Defending the Truth

Garysher, I hardly think it indulgant or self-righteous to expect better from a man with such a public influence. Truth be told, I don't think we should expect less of others either.

But after observing a number of your posts, I have come to lower my expectations . (gotcha!!!)

OD

How hurtful - as a member of a minority I feel bullied by your verbal abuse

Just seeing this thread still floating around makes me say, does anyone really care about Imus anymore? After Virgina Tech everyone shifted their eyes from him to them and no1 mentions him anymore after the whole OMG WTF WHY DID HE SAY THAT crap.

As an African American; I will tell you what I think personally about the whole Imus mess: Controversy sells! Have we not learned this, people? I really don't know if Imus is a racist or not-having never met the man-and I really don't care. This whole thing was blown clear out of proportion!
I have probably ticked off (I'm trying to be polite here) other African Americans because I don't believe Imus's remark to really be the root cause of the controversy. It's that a white man made the remark. You can imagine the beehive I kicked over saying that!
I truly believe that while the remark was degratory and inappropriate; if an African-American man made the remark, there would have been little if no controversy.
This does not mean I advocate objectifying women- that in itself is disgusting.But the double-standards have imflamed the African-American community. That is a sad commentary on America, people.
I believe the true stupidity is that the heads of MSNBC and CBS did not immediately issue an apology for Imus's gaffe.That is what tells me that this is to them not an unfortunate accident; but an oppotunity to exploit.
My other issue that has made me somewhat unpopular lately, is that everytime a white man makes an idiotic racial remark; they think talking to Al Sharpton will make it all right! Al Sharpton is someone I would characterize as an oppotunistic jerk(being polite again, people- I mean something else entirely!)I wouldn't let this guy shine my shoes after climbing a mud mountain. Jesse Jackson, I have a little (very little) respect for. He is trying to be help the poor of the African-American community. He just really has no credibility to me.If Imus wanted to apologize; why not do it to African-Americans as a whole? And what about the heads of CBS and MSNBC? Being media outlets, I have a hard time believing they couldn't find a way or the time to apologize.
I apologize for this rant, people. I really do hate people trying to use race as a tool for making a statement, political of otherwise;especially as an audience-grabber. Yes; that means Rush Limbaugh's comment on Donovan McNabb awhile back- another blatant example of controversy and race used to get audience. What possible link could he have possibly had with ESPN and sports in general? I couldn't believe how America was ( and still is) blinded by this behavior.Again; I apologize for this tirade.Thanks for taking the time to read it, though.

A very well written response. Thank you.

Thank you for responding, RHS. Again, I apologize for the tirade. I was raised in a home where my siblings and I were taught that there is only one race- the human race. I fully understand that not everyone feels this way; that's just how I was raised.
I think this country in general and all of us individually) have so many other issues that are pressing; I can't believe how much this is still a problem!We live in the greatestcountry on Earth; but we don't seem to accept that. My family and I are avid debaters and we kick over this issue of race and the social problems attendant in America at least once a month. My oldest brother said it best: The only color that needs this much attention is green. The American dollar is what the other countries of the world base their monetary units against; so you would think we could spend a little more attention on our economy; rather than everybody's misconception of race. It might be time better spent. How true!
I remember as a young boy a smack I got from my father for making a stupid racial comment. My father was a lifer in the Air Force and did two tours in Vietnam. On his second tour, an Air Force offical came to our home and informed my mother that my father was reported missing in action; and feared dead or captured. This was after the Tet Offensive of 1968. three months later, we learned that he had escaped his unit being overrun and had even saved a wounded officer(my father was a technical sergeant)! Most important; he was coming home. When the day arrived, we went to the local bus station to greet him. We came across many African-American soldiers complaining about "fighting the white man's war" and "no respect given to us brothers".
Maybe this stuck in my mind. After picking up my father we drove home. Later, he showed me his Distinguished Sevice Medal. Not knowing any better, and being young and dumb; I made the comment,"Those ungrateful whities couldn't see fit to give you a Congressional medal of Honor; could they? It was the first and last time I ever made such a comment or even thought it. My father smacked me so hard, I think I can feel the sting of that smack everytime I come across this issue of race. My father had remarked to me: " I didn't help that man for any reward or recognition. He's a man just like me who just happened to be wounded. The fact that he is alive today is reward enough for me. His being white had nothing to do with my thought process. Keep that thought for the rest of your life."
I was thoroughly shamed. I am proud to say that my father and this man are lifelong friends. The first time he came to visit, you can't imagine the shock in me to find that this man was a Southerner, from Alabama.
Okay, I'll step off the soapbox now. I know everyone will point at each other when it comes to responsibility for this racial predilection America seems to have. I really don't care about blame. I just care about fixing it.

It is wrong somehow that a person as charitable as Imus was and promoted the careers of many minorities in politics and in business is fired. His recent comments were no more wrong than the gutter slop we here in several mediums. What about porn? Is that freedom of press? Aren't they "ho's".
The howard Stern show was about as immoral and sewer scum as couldbe yet it was on TV.

I have no love for Imus. Actually, I dis-like him and always have. I feel his comments were wrong and people had a right to complain.
Yet, I also think NBC was wrong to fire him after giving him a two week suspension.
Once again, just my opinion.
As for Howard Stern, he was given the boot too, wasn't he?

I think you are both correct. Again, I can't speak about Imus personally. It would be wrong for me to morally judge a man I have never met or spoken to.
I can however; state my opinion on the situation as I know it. Were his comments inappropriate and objectifying? Yes.Does this mean he should have been fired? Like it or not, politics aside; your employer has every right to fire you for inappropriate behavior. All the more so when it costs them money, as clearly started happening when sponsors started jumping ship after this incident.
People, I still am wodering if this all wasn't a ratings ploy. Stations whether television or radio will do almost anything to boost ratings so they can charge more fees for commercial time.I have nothing concrete to point at in this assumption; I just wonder why CBS and MNBC have not apologized for this publicly.
As far as the politics of this unfortunate incident; without a doubt Imus was wrong in his choice of words. I really believe that what has inflamed the African -American community was that a white man used what is mostly a African-American colloquial. Imus couldn't have been much more offensive if he had referred to the women's basketball team as "nappy-headed n-----s. I'll leave everyone else to draw their own conclusions.

I agree totally. I just think they were wrong to fire him after giving him a two week suspension.