Don Imus, a nationally syndicated radio personality, has stirred the cauldron of controversy over his on-air, "nappy-headed hos" remark. Yes, imagine someone saying that to you in private and what your reaction would be.

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stick a fork in him-he's done

I never thought I'd find myself in agreement with Rev. Al Sharpton, but this time I do. What an idiotic statemtent for Imus to make. I have never thought much of this man or his show, now I think even less of him. Why all the hate? What did those girls ever do to him to make him call them "ho's"? Just because they have tats they are "ho's"? Wow, not too judgemental, now is he! I'll admit, I do not care for tats on either gender, but it is not my body, nor my concern. I certainly would not call them whores simply because they like the ink. Now where is that fork?

Now hear this, now hear this! Both MSNBC and CBS radio have suspended Imus for a period of two weeks. This is, indeed, good news on how words do hurt and demean and cause harm, especially if not intended to do so.

Why does it matter what IMUS says?? I hope I live to see the day when people just shrug their shoulders and turn the channel if they dont like what is being broadcast.
Its a comedy show, if you dont like it, dont watch it.

Actually, on this same show, the extremely offensive, RACIST term "jigaboos" was also used to describe the predominantly Black Rutgers women's basketball team.
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Now, I ask you, why on earth would someone--a middle-aged White man or men--use and condone a term like this about anyone, and in particular, a group of young women he doesn't know unless he was an outright racist? Seriously? There's humor, there's transgressiveness, but I can't think of a single excuse that doesn't boil down to racism for his comments. What the f*ck is wrong with people like Don Imus? What is his problem? What did these young women or any Black people--or Jews or anyone else he's attacked--do to him? He's a freaking millionaire, so why's he's so hateful and resentful? I mean, enough is enough!

Don Imus is a racist. He always has been. Howard Stern has been saying it for YEARS!! Howard worked with him back in the early 80s and Robin told a story about how he called her a filthy ni**er, and Howard had to restrain Robin. They hate Don Imus so they always get the dirt on him. But, yeah...they've insulted Jewish people, women, Arabs as well. Its ridiculous. And no its not a comedy show. He reports on relevant stuff but mixes in his brand of bullshit that is so uncalled for. So its nothing new from him and I wasn't surprised. He is a racist.

However, my take on it is that I refuse to become suddenly appalled in how some racist white guy is degrading black women when black men and women degrade black women on a regular in the media, and in their daily interactions with each other. I agree that something should be done about it and I agree with the suspension but I see a bit of hypocrisy going on when we (and by we I mean Black people) allow rappers and djs to get away with FAR WORSE than what Don Imus said. Every time somebody white says something well oh lord we are looking to attack them. Nappy headed ho's? I could easily see that in lyrics from some ignorant ass rapper who is constantly using bitch and n*gga in their lyrics. So no...we can't pick and choose people. You can't get mad at ignorant ass white folk for taking words and joking about them that we often say to each other. Again though...I will say that that attack on the Rutgers team was completely unprovoked. Those girls have had their great season tainted by this ass-hole and his ignorant ass comments.

Now awhile ago I gave a history lesson on Willie Lynch and how he talked about his plan to keep Blacks enslaved for years and years to come by pitting the light skinned black against the dark skinned black and by pitting the black male against the black female. Well...he's in his grave right now saying "Mission Accomplished" So a good deal of it is a part of that. But, we need to figure out how to get the mental shackles off before putting a bunch of energy into some dumb white guy who is just ignorant. And for god sake can we get a new Black activist leader? Al Sharpton is a disgrace. Jesse Jackson is about as worse. Chris Rock said it right when he said that since Martin Luther King and Malcolm X there haven't been anything but a bunch of substitute teachers. I wish Harry Belafonte would step up to the plate. I've always loved his intelligence and activism when it comes to racial issues. However, Harry Belafonte is too damn old to be taking on this mess as a leader, though you'd never know it by looking at him. The man is 80 years old and looks 20 years younger than Don Imus' raggedy lookin self. So I mean I'm not surprised to see so many white people embrace Barack Obama because well...how often do you really see positive black role models who aren't in the entertainment industry and have that crossover appeal like Will Smith or Sidney Poitier...poised brothas who don't play that "from the hood" shit. I mean I'm not gonna sit here and act like I don't listen to Ludacris, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dog among others who rap and sing these misogynistic and degrading lyrics. I like hip hop and some rap. I just do. So while we should definitely say somethin about whats goin on next door, we need to fix the issues going on in our own house first.

