Isaiah Washington Being Framed?

Many activists in our community are angry because Isaiah Washington , a star on Grey's Anatomy, said the following statement: "I did not call him a faggot." I agree that if he did call someone a faggot that it is an outrage, but I disagree with people who have a problem with that statement. Maybe his denial of calling T.J. a faggot is an honest denial. Why are we so suspicious of him? There is a big difference between calling someone a faggot, and saying "I never called him a faggot."








Gay rights activists seemed more enraged by the statement of denial than the initial allegations that he had called the other actor the name in the first place, pressuring him (or his pr specialist) to issue the following apology:








"I apologize to T.R., my colleagues, the fans of the show and especially the lesbian and gay community for using a word that is unacceptable in any context or circumstance. "







S0 now I, as a queer person who is repeatedly called faggot, can't even use the word to talk about it? No context or circumstance... ever? Ridiculous. To hear the executive director of GLAAD agree with that statement is absurd, but that is exactly what he did on CNN today(watch). I think if we ban words in any context it just gives them more power. If I was accused of calling someone a slur of anykind, I think I should be able to say "I did not call so and so a ____" and not get in trouble for it.







Considering actors and sports players make comments like this all the time I am curious as to why this particular incident has drawn so much attention... thoughts?