Jemele Hill, who is one of the hosts for Sports Center on ESPN, has taken several hits from conservative writers for her recent comments about Donald Trump, and was even given the "cold shoulder" by her bosses, who called her actions "inappropriate."
The problem with all this is, of course, that Hill did nothing but tell the truth.
Donald Trump is, by the words of his own mouth, just exactly what Hill called him - and more.
In addition to his calling white supremacists "fine people" and challenging the credibility of a federal judge based on his ethnic heritage, he has continually made comments which include bragging about sexist actions toward women, making fun of a disabled reporter, and denying the citizenship of President Obama by claiming he was born outside the U.S.
President Donald Trump waits outside the West Wing of the White House for the arrival of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Washington. ESPN distanced itself from anchor Jemele Hill's tweets one day after she called Trump "a white supremacist" and "a bigot." (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) The list is actually considerably longer, and the point is made not by reporters, but out of his own mouth.
This comment by Hill is in no way an example of liberal bias in media.
In the first place, it was made on social media - not on an ESPN program. I do not know if the social media comment was made on a personal page or an ESPN outlet. Either way, social media is known for containing the personal opinions and reflections of the person doing the posting. These comments were clearly not only an opinion, but an honest and accurate one as well.
A much larger problem is the willingness of conservatives in the media and elsewhere to instantly pounce on accurate statements and attempt to claim, by sheer noise, that they serve as proof of "liberal bias" in the media.
There may be more liberals than conservatives working in the news business, especially on a national basis. Most likely that has been the case in the past, although there now are so many outlets on the national stage (both liberal and conservative) that it may be hard to make such a determination.
Facts are facts, however, and no amount of howling by conservatives can change the fact that Donald Trump's words and actions qualify him for exactly what Jemele Hill said about him and worse.
It is appropriate and desirable to engage in honest discussion on the issues of our day. There are many which deserve our attention. This "blow up" about Jemele Hill is not one of them.
As Harry Truman famously said, "I don't give anybody hell; I just tell the truth and it sounds like hell."
Hill just told the truth.
C. Gerald Richardson is a retired minister in the United Methodist Church who lives in Monteagle, Tenn.