Once again, it's funny how the great Rev. Al Sharpton only surfaces when there is a high profile racist comment or accidental police shootings. But where is the Reverend Al when an innocent father and great family man gets gunned down in broad daylight last week after leaving a check cashing place in Queens? Where is Al when Darrent Williams get gunned down in Colorado? Point is there's no leadership from the great Reverend to lead protest marches to get guns off the street. There are no rallies to slow down black-on-black crime.

Al Sharpton does NOTHING to show he cares about helping to end black-on-black crime.
He does nothing to try and get guns off the streets. No protest marches. No rallies. Nothing.
Rev Al only surfaces for the black community when juicy stories like this one about 100 year old
Imus comes out. It's the only stuff that will get Rev. Al on the 11 o'clock news or on the Larry King show. But as far as a young black man robbing and shooting an innocent father (who was black)?
Well Rev. Al has better things to occupy his time in his posh condo.

Bravo mdterp! While Imus is a grade A ass****, I think it's ridiculous that everyone who does something like this has to bow down before Sharpton and Jackson. They've put their feet in their mouths too amny times to count. Not excusing Imus but he's a radio shock jock; Sharpton and Jackson are supposed to be reverands, community leaders, etc. Their actions have often been as divisive as anything Imus has said.

I grew up in the county where the Tawana Brawley circus was orchestrated by Sharpton. He ruined a perfectly innocent man's career and life.

These girls didn't deserve to be called those names on a national radio show. But like mdterp said, they've been called much worse by a whole lot of black men, whether in rap lyrics or walking down the street.

Oh yeah, I forgot that too. Where is the great Rev. Al when it come to those great rap lyrics?

Also, I heard a portion of that interview between Shaprton and Imus. And yes George, when you listen to the interview it does sound like Imus is kneeling with his head down in shame before a towering Sharpton. It sounded like the great Rev. Al was about to send Imus to the guillotine.

South Park did a great bit spoffing the Michael Richards incident when Stan's father was on Wheel of Fortuen and guessed part of the puzzle was "nigger". He was of course vilified and ends up having to kneel down behind Jessse Jackson and kiss his ass. Full-on lip to ass action. Great stuff!

I never understood the popularity of Don Imus. He's ugly both inside and outside. He has made racist remarks for years. I don't care if they fire him or not. I won't watch or listen to the bastard in the first place. He looks like a walking cadaver. A living zombie.

I saw on the Newshour with Jim Leher that Imus appeared on the Al Sharpton show. Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are big racists against whites and both hate white Jews.

Mention of Michael Richards gets me thinking about that classic Keith Hernandez 2-parter. It was on last night on TBS.

Jerry emotionally comes clean with Keith:
"I can't do it. I can't help you move. I just met you. I don't know you well enough."

LOL!!

Actually Al Sharpton has criticized rappers for their misogynistic and degrading lyrics. Lets not flip the script here. While Jackson and Sharpton certainly aren't pillars of virtue, this is about what Don Imus said, and not about what Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have done or said in the past. This is about what Don Imus said, and his long standing history of making insensitive remarks about a variety of people. While I wish there was another black activist leader, at least Al is putting himself out there to be criticized when things like this happen. So lets not flip the script as if to let Imus get a free pass because things can be said about Sharpton and Jackson as well. After listening to Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer this morning I realized that I should be hot and bothered by this. Imus typically goes after politicians and entertainment persons, but these group of girls were not political figures or big stars. These are girls who are 18-21 who did nothing to provoke such a statement from Don Imus. Coach Stringer and one of the players made the good point of saying that it shouldn't be turned into what Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have done. This is about what Don Imus said about these girls of the Rutgers basketball team. What Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson may have previously done has nothing to do with this story.

