Palin Defends Dr. Laura: “Don’t Retreat…Reload”

They're both still confused.

By Jamilah King Aug 19, 2010

Sarah Palin’s back. This time she’s coming to the aid of conservative talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who’s N-word ladden rant last week led to Tuesday’s announcement that she’s stepping down from her popular talk show to "gain her first amendment rights." Palin’s message to Schlessinger, via Twitter, "Don’t retreat…reload!"

Yes, we’ve heard it before. The former Vice Presidential candidate tweeted the same message back in the spring after health care reform became law.

The full defense: "Dr.Laura: don’t retreat…reload! (Steps aside bc her 1st Amend.rights ceased 2exist thx 2activists trying 2silence"isn’t American,not fair")." And then, more: ""Dr.Laura=even more powerful & effective w/out the shackles, so watch out Constitutional obstructionists. And b thankful 4 her voice, America!"

Dr. Laura used the N-word 11 times in five minutes on her August 10 show, apparently trying to make a point about racism. When she announced her decision to forgo renewing the show’s contract this week on Larry King Live, Schlessinger was still unrepentant:

"Black guys use it all the time. Turn on HBO and listen to a black comic, and all you hear is (n-word), (n-word), (n-word). I don’t get it. If anybody without enough melanin says it, it’s a horrible thing. But when black people say it, it’s affectionate. It’s very confusing."

Yesterday, Julianne Hing revisited Kai Wright’s story in the ColorLines archives on why it shouldn’t be so confusing.

My guess is that neither Palin nor Schlessinger’s confusion will go away any time soon. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be left to suffer.