Clarence Page is disturbed by ”professional grump” Andy Rooney`s reluctance to make a critical comment on the $50 million donation to the United Negro College Fund by Walter Annenberg.
Page speculates that Rooney feared being labeled racist and in violation the ”New Sensitivity” standards. He deplores the thought of anyone in the media being fearful of being censored.
Yet, surely Mr. Page knows-just as Rooney does, since he was wary enough to ask his colleague Ed Bradley`s opinion-that there are definite selective taboos, which if violated bring very severe reprisal regardless of how innocuous the violator might feel his statement is. Rooney already has felt the lash of the New Sensitivity police and learned his lesson by his recent suspension.
Even though the tenor of Mr. Page`s column was that it`s a shame that a colleague should feel inhibited in expressing himself, he demonstrates why so many feel such subtle inhibition when he winds up with: ” . . . I am not offended that my colleague . . . raises the question. It`s just too bad he did not bother to look for the answers. . . . he might have found a better commentary . . . ” In other words, Andy should have been more discreet and avoided the charge of violating the New Sensitivity. That well-intentioned
”suggestion” is exactly why he buttoned his lip in self-censorship.