These girls played on the national stage for the women's basketball championship, and have now had their season tainted by Imus. Like I said in a previous post, there are certainly things that black men have said to black women that are far worse than what Imus said, but that doesn't mean Imus should be excused for his comments. He needs to be taken to the woodshed just like anyone else, no matter the color who verbalizes such garbage. A two week suspension in my mind is a vacation. It took NBC and CBS until the controversy heated up before they did anything about it, which shows me the kind of leadership they have in their organizations. So don't think that when I criticize the rappers I'm intending to cut Imus some slack. While I get more upset when I hear my own people talking about each other in a similar manner, it doesn't mean 2 wrongs make a right.

Right now, a VERY POWERFUL speech being given by the Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer.

Guys, I am actually being moved by this.

Surprisingly, someone on CNN was defending Imus, saying he is a favorite of his, an icon and one of the greatest ever on radio. His name is Coz Carson I believe. And he's black. He also ripped leaders like Al Sharpton too for being phonies.

Francesa and Russo are also ripping Sharpton, laughing at him for being a phony and saying he has no credibilty. They both are saying this is between Imus and the Rutgers team and NOT Sharpton. "What makes Sharpton the judge and the jury in this?" Francesa and Russo are screaming out.

Yeah...its not about Sharpton at all. I've always said he is a media whore. However, Sharpton has put himself out there for a number of issues that otherwise would not have garnered attention. Again, its not about how anyone feels personally about Al Sharpton. Why is the media interviewing people who don't like Al Sharpton. That has nothing to do with this story, and is once again the media's way of trying to undermine the core of what happened here. Nothing new. The media has always done that. But, he is a black activist and if there is no other choice in someone to step up and say something about this, then I'll take Sharpton. From this point on, I think the story is out there and it should be left up to Imus, the execs at NBC/CBS, and the Rutgers basketball team. I personally don't want to see Al Sharpton on anymore tv shows talking about this. We know what happened and he needs to back off from here and let it be handled by Rutgers and Imus.

Maybe some payback in kind would be in order. The entire team, and their coach, could be invited on to his first show after the suspension to engage in some on-air assessment of his appearance. For example, Mrs. Stringer might start out by noting how absurd it is that he would comment on anyone else's hair, given that rat-tangled, messy, mulitcolored, much-dyed substance piled on his head. Then maybe Matee might observe that this is probably why he insists on wearing those ridiculous cowboy hats. Someone else might chime in and note how much he resembles Elaine Stritch before she stopped drinking. The girls might go on to compare their young healthful complexions with his dessicated skin and face that resembles a dried out canatloupe. Then perhaps the entire team could kick his useless butt, along with those cretins who are in the studio with him each morning.

Oh, well; just an out of control fantasy, sorry.

He's just an irrelevant, decrepit gasbag. It's time to stop talking about him, and it was way past time to stop listening to him a long time ago, which is borne out by his ratings.

Sharpton's credibility is always an issue....but this is really about one more *sshole who's been getting away with this stuff for years! Imus is a miserable racist jerk and the stations that air him should be held accountable. Sharpton actually hurts the situation in my mind because it's clear he's all about his own publicity...But these accomplished young athletes deserve a serious apology...

At the same time, they should consider the source and not give it another moment's thought: Imus is a moron, always has been, and virtually everything he says just digs his grave deeper..where he'll be buried with the Limbaughs of the world, and the Cheneys as well...

Bingo!!! Most black male athletes will only obssess about this to the extent that it prevents them getting laid by their favorite "ho" because now she wants to talk "respect".

This will certainly have more legs than the Hardaway issue. Black athletes might not stand up publicly for little brother who's gay (Shaq being a notable exception) but will put on a show to be sure they look like they're defending the source of their sex.

It is about time that we realize that the perpetuation of racism depends on the willingness to indulge in self-hatred among its targets. Someone will always ride your back if you bend over, however sanctimoniously.

I love the hot bodies - both male and female - in rap videos, but when you believe it gives you a license to make babies and then abandon them, then you're being just as irresponsible as when you misuse a gun.

