What was he thinking?!?

:applause: :applause: :applause: :thumbs:

 

For the record, I can't stand rap, and think many rap lyrics are deplorable. That said I can easily see the difference of Imus being fired for what he said, and people wondering why is it any different that rappers.

First the biggest and most obvious difference. Imus publicly called specific young students nappy-headed hos (plus his cohort called them jigaboose). I don't recall any rapper ever targeting someone personally like this. I believe they use their references in a more general use in their songs. These young ladies and their families instead of being able to enjoy what should have been one of their happiest and proudest moments of their college life, were insulted embarrassed publicly and thrown into the national spotlight. I am sure that the experience of going to a national championship game is forever marred.

Secondly, Imus is paid by a national broadcast company to speak over public airwaves. With that he is held to a higher standard and responsibility for what he says. Rappers make CD's for sale, people can choose to buy them or not. Also The company that employs Imus has a responsibility to it's shares holders for profits. It became clear to them becasue of what he said Imus had become a liability to them.

Thirdly, Imus fancied himself somewhat of a political commentator. He would often have political guests and topics on his show. That sets him up for a much higher standard than a rappers CD would be.

Lastly Imus has had a long history of crossing the line in this area. He just went to far for his own goods this time, and it caught up with him.

Believe me I am not defending rap in anyway, but I think the analogy between the two is a poor one to use in this case.

 

Good post! :thumbs:

Now if only we could get Limbaugh and Hannity kicked off the air!

 

Disrespect to women is by no means confined to black culture, the women in Johnny Cash's songs suffered & died, bluegrass & folk music are loaded with dead women, & how' bout some of the things Mick Jagger has said......

It was a stupid mean comment, and while I agree with most of what you posted, Al Sharpton always makes a bad situation worse.

But, the God-blessed system of capitalism is taking care of Mr. Imus. Sponsors are having the final say, just like they should. When Limbaugh & Hannity lose their sponsors, the same thing will happen. We don't need to subvert the constitution yet again, do we ?

 

If Snoop Doggy dog had said this, nobody would have blinked an eye.
Faithgirl

 

If Imus had said something about pasty-skinned, retarded white republicans, he'd have been applauded.

 

No it does not. It should work both ways.
Faithgirl

 

I agree with you.
Faithgirl

 

I like whaT Jason Whitlock says in his column:

"We’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos."

Personally, I think that there could be some fallout against the foul-mouthed rappers. Lets hope so.

 

Your TV, radio, and whatever other electronic device you get all your political wisdom from has several knobs. If you do not like Hip Hop (whatever that is), or Imus, or the liberals ranting, then you can:

now focus, stay with me.

Turn the on/off switch off.
Change the channel knob.
Turn down the volume knob.

Works every time.

 

I totally agree. What a person does in his/her own home is totally his/her business. I think Imus' audience should determine whether or not he still has a job, not two professional protesters who are stting themselves up as arbiters of what is right or wrong to say over the airwaves. I hope Imus goes to satelite radio.

 

I have to agree about one thing. Both Jackson and Sharpton in my opinion are the two most disengenuous thugs on the scene today. They do not give one caring thought to the African American community. They have both race baited in the past, and if I am not mistaken, Sharpton has been in federal prison. Jackson has been involved in numerous questionable money situations. One of them, I do not recall which one, has a bogus degree. Imus' biggest mistake aside from the crude remark, was engaging either one of these charlatans in a discussion of any type.

I do not know Imus well enough to comment on his show, but my information sure is not coming from these two mentioned above.

 

That is what I was trying to say in my response last night in the question you asked me.
Faithgirl

 

Your apology is accepted.

I was referring to the "hip hop" culture and their lyrics bear out the truth of my statement.

 

I don't listen to this stuff anymore but I believe specific targeting is quite common. I do recall Fred Duerst calling the lead singer of Korn (who is not black but was a reference to the Korn singer's nappy dred locks) a nappy head. You can go to AZlyrics and search for "nappy head" and find 51 songs...not all are general references but we can hardly even discuss the songs due to their excessive vulgarity. It is inconsistent for Imus to be penalized for his vulgarities while the rappers (typically black) and the music executives (typically white) profit from these productions and corrupt the minds and tongues of the youth of America of all colors.

Sounds like an excellent idea for a Kleenex advertisement.

I remember once someone called me a "stupid head"...that ruined my whole summer :tear:

Does Bernard McGuirk get held to the same standard? He's the one that started this mess and no one seems to be talking about him. Perhaps, Imus should've aimed for the higher standard of lesbian kissing shows ala Howard Stern.

Radio hosts fill time in order to sell advertising. People can choose to turn the dial or not.

He was not a liability because of what he said but rather certain people's hypocritical reaction and attention to what he said.

Will this higher standard apply to The Daily Show and other like programs that are in the political arena and engage in vulgarity?

Were it not for rap music's influence on the white and black culture these "colorful" expressions for degrading females would not be on the tongues of so many. They have brought this vernacular into the culture and Imus' use of the term was an echoed use, not an original expression.

For the record, Imus' comments were repugnant and disrespectful however, this would describe the behavior of the bulk of talk radio hosts and we'll likely need a larger thought/speech police agency and a rule book that states the things we can say and the things we can't. Of course, there will need to be more than one rule book as the rules will be dependent upon variables such as ones job and melanin content.

 

Rutgers coach, players accept Imus’s apology

Now that the people he aimed he hate at has accepted his apology, is there any need to continue to talk about Imus and his mistake?

The people that were directly affected has accepted his apology and and have begun to forgive, it's time to move on in my opinion. As the coach said in this article:

“These comments are indicative of greater ills in our culture,” Stringer said. “It is not just Mr. Imus, and we hope that this will be and serve as a catalyst for change. Let us continue to work hard together to make this world a better place.”

Jamie