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CNN Suspends Roland Martin for "Offensive", Homophobic Tweets

CNN has suspended contributor Roland S. Martin for a homophobic series of tweets during the Super Bowl.

The Chicago-based radio host has been under fire since Sunday and the target of an social media action by GLAAD and the National Black Justice Coalition. CNN has been quiet until now when it released this statement:

Roland Martin’s tweets were regrettable and offensive. Language that demeans is inconsistent with the values and culture of our organization, and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful consideration to this matter, and Roland will not be appearing on our air for the time being.”

CNN took its time, but it clearly reached a strong decision here. What Martin had tweeted — advocating beatings for men who’d enjoyed the David Beckham underwear ad shown during the Super Bowl plus the same for a New England Patriot clad in a pink suit — was the equivalent of cheerleading for violence against gays.

"CNN today took a strong stand against anti-LGBT violence and language that demeans any community," said GLAAD spokesperson Rich Ferraro. "Yesterday, Martin also spoke out against anti-LGBT violence. We look forward to hearing from CNN and Roland Martin to discuss how we can work together as allies and achieve our common goal of reducing such violence as well as the language that contributes to it."

Roland Martin's homophobic comments should come as no surprise to R20 readers. Martin has previously compared gays to alcoholics, defended Tracy Morgan's violent homophobic comedy skit and slammed "gay blogs" for "savagely attacking" anti-gay Miss California Carrie Prejean.

More recently: Actor Boris Kodjoe criticized Roland Martin for describing homosexuality as a choice or "gay lifestyle."

Martin has a major platform across Black media—radio, television and magazines—and his words are particularly harmful to Black LGBTs. Despite his well-documented homophobic track record, a number of Black gay voices have defended Martin and attacked GLAAD and other activists. Rev. Kevin E. Taylor, the New Jersey-based pastor, gay activist, author and producer dissects this in an excellent op-ed at RollingOut.com:

Martin is the “crazy uncle” who we are used to coming into the room and saying stupid things. ... We are used to the Rolands of our world ranting about stuff in off-handed ways. [So] many Black gay men have learned to absorb the shock of these comments and keep it moving “cuz that’s just how he is."

We are often still so ensconced in our Black community ... because we still find more sanctuary in Blackness than in gayness. We would rather take off-the-chin remarks from the family "we know loves us" because we have at least had great memories of family gatherings that just happened to include the crazy uncles and the Bible-toting aunts who say they love us but not "that lifestyle." I am pissed off and disappointed at members of my own community because while I completely understand the need to be close to the family and stay close to home, we’ve got to be willing to grow up.

It's an excellent op-ed. Read it HERE.

Martin's "jokes" about homophobic violence were delivered at the same time a young Black gay man was viciously attacked by a gang in Atlanta. The video-taped gay-bashing has gone viral. The FBI has has joined the police investigation.

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CNN contributor Roland Martin has previously discussed his discomfort around the "gay lifestyle." Martin's thinly-veiled homophobia has again become a flash point—this time after a series of tweets during the Super Bowl that resulted in GLAAD demanding his removal from the cable news network.

Martin tweeted this to his 95,000 followers after the debut of an H&M commercial featuring a scantily clad David Beckham: "If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him!"

GLAAD promptly responded:

@rolandsmartin Advocates of gay bashing have no place at @CNN #SuperBowl #LGBT

Martin's response:

@GLAAD @cnn well you're clearly out of touch and clueless with what I tweeted. Way to assume, but you're way off base.

Martin later released an "apology" that attempts to defend his series tweets as simple trash-talking:

I made several cracks about soccer as I do all the time. I was not referring to sexuality directly or indirectly regarding the David Beckham ad, and I’m sorry folks took it otherwise. It was meant to be a deliberately over the top and sarcastic crack about soccer; I do not advocate violence of any kind against anyone gay, or not.

GLAAD notes that this is only the latest in a series of homophobic behavior from a man who recently defended comedian Tracy Morgan's anti-gay rant: "Roland Martin has never compared being a soccer fan to being an alcoholic, the way he has compared being gay to being an alcoholic.  Roland Martin has never bragged that his wife has led men and women away from the “soccer lifestyle,” the way he claims she has with gay people. Roland Martin has never defended jokes about parents stabbing soccer-playing children, the way he defended jokes about parents stabbing gay children. "

Roland Martin's comments should come as no surprise to R20 readers. In a controversial CNN.com column "Miss California, Thanks for Being Honest," the radio host and CNN personality slammed "gay-focused blogs" and defended anti-gay Miss California Carrie Prejean because "she has been savagely attacked" for speaking the "truth."

Martin also attends the Chicago mega-church of anti-gay pastor and State. Sen. Rev. James Meeks. eeks has called homosexuality "an evil sickness" and was the only black legislator voting against Illinois' civil unions bill. Martin has defended Meeks' positions on gays. M

More recently: Actor and LGBT ally Boris Kodjoe sent a fantastic series of tweets slamming Eddie Long and the Black church's hypocrisy on gays—and criticizing Roland Martin for describing same-sex behavior as a choice or  "gay lifestyle."

Martin has a major platform in Black media—radio, television and magazines—and his words are particularly harmful to Black LGBTs. "Even if he meant it in a jovial manner, Roland Martin’s words carry a real impact on the everyday lives of Black LGBT people, especially our youth," says National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman. "Given the number of rash murders, attacks and violent acts involving LGBT people of color, we cannot let statements such as this go unchecked. Silence is a form of acceptance and only perpetuates the problem."

Read GLAAD's complaint HERE
SIGN the petition at Change.org.

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