As for Imus, I suspect he would have been just as happy to say the same thing about Barack Obama's wife if it got him more props from his fan base. These poor women just happen to show up on his radar. It does surprise me that Howard Stern has "limits". I know he has his fans, but I've always found his humor shallow.

I find it rather interesting that, proportionately, there is more bitching about Sharpton in this thread than there is criticism of Imus. This is not the first time that Imus has made racist comments; it’s not the 10th time, or even the 100th time. The only reason why Imus has publicly “apologized” in this case is because of the pressure that Sharpton brings to bear.

While it is good that Imus is being called to account (somewhat) for his actions, nobody should think that this “suspension” really represents a change of policy at CBS Radio or MSNBC. The only way that Imus will get fired is when he becomes a financial liability to his corporate bosses. We’ll see if a serious boycott campaign materializes.

The growth of talk radio over the last couple of decades is incredible.However if I really want to listen to people bitch all day,all I have to do is go to work.I don't understand Imus' popularity or any other radio "personality" for that matter.I haven't really enjoyed listening to a radio since Ernie Harwell stopped broadcasting Tiger's games.

Well Staples and another sponsor (forget the name) have pulled their ads from the Imus show. It will be interesting to see what will happen now that this has really blown up and that corporate sponsors are now pulling their ads. Cal Ripken was supposed to be on the show and has now backed out. I think it will be difficult for people to go on his show and not be viewed in some kind of way. If you truly want to show your disgust with this, gotta hit em where it hurts which is in the wallet. What I don't like from the media now is why they are grilling Al Sharpton about his past statements and actions. What exactly does that have to do with what Don Imus said about college girls aged 18-21 who are not political figures and who did nothing to provoke such an attack? Classic media spin. Its as if they are trying to minimize what Imus said by bringing up irrelevant issues. Lets stick to the issue at hand. Imus should be taken to the wood shed just like anyone else, no matter the color, should be for similar comments. I bet if Chris Rock or Steve Harvey had the kind of show that Imus has and referred to some white college girls as "trailer trash hair lookin hos" they'd be filling out unemployment papers as we speak. So lets not divert from the core of what happened, which is about what Don Imus said about the Rutgers University women's basketball team.

Oh and I'm so sick of people like him who make these comments and claim "I'm not a racist" Puhlease!! Try that line on some gullible moron who will buy it.

Yes, thank you for making that point, mdterp! Nearly every talking head who defends Imus has qualified their statements with that hanging chad known as "I'm not a racist, but...". This weak excuse for lessening racism must go the way of the dinosaurs, along with Imus. He's a relic from a day long gone by in American history, yet he's allowed to spew forth his hatred and misogyny.

The other sponsor I heard was Bigelow Tea which will be weird when Joe Torre comes on WFAN for an interview with FranDog. Torre is one of Bigelow's biggest spokespersons.

Jim Leher, Judy Woodruff, Tom Brokaw and other media elite go on the Imus show all the time. I hate Imus. He made racist remarks about journalist Qwen Ifill some years back. She is a wonderful journalist. A true professional unlike Imus. Woodruff and Imus have alot in common since they both look like mummies. Both ugly inside and outside.

Many, many people have gone on Imus's show - are you going to persecute all of them? What idiocy. Imus is a shock jock who for years probably got good ratings. Those who go on it often are pitching something or discussing the latest news - but they wouldn't go on unless they wanted to speak to the audience. I'm not defending him, as I've always thought Imus was an *sshole and wondered why anyone would listen to him, but I've heard people on this very site call others far worse than nappy headed ho's...so let's be careful about the hypocrisy of condemning someone for calling someone else an offensive insult by offering offensive insults right back at him...right?

Hasn't everyone at some time or another said something that came out wrong or you really didn't mean? Like Roseanne's comments about gays being self absorbed? I am by no means defending Imus but does everything have to fall to pieces because someone shot off at the mouth. He apologized, no one died or was physically injured where is the problem? I have been called a fag many times in my life, but I am still around and escaped the incidents virtually unscathed.

