Outrage Over Racial Comments by Knicks Coach

Sept. 19, 2007 — -- African-Americans Tuesday criticized New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas for saying it was less offensive for black men than for white men to call black women "bitches."

"A white man calling a black woman 'bitch,' that is wrong with me. I'm not accepting that. That's a problem for me," Thomas said in a videotaped deposition shown during a trial brought against the team by a former marketing executive who claims she was harassed by Thomas and wrongfully terminated.

But when asked if it was wrong for a black man to call black women bitches, Thomas said "not as much" and "I'm sorry to say, I do make a distinction."

Thomas' comments come amid increased scrutiny of public figures' use of racial and sexual epithets, particularly those aimed at black women.

Don Imus was fired as host of his CBS radio show in April when he referred to the members of the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy headed hos."

That comment prompted the new resurgence of an old debate over who, if anyone, could use derogatory epithets, and when, if ever, it was acceptable to use them.

"The National Action Network and I are unequivocally against a person of any race, color or creed calling a person a 'nigga' 'bitch' or 'ho,' and further, that no person regardless of his or her race, has the right to make misogynistic or sexist remarks against another person," the Rev. Al Sharpton told ABC NEWS.com in an e-mail.

The taped deposition was played by lawyers for Anucha Brown Sanders, a former vice president of marketing for the Knicks, who accuses Thomas of calling her "bitch," "f***ing bitch" and "ho." Sanders claimed she was fired when she complained about Thomas' comments and sexual advances. She is seeking $10 million and wants her job back.

There's no understanding in the black community that this kind of language is acceptable, said Anita L. Allen, a professor of law and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. "I think he's off the wall," she said of Thomas.

"I don't know how or where this idea comes from that it might be OK for an African-American man to refer to a black women as a bitch," said Allen.