We all have access to some form of electronic media that we can use to publish to the world our inner-most thoughts. Because the delivery mediums are so easy to use and inexpensive, we can instantly blast out our up-to-the-minute earnest opinions.
The trouble with this accessibility to broadcast is that most people have regular bouts of insanity and can instantly blurt out stupid comments to a wide audience that they will soon regret. Trying to convey a witty or ironic observation verbally within a small group of friends can be easily taken in context, however as a few Olympians have found out, pithy comments in less than 160 characters can look awfully silly after an initial blood-rush to the head.
I see that the Motel 6 brand in America is currently getting another bashing, as a consequence of a motel manager allegedly posting an unsavoury greeting to a guest via the in-room television network.
It's difficult to fathom, why a motel manager would contemplate typing the greeting "Hello Nigger" into a guest's in-room television greeting screen. What were they thinking?!
The guest cried foul and a storm of mainstream media generated indignation has followed.
Ironically, the televised news report video below gives the impression that at least one of the managers at Motel 6 was black. So was the electronic salutation some kind of misguided "friendly" slang banter by a motel employee or was it ignorant and senseless racism?
Unfortunately this doesn't mater - Mainstream media crave sensationalism and not overburdening their viewers with detail gives good ratings.
The consequence of less than a dozen characters mindlessly entered into an electronic medium is huge - Motel 6's reputation has taken a massive hit. While mainstream media moves on to the next story, social networks will rage against the brand for several more weeks and the story will remain embedded in consumers' minds (and Google) for many years.
Tomahawk