Exactly!



Here's an excerpt from today's NYTimes that gives some insight into the business complexity of this situation - the article is about the morning shows and each side getting their moment:


"In this polite but sometimes strained community, Mr. Imus is the cranky, aging neighbor who can be relied upon to shovel snow off the sidewalk but occasionally blurts out words so offensive and insensitive that it makes everyone regret inviting him to the block party.

He tried to explain his remark as a momentary slip, describing himself as a “good person who said a bad thing.” But there is a deeper dichotomy behind his disgrace: Mr. Imus wants to be both a shock jock and Charlie Rose, and the two roles inevitably collide. He is a radio star whose early popularity rested on sophomoric and outrageous humor. But Mr. Imus also staked his claim to gravitas, inviting journalists and politicians on his show and discussing —with considerable skill — news and political affairs.

He told Mr. Lauer that his racist remark about the Rutgers players came out in a comic context. “I’m not a newsman,” he said rather testily from his radio talk-show desk. “This is not ‘Meet the Press.’ ” Actually, it is: “Imus in the Morning” is the place where fans who don’t watch Tim Russert’s talk show get a chance to hobnob with writers for The New York Times, NBC correspondents and Newsweek columnists.

Shock jocks are aptly named: They fulfill the fans’ expectation of verbal transgression first by saying the kinds of disgusting things that are forbidden almost anywhere else and then by laughing off critics and scolds. Mr. Imus’s many acts of contrition are both not enough and too much: by admitting he was wrong, he surrenders any claim to the shock jock’s dispensation. And the penalty for ordinary public figures is usually stiffer than a two-week suspension."

And there you go...

Thats all fine and dandy but the difference is that as much as Imus claims his show is just a comedy show, he has well respected journalists and politicians from both sides on there. Sure there is satire mixed in but he's fooling no one by claiming his is simply a comedy show. To claim that it was a joke?!! "Nappy headed hos?!!" Where is the f*cking punchline there? Came out wrong or really didn't mean? How does "nappy headed hos" come out wrong? Again, the thing that has made this case so bad is that it was extremely racist and extremely sexist in the same breath. "Nappy" is one of those really old southern racist terms that is so old that its not even used anymore. The ho part I'm still tryin to figure out. Were there rumors of these girls involved in sexcapades or something? The distinguished C Vivian Stringer said it best when she said that a year ago many of these girls were trying to figure out where to go for college. So I think that the age of the girls has something to do with it, and the fact that they just reached the pinnacle of their sport and had it tainted by this incredibly horrible statement. I have always said that my cultural background defines me SO MUCH MORE than my sexuality. When I am called a faggot it doesn't bother me the way it does when someone calls me a n*gger. So I mean...different perspectives for different people based on your own experiences for sure.

I suppose if he had used this term in just a random way, he might have been accused of just being stupid. In fact, the way he used it, and in the moment that he did, it reminds of a kid who's heard something "forbidden" and then proceeds to use it to try and be, well, cool. Which of course makes his saying it even more idiotic.

These girls are honor students and athletes from all appearances doing their very best. To me, the best remedy would be for Imus to send each and every one of them on some kind of vacation/expedition. Let him show his remorse by doing something nice for these gals.

BREAKING NEWS:

NBC has made the decision that MSNBC will NO LONGER simulcast the IMUS radio program. Mmmm hmmm...the bottom line was affected. Just like when Bill Maher lost sponsors from Politically Incorrect, when the sponsors started pulling their advertisements he was done. I wonder if Faux News will pick him up.

Now that I see it more clearly and objectively, I can see where Imus thought he had received poetic license to refer to women as "hos". He got it from rappers like DMX or Ludacris or other such "artists" who do refer to black women on a regular basis as "bitches" or "hos".

Perhaps that is where Al Sharpton's or Jesse Jackson's attention should be focused. They are the purveyors of those epithets toward women in general. Where is the outrage on their part? Why should it be focused exclusively on Don Imus?

Until those "artists" can be stopped from making such derogatory comments, then we will have others like Imus who will take such open use as consent to use them on others.

