Political Correctness: Make a Judgment

And yet some here found nothing sexist or degrading on my thread about girls gone wild and insisted the commercials whould be allowed to air even prior to 10pm because it was on cable.

So is Imus.

We do have freedom of speech. I say let whoever wants to ruin their careers with racist or sexist comments do so. We have the power to change the channel, not buy from sponsors, write to the station, etc.

I went to a high school 20+ years ago that was about 50/50 mixed race. It was no big deal. My kids go to schools that have been mixed all of their lives and they have no feelings one way or another about a persons skin color - they identify the person, not the skin. I just think when we give this much attention to ONE MANs comments, extrapulating ONE MANs comment to apply to a bigger picture, we end up marginalizing the progress that has been made. One man making a stupid comment doesn't make the US a racist / sexist country any more than one blond, blue eyed German shock jock promoting hatred of Jews would indicate that is the prevailing view in Germany.

Maybe we aren't completely color blind yet, but most of us are. Maybe there are still a few bosses out there that won't promote a female to a top position in the company, but most would and do.

Why give all the press to Imus? How about covering the strides that have been made by blacks and women. The racist / sexist members of society would get a better idea of out of touch they are that way than with 24 hour coverage of a midwestern, ranch owning gun totin' old white man.

Don Imus Loses 2 Advertisers
Don Imus Loses 2 Advertisers
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
(04-11) 06:50 PDT New York (AP) --

Staples Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. have pulled their advertising from Don Imus' radio show in the wake of the furor caused by his comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team.

The two companies on Tuesday added to the fallout that began when the now-suspended radio show host called the players "nappy-headed hos" on his April 4 show.

"Because of the recent comments that were made on the program it did prompt us to take a look at our decision to advertise on the program and we have decided to stop advertising," Staples spokesman Paul Capelli said Tuesday night.

"Once we became aware of the comment, we sort of stepped back and took a look at it," he said, declining to disclose the dollar amount of the advertising involved. "We weren't on today and are not planning on being on going forward.

"I can't speculate on what we might do in the future," he said.

P&G spokesman Terry Loftus said the company pulled ads from the show as of last Friday. Another sponsor, Bigelow Tea, said in a statement posted on its Web site that the remarks have "put our future sponsorship in jeopardy."

Calls for the radio host's dismissal have been growing, including from groups such as the National Organization for Women and the National Association of Black Journalists.

The 10 members of the Rutgers team spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday about the on-air comments, made the day after the team lost the NCAA championship game to Tennessee.

Some of them wiped away tears as their coach, C. Vivian Stringer, criticized Imus for "racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable, abominable and unconscionable." The women, eight of whom are black, called his comments insensitive and hurtful.

"It kind of scars us. We grew up in a world where racism exists, and there's nothing we can do to change that," said Matee Ajavon, a junior guard. "I think that this has scarred me for life."

The women agreed, however, to meet with Imus privately next Tuesday and hear his explanation. They held back from saying whether they'd accept Imus' apologies or passing judgment on whether a two-week suspension imposed by CBS Radio and MSNBC was sufficient.

Several players said they wanted to ask him why he would make such thoughtless statements.

Junior forward Essence Carson said she had done some research on Imus and his past inflammatory and derogatory statements about other people.

"Just knowing that this has happened time and time before, I felt that it might be time to make a stand," she said Wednesday on NBC's "Today" show.

"He doesn't know who we are as people," Carson said. "That's why we are just so appalled with his insensitive remarks, not only about African-American women, but about women as a whole."

In Washington, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino was asked if the president thought Imus' punishment was strong enough, but said it was up to Imus's employer to decide any further action.

"The president believed that the apology was the absolute right thing to do," Perino said Tuesday.

Imus has apologized repeatedly for his comments. He said Tuesday he hadn't been thinking when making a joke that went "way too far." He also said that those who called for his firing without knowing him, his philanthropic work or what his show was about would be making an "ill-informed" choice.

MSNBC has said it will watch to see whether Imus changes the tenor of future programs.

The radio show originates from WFAN-AM in New York City and is syndicated nationally by Westwood One, both of which are managed by CBS Corp. (MSNBC, which simulcasts the show on cable, is a part of NBC Universal, which is owned by General Electric Co.)

