STAR STRUCK
Indianapolis Star Editorial writer Rishawn Biddle was fired this afternoon for comments seen as racially charged that appeared in his blog Expresso. Sources inside the Star say Biddle’s job as a columnist was to bring the community together, but instead divided it when he criticized a number of Black Politicians in Marion County. Those comments have been since taken down from the paper’s website. There’s no word yet on what Biddle will do next.
October 31st, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Look, I’m standing up for Rishawn, and not just cause I like the name. Yes I know that “the star” (not capitalized on purpose)may have every right to fire him but Rishawn was known for interesting invectives and his work skewering both the right and the left made his opinion one of value. Rishawn, hang tough.. maybe you’ll get a radio show next? Just not up against Abdul…:)
October 31st, 2007 at 7:09 pm
I read the Star online and post incessantly there (“Jay”). I had emailed the Star a couple weeks ago asking what the deal was with Espresso going dormant, could they either take it down or re-energize it. Much to my delight, the most interesting blogger/writer at the Star – RiShawn – began posting again.
And now he’s gone.
Not only did the Star lose one of its few black voices, it fired the guy for calling another black person a racial epithet ? I cannot bear racial epithets hurled at anyone but as applied in this case I don’t think it’s worth a firing.
The Star is almost as white as WIBC, and although we have other major radio stations featuring a more multicultural crew, the Star is the dominant paper in town by 100:1 and must develop some sort of approach to solving this gaping hole.
Firing RiShawn was stupid and I wish him the best of luck.
October 31st, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Biddle is a hack and he got what he deserved.
October 31st, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Rishawn Biddle was brought up in Queens, New York City which is a far cry from the peckerwood city that is Indianapolis. He’s street smart enough to land a better position in another city that does not tolerate black organized crime.
Ryerson’s day is coming too.
October 31st, 2007 at 9:36 pm
I don’t care what city Rishawn was raised in, dude was seriously warped. When having a conversation with you, he couldn’t look you directly in the eye and he talked out of the corner of his mouth. And he would preface questions with, “Here comes a question. . .” Weird.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:29 pm
I will miss debating with him. His big head matched his big mouth. And boy he could not stand criticism. Not with a sh** on Abdul’s show. About like Monroe on Amos Brown. Yep, all blow..no show. Wonder if Monroe can write?
October 31st, 2007 at 11:38 pm
RiShawn was his own man. Can’t say that about all of the other “house Negroes” around Indy. Indianapolis is nothing more than a modern day plantation. African American professionals can not get ahead here without having a “white slave owner” as their master behind the scenes controlling what they say and do.
This city supports black trash like Julia Carson, Bill Crawford, Glen Howard, Monroe Gray, Ron Gibson, Carl Drummer, Tony Duncan, King Ro Connelly, and other appointed and annointed spokespersons by the white overseers. They are the ones who have held down the inner city and have allowed its demise.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:50 pm
He was a loudmouth hack and usually the most worthless guest on The abdul Show. Good riddance, I hear mcdonalds is hiring!
November 1st, 2007 at 12:02 am
I didn’t always agree with RiShawn but I’ll defend his constitutional right to say it.
Freedom of speech is not permitted in the People’s Republic of Indinapolis or the Communist Rag.
RiShawn, you should hold your head high and be proud of being a man.
November 1st, 2007 at 12:04 am
But Aaron Haith called Abdul a name, which was put on record at the last CCC meeting, so does he get fired???
November 1st, 2007 at 12:28 am
Sorry 12:04, that dog won’t hunt as it’s not an apples to apples comparison. It’s more like apples to persimmons.
November 1st, 2007 at 12:32 am
The “Willy Lynch Letter” is a modern fabrication: it’s just another urban myth. The dude never existed – he had no progeny.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:25 am
That’s pathetic. I guess that adds fuel to the theory that Democrats rule the city in more ways than one. Who neutered the Star? Why hasn’t Haith been held to the higher ethical standard than that of public servants?
Don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s a sad day when a newspaper journalist is held to a higher standard than a government-employed attorney. Especially when the only reason the star fires said journalist is for criticizing a WOS councilman…
November 1st, 2007 at 7:22 am
Wilson, “Sambo” (sp?) was also a fictional character, but one should never use that name in a personal attack on an individual. It doesn’t really matter whether it was a fabricated story or not, Haith shouldn’t have used it as a reference. Why do Wilson keep defending these losers who shoot themselves off their mouth?