Don Imus is not a rapper, he's not Black, and he didn't just call them hos, he RACIALIZED it by calling them "nappy headed," and then Bernard McGuirk tossed out the term "jigaboos," which is extremely offensive. When was the last time you heard a rapper use the term "jigaboo"?

Because rappers use anti-gay terms--or Tim Hardaway does, or Ann Coulter, or any creep--does that make it okay for someone to get on the air and use it? NO. Don Imus is not a child, he's not an adolescent, he's not a young adult. He knows better. After particularly offensive commentary in 2000 he promised he stopped doing this. And he went right back to it. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the freaking rappers in the world are not responsible.

Look, people use offensive language all the time. Don Imus is a grown, rich man who knows better. Just because he heard some corporate-promoted crap being bandied about doesn't mean that he should use it. And why did he use it AGAINST THESE YOUNG COLLEGE WOMEN? Why are people even trying to deflect what linguist Geoffrey Nunberg rightly called his "racist act" in the least?

(And just so people know, Al Sharpton has called out people in hiphop for their hateful comments. Many people have. The corporate media who sponsor and promote them, and their discourse, rather than rappers who present something positive and constructive, are the ones who need to be answering to the rest of us.)

I was talking with my mother about this and she said that yes, there is a double standard in the minds of many but thats life. If you are a white person YOU CAN'T SAY THAT!!! YOU CAN'T!! I'm not saying its right for rappers to say it either but lets NOT try and deflect it back to rappers as a way to lessen what Imus did. He's a 60 something year old man who knows better. Originally, I said the same thing about rappers and other black people who say the same thing but no...I'm not gonna let this story be spun into giving Imus an "out" for his ignorant comments, or to make it somehow more justified or understandable in using it. Nappy headed is an old racist term. There was even an article on MSNBC today about how its so old that its not even used anymore. I see thats the other side the media is taking this story. I don't think its such a bad idea because out of this Imus thing if people take more of a stand against some of the lyrics that rappers make but thats is of no relevance to what came out of IMUS' mouth. But yeah..it is a double standard. My mom compared it by saying that if she had a sister..she could kick her ass but you, an outsider, better not touch her.

Money probably talks louder than anything. So many sponsors have dropped off it should be no surprise that MSNBC have cancelled his tv show and now several members of the CBS board of directors are calling for his radio show to be dropped as well.

I hope no one reads that this is an out for Imus. It isn't. This is a wake-up call to prevent others from stepping on the land mine that Imus has, to prevent such fiery outrage in the future.

If we fail to learn the lessons that we are facing today, how can we prevent such vile disruptions tomorrow or in all of our tomorrows?

UCLAfan, I do realize you weren't defending Imus. But even one of my relatives starting going on about what Sharpton ought to do, and I wanted to scream, because the focus shouldn't be on the Sharpton/Jackson Show, it should be on Imus, and his on-air pals' long history of racist, sexist, homophobic, heterosexist, misogynist comments.

I know very well that there are some people who really do not like Blacks, Jews, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender people, Muslims, Catholics, those who are developmentally or physically disabled, the deaf, the blind, the mute, people who are short, tall, overweight, some combo of this group or all. They dislike or hate WHOLE GROUPS of people, or they think they or their own group is superior, or something along those lines. They do not see or care about the humanity of others--the shared humanity. There are, unfortunately, quite a few people like this, and far too many of them call themselves Christians, but that's another story. These hate-filled people can rant and shriek and spew all they want in the privacy of their homes, and they also can do it in an array of public venues. But they have to deal with the consequences, and their behavior should be called out for what it is. Maybe most people defending Imus really do not like Black people, and think it's fine to refer to them (us) in such negative terms. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised, this is the USA after all, the nation that showed the world it could nearly outdo South Africa in terms of apartheid, racial violence and killings, segregation, you name it. Nevertheless, it's also 2007, so these antediluvian people really had better wake up and realize that, as Howard Fineman told his buddy Imus, they can't act out and get away with it so easily any more; many people aren't going to put up with or coddle their racist bullcrap any longer. Enough is enough. They've got and enjoy every privilege in the world, so why are they so damned angry and full of hate?

