Racial rant by ‘Dog’ prompts public forum
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The racial tirade by TV reality star Duane "Dog" Chapman will be the focus of a public forum on race relations to be held tomorrow by the Hawaii chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Chapman's rant resulted in his show pulled off the air indefinitely.
Chapter President Alphonso Braggs said the forum will also take up other racial remarks made through media and entertainment.
On Wednesday the National Enquirer posted on its Web site an audio recording in which Chapman goes on a rant against his son's girlfriend, who is black.
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A public forum on race relations will be held tomorrow because of TV reality star Duane "Dog" Chapman's racial tirade, which resulted in his show pulled off the air indefinitely.
Race Forum
The Hawaii chapter of the NAACP is hosting a forum at 4 p.m. tomorrow at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, 3950 Payne Circle, just off Nimitz Highway near the airport.
The public is invited to attend. Representatives from local civil rights groups and other community leaders are expected to address several points regarding the controversy surrounding Duane "Dog" Chapman's racial slurs.
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The Hawaii chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is hosting the event as a result of Chapman's rant as well as other racial remarks statements made through media and entertainment, said chapter President Alphonso Braggs.
"In 2007 we continue to have in America incident after incident of racial hatred or inappropriate remarks," Braggs said. "It's important that even the smaller minority groups come together and address it, because if we don't, it somehow may be interpreted as a silent approval that it's OK."
On Wednesday the National Enquirer posted on its Web site an audiotape recording in which Chapman goes on a racial rant against his son's girlfriend, who is black.
Later that day, the A&E Network suspended production on Chapman's show, "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Yesterday the network announced it is pulling the show off the air indefinitely. That means no more reruns.
"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future," a network statement said. "We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun."
The move comes on the heels of news that a major sponsor, Yum! Brands, which advertises its Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants on the show, has dropped its sponsorship because of the controversy.
In correcting earlier online reports, the show has not been canceled, and production still remains suspended until an investigation into the matter is completed, said Michael Feeney, senior vice president of corporate communications for A&E Television Networks.
In the taped conversation, Chapman tells his son that he wants to use the N-word without worrying about his son's black girlfriend, and urges him to leave her or his job at one of the family's businesses. He uses the N-word to describe the woman, whom the Enquirer identified as Monique Shinnery.
Chapman has since apologized for his behavior. The show, shot mostly in Hawaii, was in its fifth season and was one of A&E's most popular.
Braggs said he "wholeheartedly agrees" with A&E's decision to pull the show off the air.
"There's just no way that any mature adult in America can listen to that tape and say that this individual needs to be in the public light and receive a benefit," he said. "That's one of the things we'll be discussing on Sunday -- the consequences of those actions."
Other topics will include root causes, subtle racism and accountability, media influence, and moving forward as a group.
Braggs stressed that the forum is not a venue to attack a particular ethnic group, but to address racism within all cultures.
"We need to make sure we also hold ourselves accountable," Braggs said. "He's not the only individual using the N-word, and his race of people is not the only ones using the word inappropriately. This forum will address any and everyone that's doing it."
