Christian Defense Coalition Picketing ESPN Today
February 11, 2008 – 10:22 am Posted by bryan in » Sports Media
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Perhaps you’ve seen the videos of ESPN’s Chris Berman that have been all over the internet for the past week? They all seem to be about 5-7 years old, and feature Berman off camera (or so he thought) using language that your pastor would not use from the pulpit.
I don’t want you to get in trouble searching for them all over the scary internets, so here they are if you’re interested. Just so you know, clips 1,3, and 4 contain cussing and clip 4 contains Chris taking God’s name in vain a few times (7, actually). If you’d rather not hear any of that, skip over the links.
- 1 - In which Berman drops 11 F-Bombs in 54 seconds.
- 2 - In which Berman puts on a veritable clinic on how to sexually harass a female employee. (hey, no cussing!)
- 3 - In which Berman describes how to smuggle over-the-counter Codeine into the country from Canada.
- 4 - In which Berman gets a bit angry at the production crew.
First Dana Jacobson and now this. Apparently, the Christian Defense Coalition has had enough.
“The Christian Defense Coalition will be calling on ESPN to take three positive steps toward building a culture of religious tolerance in their workplace:
*Discipline or terminate any employee that uses religiously intolerant and hateful language such as “Goddamn” or the negative use of “Jesus Christ” in the workplace.
*Sponsor a workplace seminar and dialogue on religious tolerance and discrimination in the workplace. ESPN has held similar seminars on race and gender but never on religion.
*Host a discussion on one of their programs featuring the topic of the offensive use of “Goddamn” and “Jesus Christ” within the sports world.
It is the goal of the Christian Defense Coalition to help ESPN realize the negative use of “Jesus Christ” and “Goddamn” in the workplace is as offense and hateful as using the term “nigger” in the workplace.
The Coalition will be demonstrating today at high noon in front of ESPN (across the street from the McDonald’s) in hopes that “…ESPN will take a positive first step toward ending workplace religious intolerance by implementing our three recommendations. ”
These videos were obviously recorded and saved without anyone knowing about it. Suddenly they are being put on the internet 7 years later, probably because whoever published them has since moved on from ESPN.
What do you think? Does Berman, at the very least, owe folks an apology for the language he used? Should ESPN take action against him? Would you be ok with comments you made 7 years ago in private showing up on YouTube? Is picketing ESPN a good idea?
It’s true that Berman wasn’t on the air when he said all this, but he was at work, and as such, ESPN should have the right to take action against him if they wanted to. Does anyone know what the statute of limitations are on cussing?
Tags: Chris Berman, cussing, ESPN
9 Responses to “Christian Defense Coalition Picketing ESPN Today”
By Aaron on Feb 11, 2008 | Reply
I only find the picketing strange. The CDF could go to nearly any business in the country and do the exact same thing.
I’d rather organize a giant picket to get rid of Berman because his jokes are so unfunny.
By Aaron on Feb 11, 2008 | Reply
The CDC, rather.
By Larry Shallenberger on Feb 11, 2008 | Reply
While I agree that hearing God’s name used poorly IS offensive, the non-relational, power/lobbying approach that the CDC is considering simply polarizing.
Can’t stand it.
By buddy watts on Feb 11, 2008 | Reply
I think espn should fire him for a really bad impression of Paris Hilton throwing a BF. Outside of that I understand the CDC’s position. Why do they teach racial and sexual tolerance but say nothing about religious tolerance? That is unless you are anything but a Judeo Christian. If he would have said something to the effect of “Blankity, Blank, Mary the Mother of Christ.” Mr. Berman would get a papal visit. I dunno…On a more interesting note. Is it coincidence or irony that the Christian Defense Coalition has the same initials (CDC) as the Center for Disease Control? Things that make ya go hm…
By bryan on Feb 11, 2008 | Reply
i just read Charlie Weis’ comments to what Dana Jacobson had to say, via the Chicago Sun Times:
“I was personally and professionally offended by her comments,” Weis said. “If the situation were reversed, I would have been the lead story on ‘SportsCenter,’ and I would have been fired. Other than that, the university has issued an official response, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Charlie might be right about that.
(h/t: The Big Lead)
By Aaron on Feb 11, 2008 | Reply
I think he is right, but…
there roles are so monumentally different in the public eye that a more discerning tongue comes with the territory.
If Chris Rock said it, everybody would have laughed and moved on.
Do I think everybody needs to lighten up, yes, definitely. But Charlie Weis works for a buttoned up institution that takes pride in their maturity and Weis should, too. It shouldn’t matter that she gets different treatment, he should be thankful that he works somewhere where being publicly intoxicated and shouting expletives would not be considered acceptable behavior. He’s a father figure for a hundred young men at a critical point in their lives and is in charge of representing a university that has an interest in him conducting himself with admirable character.
That said, he better start winning some games or everything he said with regard to himself is going to happen anyway.
By Larry Shallenberger on Feb 12, 2008 | Reply
I just can’t extrapolate a defense approach from the Sermon on the Mount. Instead of turning the other check, there’s lobbying and press releases. The lobbying approach lacks a certain Jesusy-feel.
By danny on Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
i get sick of christians expecting nonchristians to act like believers. espn makes no claim to follow christ. berman’s behavior is offensive, but it should also leave us with compassion for him. out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. we got a look at his heart. the guy (like this guy) needs the gospel.
By Zeke on Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
Does the CDC really have nothing better to do with their time? When organizations do something like this, they obviously can’t expect a company like ESPN to actually act on their recommendations, so they must be trying to prove a point, which is what - that Christians have to put up with foul language in the workplace? Man, this modern-day persecution really is tough.
Instead of trying to isolate those around you by creating rules for others to follow so that you feel comfortable, the CDC should be lobbying Christians to get out of their comfort zone and go be with the exact type of people the CDC is viewing as a “problem” - Christ was a friend to the worst of sinners, and he didn’t tell them to change their behavior because it was personally offensive to him.