Can a racist be reformed and re-hired?

On University of Oklahoma head baseball coach Larry Cochell

from JoeUser Forums
In the last several days, University of Oklahoma head baseball coach Larry Cochell had his resignation accepted by the University after reports came out about Cochell's use of racial epithets. As a reference, see the story linked (headline is linked) below from USA Today.


Oklahoma investigating racial remarks by baseball coach

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — An assistant coach will assume the duties of veteran head baseball coach Larry Cochell while the University of Oklahoma reviews racially insensitive remarks he made during two off-camera interviews earlier this week, officials said Friday.
Before Tuesday's telecast of the Oklahoma-Wichita State game on ESPN2 and ESPNU, Cochell used racial epithets as he praised freshman outfielder Joe Dunigan, who is black, ESPN reported on their Web site.
While speaking with play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne, Cochell called Dunigan over to compliment him for staying in school. When the freshman returned to the field, Cochell used the epithet to describe Dunigan, according to a story on the Web site.
In a later discussion about Dunigan with ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson, Cochell used derogatory words to describe blacks and whites before saying, "Dunigan is a good black kid."
University officials weren't informed of the remarks until 4 p.m. Friday, when they were contacted by ESPN, according to the school's statement.
Although Cochell remains head coach, assistant coach Sunny Golloway will serve as head coach on an interim basis until the matter is resolved, the statement said.
"It is widely known that one of the most important values of the University of Oklahoma and its leadership is to celebrate diversity as a strength," Athletics Director Joe Castiglione said. "This university is a place where everyone is respected. Clearly, if these comments were made they run contrary to the core values of this institution and we will treat them very seriously."
Cochell, who has been head coach since 1991 and led the Sooners to a College World Series title in 1994, couldn't immediately be reached Friday night for comment.
In a statement released by the university, Cochell apologized for his remarks.
"I am deeply sorry for any pain or embarrassment I have caused for any individual or the university. Our university family is totally committed to equality and mutual respect," he said.
"I personally hold those values and will always regret that my careless use of language did not reflect my own values, and it certainly did not reflect the values of the University of Oklahoma."
Cochell was in the dugout Thursday night when Oklahoma beat Nebraska 5-1 in Big 12 Conference play.


... more at linked article


The follow-up to that article (from ESPN's site):

University president accepts letter of resignation

ESPN.com news services

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma baseball coach Larry Cochell resigned Sunday, two days after reports surfaced of alleged racial remarks he made during two off-camera interviews to ESPN.



So, the question becomes, for this individual and in general, can someone who has made such a mistake be rehabilitated, reform, and then later rehired (either at that school, or another one), or will such an incident forever tarnish the man/woman and leave them virtually un-employable?
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3,314 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
'a few careless remarks' while being interviewed on espn rendered by someone who's been in education long enough to be head coach?

if he carelessly said 'fuck bush' a couple times on air, could he be successfully rehabilitated and rehired?
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
'a few careless remarks' while being interviewed on espn rendered by someone who's been in education long enough to be head coach?


Sorry read the story....He was not ON ESPN. He was being interviewed by ESPN and was not being taped for broadcast. Now that said, he was still wrong in saying it in the first place.
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah, he used a bad word. Get over it.


yep it'sa that P.C. crap again.. misspeak even slightly and unintentional, with nothing but good thoughts and whip is right.. off with their heads.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
The remark wasnt intended to be racist, it was intended as a compliment.


when you, in your initial response, said:

Making a "racially insensitive" remark is not the same as being a racist


it occurred to me that was a possibility (albeit an unlikely one) even tho it seems to me that anyone who thinks of black people in that way (and how else would he have spoken the word if he didn't?) is perched on the cusp at very least.

if, on the other hand, one thinks it is somehow complimentary to qualify a black person using the phrase you've cited, there's no question in my mind one is not only a racist, but also a stupid racist.

