I have been wanting to say something about the whole Don Imus situation but every time I got something ready the situation kept changing. Simply, I think it can be summed up in one word:
BULLSHIT
Is what Imus said offensive? To some, apparently so. Is that he said wrong? To some, apparently so. But to cut off his career because of it is sooooo wrong. Yes, it touched a nerve. Is it at all possible that the discourse on the problem be better served with someone like Imus still standing there to bring attention to the problem better that shoveling him out the door because of petty economics and pressure from some social leaders who themselves have not have the cleanest of pasts when it come to sensitive public statements?
Is what Imus said about the Rutgers women any worse than what Rush Limbaugh has spewed out over the years? Why is there no clamor when he questions Barak Obama's ethnic purity? Why weren't women's groups looking to oust him when he called politically active women Femi-nazis? Why didn't the Jewish population cry out as well?
One of the Rutgers women said in their very powerful press conference that they were "not defined by such terms". Well, if you are not defined by such terms then what is the friggin' problem? If Don Imus offends you there is that little button that allows you to change the station.
And is there any integrity too CBS pulling the plug on his radio show? Only if they go after some of the rap and hip hop recording artists on some of their labels who put out what some may consider much more "offensive" material.
I am an Imus fan. I am hoping that, even though CBS dumped him, some other network is already knocking on his door. I was not listening last week when he uttered the words "nappy headed hos". So I cannot say if, in my opinion, it was either funny or offensive. He did accomplish getting the country to talk more about race relations. Did he go too far? Possibly. But so what. It's only words.
Lenny Bruce always said "it is the suppression of the word that gives it it's 'evil power'" and has no place in a free society.
George Carlin said, I get weary of this zero tolerance bullshit. It's annoying. To begin with, it's a fascist concept; it's what Hitler and Stalin practiced. It allows for no exceptions or compassion of any kind. But even more important, it doesn't solve anything. The use of such a slogan allows those using it to claim they're doing something about a problem when, in fact, nothing is being done at all and the problem is being ignored. It's a cosmetic solution designed to impress the simpletons. Whenever you hear the phrase 'zero tolerance', remember, someone is bullshitting you."
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3 comments:
What he said was wrong, yes we need to get past all of this. However my question is, where is Mr. Sharpton? Why is he not in Durham NC, appoligizing to all the Duke Lacrosse Team members who he said "Should be Hung for there crimes" funny how he shows up, makes his case and runs away, he never says I am sorry. I do not like Imus, and I think he was just trying to be "cool", come on Imus, you an old white guy, you cannot say those things. I agree, when Sharpton and the media starts getting on the Rappers for what they say in thier songs, and videos, I will feel we are making progress until then..well I will be watching for Sharpton in NC.
Harry
North Carolina.
While I agree that Imus should not have been fired (and wouldn't have been if his sponsors didn't bail out on him), one cannot blame anyone but himself for his dilemma. Last week's remarks were not example 1 of his issues but exhibit 7,345. And he got caught with a bad remark on a slow news week.
I was a listener to him 10 years ago but was turned off by his growing elitist attitude and the constant hawking of his crap.
Do not morn too much for him - CBS still have to pay him the rest of his contract and he'll end up with his "buddy" Stern on satellite radio soon enough.
Right on the money Jack! It was total bullshit. Yea, what he said was wrong-but keep in mind he's a shock jock- but to make the public fiasco that was made of it...that's just going too far. What got me was the media latching onto it, and making it front page news, when we have an illegal war in Iraq, a presidential advisor who it was revealed this week, has "accidently" deleted 2 million emails, and every day young men and women die in Iraq for the cause of Haliburton...that's not "important" news. Funny how the Imus mess just sweeps all that under the bed! As to Sharpton, don't even get me started. And, very true Imus' firing will be short lived. He'll either be grabbed by Fox, or Satellite (and broadcast on Fox) and he'll be back with even more money, and more publicity than before when all this shit dies down. ANd it will.
It was funny. I watched NETWORK(1976) on TCM last night. What a prophetic film that was. As fresh now as it was then, but, now..it's real.
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