Insults are nothing new on his show, where Colin Powell was once called a "weasel" and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was referred to as a "fat sissy."

Rutgers' coach said Wednesday that he crossed the line with her team. She first heard about the remarks as she was leaving a celebration honoring the players' success in making it to the NCAA championship game. When the players should have been taking congratulations they were getting calls about Imus' insults instead, she told "Today."

"I've heard so many other talk show hosts speak on this, they say that's the way our society is," Stringer said Wednesday. "You know what? The society is the way it is because adults don't take leadership roles."

"We need to be shining examples of what should be," Stringer said. "No one is right in speaking about any person in such a derogatory way.
-----------------------------------------

Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in Piscataway, N.J., contributed to this report.

You don't kiss anyone's feet. Not Imus. You.



And that, to you, is the same as saying that his remarks were neither sexist nor racist? Is every remark that can be interpreted as racist or sexist an attack on blacks and women?



Specific to women now equals an attack on all women? Specific to black people now equals an attack on all black people?



No, you've explained that the words are specific to women and presumable to blacks (though that's arguable -- there are whites with nappy hair). That doesn't translate, to me, to racist and sexist. It could be that I just don't have the same inkling as you as to what these words mean. If he'd said "rough looking bitches" that would have been ok?



That's contrary both to what I said and to what you quoted. But I will say that he was speaking about the Rutgers team. Not about all women, not about all blacks. You seem to be interpreting things a bit differently than me.

Don't you get tired, Set, of going around in circles just to avoid saying "my bad, you meant Imus and not me"? Because I am. I've been pretty clear about my position that this is not something to get all incensed about. Whether or not the words themselves are implicitly racist and sexist, I don't know for sure -- maybe they are. But he was not attacking black people or women, that's an overblown interpretation. He was using ugly words that are specific to blacks and women while speaking of black women. If my argument disgusts you then so be it. I'm done playing requote, reargue, and reinterpret with you. And I don't want to continue to kill this thread with the bickering.

That's right, i was not content to let you imply that i thought Imus should bow down to anyone because of white guilt, so i was intent on dissociating myself from such a charge.



Yes, since you specifically said that it was not an attack on women or blacks, i considered that a statement that his remark was neither sexist or racist. I am mystified as to what you think the language ought to mean.



When sexist and racist remarks refer specifically to women who are black, yes, i consider such remarks to be attacks on women and blacks. Once again, i am mystified by what you would assert the words of our language to mean. Making a racist remark is an attack on members of the group in question. Making a sexist remark is an attack on members of the group in question. I know of no other reasonable meaning for the language used.



Strawman--i didn't say that they were attacks on all blacks and all women--but when a remark attacks more than one woman, and more than one black, that remark attacks women and blacks.



I suggest that for sake of your feeble argument, you are unwilling to see the racist and sexist character of the remarks. Do you think it matters that he made racist and sexist insults about a few black women, rather than all women and all blacks? It still constitutes sexism and racism. As i pointed out, i've never heard nappy-headed used to refer to anyone but black people, and i seriously doubt that it is often, if ever, used to refer to whites. Had he called them bitches, that would have been an attack on them as women, although not necessarily racist--do you think that would make it OK? I say you've got a warped view.



No it's not, you specifically said that it wasn't an attack on blacks or women. Are not these athletes women, are not all but two of them black? Do you suggest that a remark is only racist or sexist if it is aimed at all members of a putative race, or all women? That's an absurdity.



Once again, that's a strawman--i've not said that he attacked all women and all blacks, and he doesn't have to for it to be racist or sexist. Does a man need to rape all the women there are in order to demonstrate that he hates women? Do good ol' boys need to lynch all the blacks in the world to prove that they hate blacks? What a load of tommyrot.



I'd think you would get tired of going around in circles in the an idiotic attempt to claim that you did not say that he had attacked women and blacks. I didn't say he'd attacked all women and all blacks, and his remarks can be sexist and racist without attacking all blacks and all women.



I'm not incensed, and i also don't intend to let you bully me into denying that his remarks were sexist and racist.



Even if i conceded that the use of "nappy-headed" could be construed as not racist (which i don't), you still have the problem of the use of the term "ho." It's slang for whore--do you contend that calling women whores without knowing anything about them other than that they are women is not sexist? Are you going to cling to a foolish contention that it's not sexist or racist unless he denigrates all women and all blacks?



