From the editor: What we learned from Bob Huggins and Bill Cunningham

I joke that it’s an occupational hazard because of my need to stay informed, but the truth is I enjoy listening to local talk radio. If you’re intentional about moving around the dial, the hosts and callers provide a glimpse into what’s on people’s minds – the vibe of the city in real time.

It’s a snapshot of who we are, even though that picture isn’t always pretty.

Sometimes, it’s downright ugly.

Much has been said about former University of Cincinnati basketball coach Bob Huggins’ use of a hate-filled slur against gay men during an on-air chat with WLW-AM (700) host Bill Cunningham this week. Huggins, who has coached at his alma mater West Virginia since 2007, issued an apology within hours. So far, neither Cunningham – who laughed with Huggins and ended the segment by saying, “Is he the best? The best ever!” – nor management at “the nation’s station” has assumed responsibility for their role in the cringeworthy affair.

Huggins, a 2022 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, said he is “ashamed and embarrassed” and will “fully accept” any consequence that comes his way.

The live-mic moment immediately called to mind Thom Brennaman’s use of the same slur during a Reds television broadcast in 2020. He paid a heavy price, losing his job as the Reds play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports Ohio.

Enquirer editorial: Bob Huggins should be shown the door for using homophobic slur

For me, there’s more at play here than whether Huggins should keep his job. Ultimately, that decision rests with West Virginia, which according to reports will suspend Huggins, cut his salary and require him to take sensitivity training before returning to the sidelines.

Here is the issue that must not be overlooked: Huggins’ conversation with Cunningham and the others taking part in the “Stooge Report” segment of the show laid bare for all to hear what too often is dismissed as “locker room” talk – the misogynistic, homophobic and often racist things some men say to other men when they think no one is listening.

What should be clear to anyone who heard Huggins’ drop the “f-word” is that it wasn’t an out-of-character slip of the tongue. Huggins demonstrated a comfort level with the slur that indicates he uses it freely off mic and, perhaps more troubling, that no one in his inner circle has been brave enough to call him out for how dehumanizing it is.

As a white male, I’ve been in guys-only situations where the conversation makes me uncomfortable. Upon reflection, I wish I would have spoken up in those moments. Silence is passive endorsement.

Cunningham’s awkward laughter at Huggins and his attempt to move things along were unfortunate but understandable in the moment. But by not addressing the incident on his show the following day, he missed the opportunity to offer his own apology and state clearly that his listeners – and the community – deserve better than what they heard.

This is not a freedom of speech issue or bowing to cancel culture. As stated by Enquirer opinion editor Kevin Aldridge in an editorial this week, it's about "human decency and good taste − two things increasingly in short supply these days."

Whether Cunningham likes it or not, his popular show on the market’s highest rated station reflects on all of us.

Is this who we are?

Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love writes a biweekly column that takes you behind the scenes at The Enquirer. Occasionally, he shares his thoughts on local issues, particularly as they pertain to a free press and open government. Email him at blove@enquirer.com. He can’t respond personally to every email, but he reads them all.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Editor Beryl Love: Bob Huggins' homophobic slur reflects on all of us