A Letter to Roland: Make It Right

I think one of the things that makes the TJMS work is that, like a real family, we bring a variety of personalities, talents and flaws to the table, yet we accept our differences and roll with them. It only becomes a problem when one of our actions – or lack thereof – begins to detract from our overall goal, which is to entertain and empower black people.

As head of the family, I’ve sat back as long as I could, hoping I wouldn’t have to say anything. But now the time has come.

So, Roland, we love you and need you full force to be able to do what you do – represent us and our views on CNN and other arenas.  In order to continue your role on that show, on the speaking circuit, etc., it’s time for you to make a sincere apology to GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). When people are offended by something we say or do, it doesn’t matter what our intentions are. The job of the offender is simply to apologize and learn a lesson about what to say or do going forward.

Your mission is greater than your principal.  It’s no longer about you. Now it’s grown into something bigger than you are, but only you can make right.

We love and appreciate what you do as a journalist, an analyst and commentator. You are a much -needed voice in the community and have the gift of being able to relate with everybody from the ‘hood to the White House.

We’ve gone through this with another family member who refused to turn around. I sure would hate to see pride silence another important voice.

Make it right, Roland, so we can move forward.

While I understand Tom Joyner’s position, couldn’t this have been a private conversation between he and Roland Martin? Why do we constantly have a need to air our dirty laundry in public? On the other hand, he may be trying to distance himself from Roland Martin so that his show won’t be boycotted by GLAAD. If so, did he throw his friend under a bus? Shows you how cutthroat the business is. Tom Joyner’s sidekick J. Anthony Brown and comedian Huggy Low Down are funny, but they have made some off-color gay jokes. Has Tom Joyner addressed that?

I didn’t think the tweets about David Beckham’s underwear advertisement were anti-gay but that’s just one set of comments and taken as a whole, as GLAAD has suggested, Roland Martin’s comments are disturbing. At least they can be interpreted as such. This dust-up is bigger than GLAAD. Roland Martin is now black-listed and that won’t work in his favor with CNN. He will disappear from their network slowly but surely. Roland Martin, on the other  hand, could end up marginalized like Tavis Smiley. Mark my words.