Which leads me to ask: where is the gay outrage about Glenn Beck and Michael Savage? I mean, if people can really get worked up into a lather about Isaiah Washington, Tim Hardaway, and some of the other homophobes, what about these two, who have a mass media platform (Beck is on CNN and ABC*, and Savage has a nationally syndicated program)?

Finally, re; Sharpton and the rappers, from No More Mr. Nice Guy's Blog:



*Edited to acknowledge UCLAfan's clarification--thanks, UCLAfan!

Actually, Glenn Beck is on CNN Headline News and is a contributor to ABC television. I think Keith Olbermann would be appalled to be associated so closely with Beck.

Now hear this! CBS Radio has fired Imus.

God I wish America as a whole was as outraged about other things as they seem to be about this.

Now, I think everyone's giving Imus way more power than he deserves or even asked for...Hearing words like ho and bitch and all that stuff is way more impactful on our youth when it comes from their peers and from superstar singers, etc. Imus is just one more of an old racist generation who thank god is getting on in years...it doesn't mean that their thinking is going to go with them but it does mean that the younger and more inclusive/tolerant generation is getting closer to being the ones primarily in power and focus in this country.

Well, he's gone now. Serves him right. I just hope some positive comes out of all the negative. Rev. Jesse Jackson made a statement tonight that I certainly hopes he lives up to...he wants to go after nasty lyrics in rap songs. It is about damned time. I cannot think of any other single aspect that is wreaking havoc on the morale of the black community the way negative rap lyrics have. I detest all the hatred in rap lyrics. Full disclosure: I am a white man living in the blackest city in America, Gary, Indiana. I see first-hand on a daily basis what negative lyrics can do to a community, especially when those lyrics come in a glorified form of popular music. This nation is losing an entire generation to this hate-filled, homophobic, and sexist music. It is time for the hating to stop.

I guess money does talk. He's been fired. Fined, yes. Suspended yes. But fired, not sure about this action. If we're to fire everyone who offends anyone when there will be nobody left to fight. And while we live in this politicaly correct, sensitive world, there's nothing in the U.S. constitution which states we have the right not to be offended. Doesn't make it right though, of course not.
Do rappers offend? Yes. And with the majority of their audience being minorities, their only hurting themselves. So it's great to see Jesse and Al trying to accomplish something in that arena.
But a person with a much larger audience is Chris Rock. He is the most racist, offensive, discusting person in the public eye today. Where are Jesse and Al when he makes is comments about the white race? Oh yes, I forgot, it's humor.
As far as I'm concerned, all three are just as guilty as these other jack*sses. And for the record, I've never heard the term, 'nappy headed'. Now, 'jigaboo', I thought was some type of dance term. Nothing related to racism.

Apparently, saying "nappy headed hos" on the air is worse than saying "Mexican wetbacks," on the air. Check out these Bill O'Reilly gems where no one batted an eye. Sadly, he's still got a job.

Harvey Fierstein wrote a great op-ed column for the NYT this morning.

I like Harvey.

If he weren't such a big Yankees fan I would kiss him.

Rob

That was an excellent op-ed piece from Harvey. Thanks for providing the link!

Wow...I so agree with this column written by Jason Whitlock. I've had a lot of time to really think about the Imus situation since it happened and have listened to both sides of it. This is an article that I think tells it best.

Imus isn't the real bad guy

I definitely want there to be changes in the gangsta rap and hip hop world of degrading and misogynistic tones as a result of the Imus situation. In looking at it, Imus really was pretty much a sacrificial lamb in this. However, he attacked children basically. He attacked young college women and it was completely unprovoked. He said something racist and sexist in the same breath and this time he couldn't escape. However, I really agree with Jason's article. I mean ok...Don Imus is fired. Big deal. Does it really change anything? There is a much bigger fight to be fought. Don Imus is one guy. The larger fight has to do with a culture change and not just getting rid of one guy. And yes...we must stop taking the role as the "victim" all the time because it is not what Martin Luther King would've wanted to see. Out of this Imus situation, the music industry really needs to be taken to task. And its not just the black rappers either. Its the corporations, headed by many white men who basically pimp these artists and their disgusting lyrics because it sells. There are many people who need to be taken to the woodshed for this, and if Sharpton and Jackson really want to do good from this, they will diligently go after the entertainment industry to create a paradigm shift. There has to be a stand against this kind of crap. This is the silver lining that can come out of this. It has created a dialogue that is long overdo and its time to take the gloves off and face issues of race in this country and move forward. All this division isn't doing anyone any good.