I can think of no other interpretation which is consonant with the meaning of our language. All you are left with is the feeble contention that it's not an attack on women or blacks unless he attacks all women and all blacks--you're not at all convincing.



No kiddin' . . . did the nickel just drop for you?



I'm not disgusted, i'm mystified as to how you think there is any logic in the position you continue to attempt to forward.



Good.



This thread concerns itself with race and political rectitude. I can see no way that this is a thread killer, and i consider it appropriate to the topic. I agree with Miss Wabbit that it appears that some people (you, for example) are so concerned that you not appear to be motivated by political rectitude, that you will deny racism and sexism when it is as plain as the nose on your face.

I agree, Snood. The racism of an epithet has to do with the intention behind its expression, not with how it is received by its targets.

Set, at this point, nothing constructive can come from our discussion as it has now become a battle for you which you must win, whatever way you need to do that. Congratulate yourself on being the winner and move on.

Still trying to get the last word, FD?

Still trying to lure me back in, Set?

Doesn't seem very hard to do . . .


Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee . . .

Imus Suspended For 2 Weeks
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Onion

Imus Suspended For 2 Weeks

After radio host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos" on his radio show, CBS suspended him for two weeks. What do you think?

Lisa Wanless,
Systems Analyst

"Cut Imus some slack. The man is under immense pressure to be an asshole every single morning."

Ron Coulton,
Pottery Instructor

"How will Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, Lars Larson, Michael Medved, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Hugh Hewitt, Mark Levin, Mike Gallagher, and Neal Boortz possibly fill the blowhard-talk-show void?"

Jerry Mavrides,
Hairdresser

"That's a shame. I guess I'll just listen to smooth jazz for the next two weeks."

Seems pretty clear, doesn't it. I've generally only heard "Nappy headed" when one black man was insulting another. "Ho's" is (or at least was) Ebonic for whores and is definitely an insult. Imus painted the BBall team as unkempt black trash in one piffy statement. Since there's no evidence that suggests his statements were accurate in a descriptive sense; one can only assume the purpose was to insult. I see little ground between his obvious racial bias and that of Michael Richards. While Richards reached for worse language; Imus was unprovoked. Both reached for the language of bigotry, incidentally, to their purpose.

That being said; Imus's worth will be depleted according to the laws of supply and demand, whether he loses his job eventually or not. Cosell wasn't fired immediately for his infamous "Look at that monkey run"... but these things have a way of sorting themselves out. Everyone will react, however they will react, and Imus's employers will gauge their reaction accordingly.

A very good point, and more perceptive than most comments made so far.

I had thought, being so often cynical about human nature, that this would actually help his ratings, and that he would suffer no real consequences. I am gratified to learn that sponsors are already pulling their support.

I predict no long-term effect on his marketability. But it will be interesting to see how he intends to honor his pledge to clean up his act.

I hope you are wrong, snood.

I may think the media is making way more of this than necessary, but I think WE as consumers can and shuld have an affect on his marketability.

I'm hoping most people will tune him out and thereby identify him as out of touch with todays America.

Blockbuster! MSNBC drops Imus Simulcast!!!


NEW YORK - MSNBC said Wednesday it will drop its simulcast of the "Imus in the Morning" radio program, responding to growing outrage over the radio host's racial slur against the Rutgers women's basketball team.

In a statement, NBC News announced "this decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process, which initially included the announcement of a suspension. It also takes into account many conversations with our own employees. What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible."



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/

bump

WOW...

Just got an e-mail alert that Sharpton is now demanding that CBS ax the radio show too.

first off

al sharpton should just shut up

for no other reason than, he should

what i find really funny about the whole thing is, when ever somebody uses the "N" word, it's always phrased that way in the news stories, because to say the word under any circumstances causes such pain, i realise that the "N H H" phrase doesn't have the same history, but i bet that more people have heard it and said it, since this happened than heard imus say live in the first place

i might be wrong, but i'm sure there are more important things going on in america today

I think it's a load of crap that AL Sharpton is the main driving force. He just has a big media face. There were a lot of high octane people wanting Imus gone - and who are still asking for his exit. Al Roker and Obama are two. Besides, Imus brought it on himself. A racist or sexist comment just flew out of his mouth once too many times, is all.