Although Frank Beckmann wrote a column last Friday that many consider racist, The Detroit News tells Deadline Detroit it's sticking by the WJR broadcaster.
The Detroit News should think again. The News doesn't need to carry a guest column by someone who rails against political correctness -- particularly by someone like Beckmann, who proudly defends bigoted remarks of others and resents it when people catch grief for spouting them.
Nolan Finley, head of the paper's conservative editorial page and a former editor of mine, said Thursday that Beckmann recognizes he "was wrongheaded in this column and he was defending the indefensible. But we plan to continue running Frank Beckmann's columns."
Finley said he didn't consider the column racist, and that Beckmann's columns are provocative and his views are often shared by many readers.
The column that caused such a stir involved pro golfer Sergio Garcia.
On May 24, Beckmann wrote: "Garcia jokingly remarked that he’d try to make amends for his recent on-course dispute with Tiger Woods by having the world’s most famous black golfer – Garcia never mentioned race – over to the house for a dinner of fried chicken."
He also wrote:
The politically correct elites immediately condemned him as racist, Woods chose to take offense, and Garcia was forced to make a public apology though his intent was clearly not malicious.
What the Spanish golfer – wonder if he favors paella? – didn’t realize is that fried chicken was once a popular dish among American slaves who were not allowed to own livestock and couldn’t avail themselves of other southern delicacies like steak and ham.
After getting feedback from many people, saying his column was racist -- or at least borderline -- Beckmann felt he needed to apologize.
So his Wednesday column for the News says:
In my effort to emphasize my disdain for political correctness, I conflated it with the Sergio Garcia/Tiger Woods situation and that was a mistake on my part. I failed to properly consider the sensitivity of racial comments which stereotype people and the pain that causes.
Finley went on to comment on Beckmann's provocative columns, and said: "We're not going to engage in censorship."
Frank Beckmann reminds people often that he hates political correctness. Fine. When you speak to friends, say whatever it is you want.
But when you're on the public stage, that's different. Beckmann refuses to draw a distinction. In his latest column, he comes off as if he's an old plantation owner who resents change and people telling him what he or others can say.
It's not the only time he's defended bigoted remarks by others. Weeks ago he defended the bigoted remarks of ESPN commentator Chris Broussard, who was railing against the "sins" of homosexuality.
There's a place for Frank Beckmann. But it shouldn't be on the pages of the Detroit News.
Detroit News readers deserve better.
