Confused

In recent months, Mel Gibson ranted some anti-semitic remarks while drunk and, just a few days ago, Michael Richards from SEINFELD saw his career take a nose-dive (well, his career was already dried up to begin with) when he shouted 'Nigger' ad nauseum to a couple of black guys at a Laugh Factory concert. BOTH instances are appalling, and I wont see a Mel Gibson movie ever again. As for Kramer, I am broken-hearted at this man's abuse of his platform to shout out this hatred to a live audience. And I am sure that most of you (Indeed, I would hope ALL of you) would agree with me. But now comes the CONFUSION for me: a few weeks ago Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey got into a fight on the set of GREY'S ANATOMY after Isaiah threw out the word 'Faggot' (relating to TR KNIGHT recently coming out of the closet). The altercation got press, Wash apologized, and the producers didn't fire Mr Washington for his actions. Now, hmmmm.... what's wrong with this picture? With Mel and Kramer, the press went wild with "their careers are over...they're done, finished...or in the very least, they will have to do some major PR work to overcome this". And I agree, when you call someone a 'Nigger', you abuse the very being of that person. It's fueled by hatred, pure and simple. But when you call someone a 'Faggot', you are ALSO abusing the very being of a person, and hatred is still at the fore. So I ask: Why did Washington get away with it? Why isnt HIS career over? Is it MORE acceptable to call people a 'faggot' than it is to call them a 'nigger'? In my opinion, they are both equally offensive. Even typing the word 'faggot' and 'nigger' makes me cringe. SO....if Mel Gibson and Michael Richards are going to have to own up to their verbal assaults, then I say Isaiah Washington must, too. Okay, I will get off my soapbox. I apologize if this entry bothered anyone, but I just had to get it off my chest, because it pisses me off for ANYONE to be called names based on their sex, religion, race, body shape, height, etc.