whether or not the object of his 'compliment' took offense isn't the issue. the player isn't on equal footing with the coach and, thus, may not be willing to speak his mind freely. he may be embarassed for the asshole. he may not wish to attract further attention to himself. even if, for some reason, he thought it was the coolest thing the coach ever said, it doesn't absolve the idiot. while he may be a less hateful racist than some others, he's no better than, say, a black woman who thinks of you as generous white trash.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
For starters, if someone wants to be a racist, it is their right to be. I don't think anyone should be "reformed" unless they choose to. It becomes a slippery slope when we start promoting the reprogramming of people to suit our own moral ideals. Sure, I agree that the world would be a better place without racism, but there are a lot of people who think a lot more needs to be changed than that.

The university should be able to hire and fire as they choose, and they shouldn't tolerate people who demean their students. I just think that it is kind of lopsided in America. This guy to using a racial slur is a firing offense. For someone to call 9-11 victims "little eichmann"s, wink at terrorism, and teach racial and class hatred is embraced as "freedom of speech".

Sure, someone who desparages people should be purged from the higher learning, but if they start doing it, they shouldn't stop when the only hateful people left agree with them.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
i could be wrong but i believe what was actually meant by 'reformed' in the title of this article was 'rehired'--or eligible for rehire. the coach has an absolute right to be a racist; the university also has a right to hire and fire employees who fail to meet their standards or comply with policy.

he apparently wasn't smart enuff to realize he was endangering his career by using racial slurs to describe a player while acting in his professional capacity and as a spokesperson for his employer. if for no other reason than that, i'm glad i'm not responsible for any of his financial obligations. if he convinces someone else to hire him and says something similar while asking a customer if they wanna supersize that, he's gonna get bounced outta there as well.

by that time, he'll be about as likely to be hired by anyone as ward churchill (if that's who you were referring to) is to be put on the staff at university of oklahoma.
Reply #7 from PolMach Forums Top
He used the dreaded N word, OFF WITH HIS HEAD!


--Now i personally would not use the N word...but when a person says it [in this case a white man..., everyone goes ballistic...but when blacks call fellow blacks N's, nobody seems to have a problem...this has got to be a biggest case of hypocrisy...it doesn't make sense...if certain people can't say it because its "a racial slur" then why should others... 3 words WTF!?
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
it doesn't make sense...if certain people can't say it because its "a racial slur" then why should others


as an ordinary asshole, he can say whatever he wants. as coach asshole for the u of ok team being interviewed, he can...but as he learned, he's gonna prolly be fired.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Is there another term for "economically disadvantaged blacks who harrass their peers for "acting white" if they pursue an education and are possessed of a bad attitude that guarantees their failure in life?"


that's a ridiculous question (not simply because you've made it so convoluted i got no idea what youre asking for). but i guess the answer might be the same as it would be for anyone who was harrassing someone trying to better himself: assholes. it certainly doesnt justify any of the parties complimenting anyone with that slur.

i highly doubt that anyone is messing with black athletes at college level for succeeding.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
When the freshman returned to the field, Cochell told Thorne, "There's no n----- in him."


if cochell were an urban black, it would be bad enough. any white adult--especially an educator (which is what this moron probably considers himself to be)--who feels that's an appropriate characterization of anyone is, as i stated earlier, not merely a racist but a very stupid racist.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
he apparently wasn't smart enuff to realize he was endangering his career by using racial slurs


I agree with you here Kingbee. Not only was the quote in question a stupid remark to make, it should have been clear to the coach that it would bring on the ugly!

We really shouldn't have to be so vigilant with our choices of words, but reality is, it is not the speaker who decides how his or her words will be taken by others.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
In the mid 90s I was working in a factory in Utah. One of the guys came to work late. His reason for being late was, "because some 'beaners' stole my pickup".

He was immediately fired, not for being late, but for the racial slurr. Like the coach he should have thought about his words before he spoke them. Considering at least 1/2 of the part of the line we worked were Mexican, our supervisor's wife was Mexican and the department leader was Mexican, what else did this guy expect would happen?