking it Trump fell into the sea. I'd love it whenever he would randomly say "And I haven't forgotten about you Cosby!"
From a corporate perspective you can't allow employees to use this word in a professional setting unless the context is extremely specific (in a script, an actor saying it in dialog etc.). Every major organization has a policy against using racial slurs.
I just think it's lame that someone complained to HR about it, and I agree with most of what Mosley said.
I just think it's lame that someone complained to HR about it, and I agree with most of what Mosley said.
No where in the op-ed does Mr. Mosley say or insinuate that he was told, or had it implied to him, anything along the lines of what you're fabricating here.
Agree or disagree with the policy, the H.R. person is just doing what they're told; what they had to do in accordance with policy. I don't understand how you can conclude that this is about shutting down a minority from talking about racism. Unless you're being extremely hyperbolic.
If they wanted to shut him down from talking about racism they wouldn't have hired him in the first place.
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