(And Wilson runs into the shadows again instead of replying to the issue.)
November 1st, 2007 at 7:40 am
What Aaron Haith did was, by far, worse than anything RiShawn wrote. RiShawn’s was an opinion, no different from what lame-o Tully does, but Aaron knew exactly what he was saying, as did the IFD Greeson going after Melyssa.
As far as what the dumpster diver is saying, he called us “crackers” so he has NO dog in this fight. And with that I will say, ignore the dumpster diver, he is happiest when we talk about his sad little life and get off talking about the facts around the downward spiral of this city and sad excuse we currently have as leaders.
November 1st, 2007 at 8:50 am
Rishawn=Insensitive hack who needs to go.
Haith =Insensitive flack who needs togo.
they both are wrong and they both need the boot.
November 1st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
If you’re going to fire RiShawn, you also have to fire Haith, and you also have to fire everybody at the Star in the COC that allowed the slur to be printed. In fact if they really wanted to clean up their image they should start at the very top.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I liked RiShawn and a good chunk of what he had to say. Never met the guy.
That said, if I, as a white guy, said or published the term “coon” I’d lose my job. Therefore, if he lost his job for saying/writing it I call that equal rights for all.
This sounds like it could make for interesting discourse on your show or even nationally with Tavis Smiley.
November 1st, 2007 at 3:51 pm
So Wilson I guess you can say Nigga as Long as you dont say Nigger?
November 1st, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Wilson,
Why did you get upset when someone called you a fairy on here once. Oh maybe you think they are real.
November 1st, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I am surely going to miss RiShawn’s fresh-take on the black behind-the-scenes activities here in Indy.
RiShawn evidently recognized, early on, that Jackie Greenwood, the Arlington HS principal, is also a member in good-standing of the black mafia here in town.
This woman has been the ‘leader’ of Arlington for 20 some years, and she’s still not been able to lead the children to the ‘Promised Land’ of higher ISTEP scores, higher graduation rates, or lower dropout rates. Common sense tells us that Jackie is allowed to keep her $106K job at Arlington because of the black mafia and the black ministers of Indy.
November 1st, 2007 at 5:39 pm
“The blog referred to Gray and other city Democrats using language that both the Star’s editor and elected officials called offensive and unacceptable”
So is Democrat State Senator Howard an “elected official”?
Is Aaron Haith an appointed city “official” on the CCC? He seems to hold power.
If so why is it OK for Howard to refer to African Americans as “NIGARS”
Why is it OK for Haith to call another AA “Willie Lynch’s grandson”?
Has Peterson fired Haith?
Has the Democrat cactus on the State Senate censured Howard?
NO! Hypocrites all.
November 1st, 2007 at 6:56 pm
My! my! my! The stupid democraps still play the old game of race baiting to motivate black voters to get out and vote. This tired bunch of Negroes are still living in the “1960s”. Looks like Peterson has fallen for the “okay dokay.”
Since when is it that one member of the African American community can not criticize or identify corrupt black leaders and call them out. To hell with Bart Peterson holding a press conference with the same “house Negroes, who have sold out the black community over the past 50 years.
I am curious to know if Mr. Burris received permission from the national NAACP to exploit the organizations name in this mess. I am cancelling my membership after I write a letter to the national office.
As for Rep Bill Crawford, the black elected official who screwed the black church, minority and women owned businesses in the 2007 session of the general assembly with legislaltion he sponsored.
Amos Brown does more race baiting on WTLC, than anybody I know. But he promotes all of these corrupt democraps as well, so he is protected.
Julia Carson has lied and smeared her opponents over the years and nothing was ever said or done about her conduct in public office.
Glenn Howard runs his mouth about people around the town and he is nothing more than a joke as a legislator.
Any and all white democrats who do not support these fools are labled “racist” to black voters when they run for office. The pressure game is played every election by the members of the Ghetto Mafia. They extort money out of these candidates for them to receive their support.
Many African Americans agree with the article Rishawn Biddle wrote, but they don’t have the forum to express their views. Indepnedent thinking blacks support his views.