By Ellen Chlumecky

April 20, 2015

It seems like recently more people of distinction are making degrading comments on Twitter, posting inappropriate pictures on Facebook, or literally getting caught on camera saying degrading things. In the case of Britt McHenry, it was the latter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkxBTklqIcw

Britt McHenry is a sports reporter who currently works for ESPN. She has served as a correspondent for various shows such as SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, NFL Live, and Baseball Tonight. As one can see from the video, she was clearly irate with the towing firm worker. While I along with many other people could understand her frustration of her car being towed, I don’t know how many people would talk to a worker that way. She stated that she would sue the place, adding a few curse words here and there.

ESPN suspended her for a week. One week. One week for being demeaning, using derogatory comments, commenting on the workers’ weight, teeth, class, and education, and being generally disrespectful to someone who was trying to do their job. While some people say that celebrities shouldn’t feel as much pressure to behave just because they’re celebrities, I believe that they should treat others as decent human beings. McHenry was furthest from treating that woman as a decent human being. Being frustrated is one thing, it’s actually using hateful words to hurt someone emotionally takes it to a truly horrible level.

She did post a Facebook apology. She said, “In an intense and stressful moment, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and some said insulting and regrettable things. As frustrated as I was, I should always choose to be respectful and take the high road. I am so sorry for my actions and will learn from this mistake.” All of this sounds like an apology right out of a public relations management handbook.

There’s also a bunch of cover ups saying that the video was edited and that the media was quick to judge her. Mediaite.com said that it seemed too odd that the woman being yelled at had no comments to make during the entire video. They are convinced that the video must’ve been edited in which the woman’s insults were unheard as well.

Whichever the case may be, it was inappropriate for anyone whether or not they’re on a national news channel. It makes me upset that we can’t live in a world that can’t treat people with respect. No matter what profession you are or what your class is, you need to treat people with respect and decency.