A friend recently sent me a text message that read “When else can a black man beat a white woman’s ass without going to jail? Vote for Obama!”

I pride myself on having a great sense of humor, but I did not laugh at this one. I was not offended either. I was just…shocked.

If I or any other Caucasian ever wrote or uttered such a statement in reverse, we would be summarily crucified. At a time when minorities are preaching equality and sensitivity, why is there still a double-standard when it comes to racist remarks?

I do not buy that minorities should be given a pass when it comes to making racist statements toward their own race or other races. If there is ever to be equality, it must be observed on both sides and treated with the same attitude.

Duane “Dog” Chapman was fired from his popular A&E show, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” for using a huge no-no word and Don Imus was canned from his morning show for describing the Rutgers University women’s basketball team as “nappy headed hos.”

If this is so disparaging, why did I see a copy of The Sentinel in University Hall with “Bros before Hos” on the cover in reference to Obama and Clinton?

In 2004, Barry Bonds made a few racially charged statements about Boston to a reporter. No one raised flags to the media and cried “Fire Barry Bonds!” No one said anything because no one felt they could, simply because Bonds is black and is apparently allowed to say whatever he wants.

However, when “Dog” made his racially insensitive remarks, Roy Innis, chairman of the Congress for Racial Equality, demanded he be taken off the airwaves immediately because his “comments show that he is certainly not a good guy.”

After Imus made his remarks, Al Sharpton demanded Imus be fired. He then insisted his demands were not about Imus but rather the “misuse of the airwaves.”

“We cannot afford a precedent established that the airwaves can be used to commercialize and mainstream sexism and racism,” he said.

Then why do we hear rap songs constantly referring to women as “hos” if not worse? Imus referred to the double standard after his firing by noting the term he used is well-used within the black community. Sharpton fired back, stating he does not forgive anyone who uses such words or phrases.

Yet, I have never once seen Sharpton demand Lil’ Wayne be released from his recording contract because he raps “hos love my grill, hos love my crib.”

How can anyone not see that as a double standard? I am not a racist and do not find joy in making racist comments, but I refuse to turn a deaf ear or a blind eye when someone of a different race makes an insulting remark and decides it should not be a big deal because they are a minority and they can. If I am going to be held to a standard of decency, then everyone, regardless of race, religion or sex should be subjected to that same standard. Once everyone is on the same page about what is appropriate and what is not, then we can start to break down the walls of racism in this country.

Amanda Forbes is a graduate student in English and journalism. She can be reached at [email protected].