Let Me Know When He's Really Sorry

The "F" word to me, at that particular time, before this took off in this other direction in terms of sexual orientation, it meant something -- it meant to me, someone who is being weak ... a person who is not being treated ... is not deserving of respect.

That is Isaiah Washington, formerly of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" talking to Larry King on CNN last week about calling a who he claims to be a heterosexual castmate a "faggot." In the heat of the moment, when there are literally hundreds of words to choose from to describe someone as weak or not deserving of respect, Washington chose to use the word "faggot."

And congratulations, NBC. He's your newest employee!

I am very unhappy ... scratch that ... I am literally outraged by the fact that Washington is not only being given a second chance, but he's practically being rewarded for an incident he alone caused, and an incident that as far as he's concerned, wasn't even his fault. NBC not only offered him a five-episode stint on "Bionic Woman," but they also are giving him a series deal for next year which will try and make Washington a household name differently than he already is.

Some have said that this whole incident is much ado about nothing. Washington should be allowed to say what he wants, because hey, this is a free country, right? And it's not like he directed the comment to gay cast member T.R. Knight, so who did he hurt?

It hurt a lot of people, which is why such a word should never be uttered, in all places, a work site. Instead of stopping to say, "You know, that was wrong for me to say that, but I am human, and I make mistakes. I am sorry it happened, and I will work to make sure it doesn't happen again." Instead, we get a whole diatribe on "Larry King" and other places about how his firing has nothing to do with him using a highly offensive word, but because he's black.

I'm sorry, but I don't care what color you are ... if you use an extremely offensive word to put a co-worker down on company time in a work place, you should absolutely have to face consequences, which could very much include termination. If T.R. Knight had gone to Patrick Dempsey, started an argument, and then called Dempsey the "N-word," would it be OK for Knight to get off with a slap on the hand, and not have to apologize? If he were fired, would it be right for him to claim that it had nothing to do with him using a racial slur ... he was fired because he was gay? No. He would've been fired because he used a horrible word, and wouldn't take responsibility for using it. And Washington would be first in line to show him the door.

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