Political Correctness: Make a Judgment

Ever listen to rap music?

I agree it is inappropriate and unacceptable and should never be said on the airways or in polite company or impolite company anywhere. As I said before, I am a passionate crusader against ridiculous political correctness and Imus's comment offended me.

But it is regularly (and loudly) featured on rap music, on television, in the movies etc. as a reference for the ladies and is not usually intended to be translated as 'whores'. And if you look at the Imus transcript in context. . . . .

"DON IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.

SID ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.

IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --

BERNARD McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.

IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.

McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.

IMUS: Yeah.

McGUIRK: The Jigaboos . . . ."

Imus was just being Imus with the tattoos thing, and he was just playing off Rosenberg's crude ethnic joke when he impulsively made his own crude ethnic joke. I don't see any malicious intent there--just the crude talk that is common on Imus's program. Unacceptable (at least to me) all around which I why I don't watch Imus or Stern or any of the foul mouthed and crude jocks, but ruin his career? Not unless all the others are booted off too.

Apologize he had to do and he did do. But given that everybody else gets away with this stuff all the time, I guess I think Imus shouldn't be treated any differently just because he's an a-hole. And how was his one-liner as bad as the other guys who aren't getting nearly as much condemnation or negative publicity?

Jeff Foxworthy tells the joke: "If somebody says "Hoedown" and your date hits the floor, you're probably a redneck." and nobody has ever complained. Based on this, I think it may have been the 'nappy headed' that got Imus in trouble more than the 'hos'.

For what it's worth, Imus also complimented the appearance of the Tennessee team who also has a majority of African American women:

Yes. What's your point? I hate that, too.

Stern was right. He shouldn't have apologized. Just like Rosie O'Donnel shouldn't have apologized for her joke mocking the Chinese. If you're an "edgy" radio jock, or a comedy radio person, you make your living like that. Michael Richard's comments were one thing....what Imus said isn't a big deal.

Listen to Opie and Anthony...I hear much worse almost every time I hear the show, especially from their sidekick Jim Norton(my favorite comic). However, nobody like Al Sharpton is going to go after them, or Stern, for an apology because they know they'll get a "f*ck you it's a joke" in return.

Lord help me, I think I'm in agreement with Foxfyre.

I get that "ho's" can be offensive. But tone means a lot. I have a friend who says "bitch please" a lot. He's not really calling me a female dog. That's why I wonder how the Rutgers team took it. Did they think he was calling them sluts? Did it sound like he was trying to imply that they were sluts?

I just think the outrage over this is a tad absurd. And watching him grovel for forgiveness for daring to say "nappy headed hos" while being white is kind of sickening. Next thing you know he'll be checking in for treatment.

BBB
I find it offensive that a man in his sixties doesn't have the creative talent to update his humor shtick from the teenage boy silliness to adult wittiness.

Rutgers University is, right now, holding a press conference that is really summing up Don Imus' idiocy.

BBB

That's exactly what it is. God forbid a white guy makes any kind of joke against black people. That's what Al Sharpton, the spokesman for the African American(and black people who do not hail from Africa) community thrives off of: getting himself more publicity by going after these crazy racists.

What I don't get is why black people allow that piece of **** publicity-sponge Al Sharpton to walk around pretending he speaks for them. In my opinion, if you want to find a racist in all of this, it's him.

That Sharpton is a racist doesn't excuse Imus. That other people use "ethnic humor" doesn't excuse Imus. That "rap" music is alleged to be much worse doesn't excuse Imus.

The comment attacked black people, the comment attacked women, and it was puerile, and in the context of the transcript which i read, had not even a glimmer of redemption from humor--it wasn't funny either. I'm sure Imus will continue his scum-bag career, just as Sharpton will continue his scum-bag career. That doesn't alter that no one should allow someone to "move on" from racist comments when they are allegedly mature adults.

Setanta
Setanta, applause!

I wonder what Don Imus' wife thinks of his degragation of women? She's a strong woman and perhaps Imus will be sleeping on the sofa for the rest of the year.

BBB

I think the other guy's comments were more racist...why isn't he being attacked?

I disagree. I think it was insulting to the women on the Rutgers basketball team, but that's about it. It wasn't an attack on women and it wasn't an attack against black people. He should apologize for two things. First, for having Rosenberg and McGuirk around in the first place, and second for insulting the team. But this bubbling over of white guilt and kneeling down and kissing Al Sharpton's feet until Al has got his fill of him is grotesque.



Agreed.

The fellow has said demeaning things about blacks before. That's not a good sign. The gender derrogation has no excuse whatsoever. I'm quite happy to see him in doodoo for this. There is much worse going on in talk radio and more serious consequences deserved in those cases, but that doesn't let Imus off the hook.

That's interesting. What sorts of things has he said before? If he's showing a pattern of racist talk then I agree he deserves to be fired. But if this is it, I can't quite make that call.

I don't like firings.

Can't the audience make a choice about him?

Click on the top video link... http://pbs-newshour.onstreammedia.com/cgi-bin/visearch?user=pbs-newshour&template=template.html&query=IMUS&keywords=IMUS&category=blank

The cleaning lady comment, is that what you were referring to?

With any luck.

Foxfyer said:
"Who among us caught up in a moment or in a spirited conversation has not said something we needed to apologize for? And being a crude dude is encouraged in some circles these days. I hate that too, but it is nevertheless the way it is.
Personally, I think his public apology was sufficient."

Imus has apologized before and then continued with his hurtful talk. Granted most of us have made crude comments, but we are not licensed by society to make such comments on the public airways. Neither is Imus but he does so.
He should do more than the half-hearted and tactical apology; he should change his behavior. And if not, he should lose the privilege of using the public airways.
I'm not against free speech, but his is virtually society-sponsored speech.
I think his business sponsors should be boycotted if they do not reign him in.

Yes, plus an earlier instance as well. Don't recall the details, but of the same sort.