26-Year-Old Radio Anchor Loses His Job Because He Called Kamala Harris The Nation’s ‘First Colored Vice Presidential Candidate’

Cleveland radio news anchor Kyle Cornell has been fired after referring to Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris as “colored.”

“The U.S. officially has its first colored vice presidential candidate. More coming up after the game on Newsradio WTAM 1100 Cleveland.”

Cornell, who is 26, was deeply regretful.

After his firing, Cornell told WKYC that he meant no disrespect to Harris in using the word.

His phrasing “wasn’t meant to be malicious or in any sort of way trying to [defame] the character of anyone,” Cornell told the station, according to Cleveland.com.

“That was never the goal and for that, again, I am truly sorry,” he continued. “For the station of WTAM too, I feel awful for putting them through what they’ve had to go through over the past 24 hours. … I just want them to understand it was a rough choice to make and that I accept my punishment.”

I have to say, I’m a bit torn about this young man’s firing. On the one hand, I would never in a million years call a black person “colored.” It is an outdated term with a lot of negative history that would likely offend people.

On the other hand, it can be a bit confusing because the term “people of color” and “woman of color” is widely used now and (usually) acceptable.

It gets even more confusing when you realize that we still have the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). If the term is that offensive, then why haven’t they renamed their organization?

Cornell seemingly made an innocent mistake. There are no reports that he was a racist or in any way discriminatory to people of color. Firing the guy seems a bit harsh. Wouldn’t we be better off as a society if we showed some grace and allowed people to learn from their mistakes without cancelling them?

What do you think?

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