Don Lemon Holds Uncensored N-Word Sign on CNN, Asks Viewers, "Does This Offend You?"

CNN Tonight host supports President Barack Obama's in-context use of racial epithet and says other journalists should use term as well

By Rebecca Macatee Jun 23, 2015 1:29 PMTags
Don LemonYouTube

Don Lemon had a point to make about racism, and he quite literally spelled it out for CNN Tonight viewers Monday.

The 49-year-old journalist first held up a Confederate flag and asked, "Does this offend you?" Then, Lemon picked up a sign with the N-word printed boldly and uncensored in all capital letters. "Does this offend you?" he asked. "This word?"

Lemon pointed out that a lot of people were "shocked" when Barack Obama recently used the word on the "WTF With Marc Maron" podcast. (The president used the offensive term uncensored to make a point about racism, saying, "We are not cured of it. And it's not just a matter of it not being polite to say n--ger in public. That's not the measure of whether racism still exists or not.")

Lemon supported Obama's uncensored use of the N-word. "I think actually using the word—calling someone the word, obviously, and using it in context to provoke conversation or to have a meaningful conversation—those are two different things," he clarified. "So when you read a headline that says, 'The president uses the N-word,' he didn't really use the N-word, he discussed how people use that word. And I think it's about time he said it."

"I've always advocated the use of that word in context, especially if you're reporting on it in journalism," Lemon continued. "It's important for people to hear it when it has impact on a society."

The CNN host noted that he uses the uncensored word "judiciously," and said he'd like other journalists to say it when they're reporting on the issue "if they're comfortable saying it."

Whether the journalist is black or white, Lemon said, "does not matter" in his opinion. "Because you're a journalist. Journalists are conveyers of the truth. You're supposed to convey information, give people information. It's not to appease people, it's not to pander to people...Ultimately, you want—and the president would want—an informed electorate, and part of informing people is sometimes using words that we find uncomfortable."

Lemon isn't shying away from the controversy his use of the word has caused, either. He retweeted several posts highlighting the fact that people from all ends of the political spectrum have taken issue with Lemon's recent comments, including one from from CNN Tonight executive producer Jonathan Wald.

 

All press is good press?