Let me also make it clear that it is GANSTA rap that needs to be targeted. The original roots of hip hop were about empowerment and uplifting. There were positive messages in it. However, nowadays, thats not what sells. There are positive rappers and hip hop artists with positive messages but it doesn't sell. So I don't want people to GENERALIZE ALL RAPPERS AND ALL HIP HOP ARTISTS in the same category. There are some that need to be to be silenced for sure but the people in the media are ignorantly making it seem as though all rap and all hip hop need to be changed.

In addition, there was a good segment on MSNBC this morning in which a rabbi was being interviewed. The host asked the rabbi why jewish leaders didn't go after Imus when he referred to CBS executives as "money grubbing jewish bastards". The rabbi said that basically no one had the balls too and that they have often relied on their black brothers and sisters to take up the fight for such things. And that is often when you see many black journalists, entertainers, and such on air, is when there is some big racial uproar. Often times when its something non controversial, you don't see them in the numbers you see them when its something racial. Say what you want about Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. They will be there when they believe injustice is occurring. And often times, IT IS injustice that is going on. People always want to point out the times they are wrong about things but rarely praise them about the positive things they have done. Their true intentions and morals can be questioned but overall I think their intention is to right a wrong, while at the same time trying to up their own standing.

This week of Imus and the Duke rape case has really reinforced what I have always known about the racial divisions in this country. People are dividing themselves into camps in terms of the Duke case and in terms of the Imus incident. These things aren't black problems or white problems. People who are black, white, green, and purple should be just as upset about what happened with the Duke case as they should be about what Don Imus said about the Rutgers basketball team. Its a human nature issue...its not a "this is a black issue" or "this is a white issue".

Well, there is hope after all. That article is the most intelligent reasonable account of this whole affair that I've seen, by far. mdterp - I feel good that we get the chance to fully agree on something! And it is important to discern between the rappers who do the prison culture stuff and those who give out positive messages/the real artists...

Russell Simmons statements so far are lame with a capital L.

This guy, Jason, was on Anderson Cooper but I only saw a brief second of it. Our country needs columnists and writers like him willing to point out the opportunistic nature of everyone in this situation - especially the media. They take this and they run, spreading the wildfire indiscriminately. And isn't it amazing how quickly the corporations fold due to public hysteria...i'm glad Imus got fired but apparently his years and years on the air, and the enormous advertising dollars brought to the stations he's been on, doesn't earn him any loyalty from his employers at all. That's pretty pathetic, too.

Did anyone see that Bo Dietl guy on LKLive last night? This guy was sickening to watch...talk about pandering, he was practically calling for the death penalty for Imus. Luckily, we had Serena Williams on there who I must say was articulate and sincere, she carried herself well. I love Della Reese who spoke well as she usually does, but I wish she'd told that Bo Dietl guy to shut the f*ck up - he wouldn't stop talking over her...drove me crazy.

It appears that Imus is the loser in this situation but it has provoked a far bigger outcry about the nature of lyrics and pop/rap culture, and more importantly the damaging effects of that on the African American community, and our youth in general.

Imus is gross, always has been. I don't mind that he was fired. As far as I can see, it's about time.

But, I watch the coach and the players on shows like Oprah acting so victimized and so pained by what Imus said and I find it disappointing. It's like by seeming so devastated, they are giving Imus and others like him all the power. I just wish one of them would say, "He's a crotchety, old, bigoted white man and I don't care what he has to say. I know who I am and I know what we, as a team, accomplished and frankly, I DON'T CARE!"