Either bigotry is acceptable or it’s not. We can afford no middle ground on an issue such as this: Those being hateful and disparaging to others based on race, creed, sex or sexual orientation either deserve a place in our society, or they deserve none. As human beings, we must decide which it will be.

The problem with taking the middle road and allowing bigotry to be acceptable in certain circumstances is that it breeds inequality and double standards. Both bigots and apologists alike create this condition.

Recently, black Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington referred to his gay co-star T.R. Knight as a “faggot.” The executive producers of the show condemned his actions, and Washington has since apologized (though he initially denied the claim). Is it fair that Washington is allowed to keep his job?

Suppose the situation had been reversed. If Knight called Washington the n-word, would he be allowed to keep his job? More importantly, would he even be able to find employment in the entertainment industry again? (I think “Kramer” might have some input on this subject.)

If Knight used the n-word, it is reasonable to think he would have been immediately terminated and ostracized from the entertainment industry. Curiously enough, however, there are many who think that should be the case, but think Washington should slide for using the word “faggot” with a denial followed by an apology.

In January 1999, an aid of Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams resigned after using the word “niggardly.” Despite the fact that the word has no racial connotations and was not aimed as a racial pun, the aid was forced to resign. He was forced to resign because the word he used sounded like the n-word. In fact, it is telling about our society that I can even have the word “faggot” printed, but “n-word” remains printed thus. Either both should be acceptable to print, or neither. Either both should ruin a man’s career, or neither.

If we consider bigotry to have no place in our society, does that mean in absolutely every context? Many forms of entertainment use disparaging racial slurs. Music aside, consider comedy.

Black comedian Chris Rock has built his career upon the use of racial slurs and humor, not only degrading his own race, but also degrading others’. He is also quite entertaining, I might add. But while we all get chuckles at Rock’s brilliant comedic delivery, we should stop to think about why his comments are deemed appropriate.

Are Rock’s slurs acceptable because of his profession, or because of his race? I propose that his behavior is considered acceptable solely on the basis of his race. Jewish comedians likewise exploit their minority-based immunity; we are all familiar of the self-degrading Jewish style of stand-up comedy. Should they simply get a pass because of their heritage? If anything, the simple fact that it is comedy should exonerate them, not any facts about their race.

Despite what should or should not be, however, it seems clear that they do in fact get a pass. Washington is a good example of this inequality in standards. While one might argue that modern-day inequalities are acceptable because of past inequalities, I vehemently disagree.

I argue that the only way we can combat inequality is with equality. The more we highlight our differences negatively, the more we view each other and ourselves in a bad light. The more this occurs, the more an arbitrary line is drawn to divide us as human beings.

A measured, rational response is the answer; rationality is what our country needs most of all. It is merely rational to provide people with equal treatment and equal standards when it comes to uncontrollable factors such as sexual orientation, gender, race and class. To suggest that any two people have different sets of acceptable actions based upon their race, for instance, is racial discrimination à there is no other way to slice it.

Either way, the decision is up to us. Is it socially acceptable to be a bigot in America, or is it socially reprehensible? Whichever way we decide, it must stand for us all.

E-mail Mike and let him know if bigotry is acceptable at [email protected].