[bigsmooth]

i am not surprised by this commentary of his, however his producer has said more derogatory comments before, just not directed at certain people. what does everyone think? should imus be fired?, is the suspension enough?

Imus calls his suspension `appropriate'
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - Radio host Don Imus, suspended for two weeks for calling the Rutgers female basketball players "nappy-headed hos," called the punishment appropriate Tuesday but stressed, "I am not a racist."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070410/ap_ ... s_protests

[LUconn]

I said the last one. What he said was a jerk thing to say, but that's his schtick. He's a jerk. If he wants to be a racist, why can't he be? He will go away when people stop listening. Let it happen.

Although, if you're looking at it from a management perspective, you should suspend him to save face and protect your product.

[HenryGale]

Where is FSN?

[TIMSCAR20]

I listen to black radio dj's talk bad about white people virtually every day. Granted they don't call them those kinds of unkind names but white people get clowned on a daily basis on Steve Harvey, Tom Joiner and Russ Parr. Russ had a question last week about Racism and I was embarrassed at the results of his un-scientific survey. The question was "Can black people be racist?" Most that called in said no! That is just silly. If you hate someone because of their race, you are racist. No one gets a pass based on their experience or their people's experience. I thought he was being silly and comical with the remarks but he did go too far calling them Nappy head ho's. They are not the most feminine group of ladies ever assembled but they don't deserve that. An apology to the ladies at Rutgers and a 2 or 3 month suspension would have been what I would have done.

[bigsmooth]

it may be his schtick, but does that make it right? it was a horrible thing to say, but i do not know if he should be fired. you have to be held accountable for your actions and doing nothing would not be right. i know "shock jocks" and talk show hosts are supposed to stir up controversy, but what imus said was just way over the top.

[bigsmooth]

it has also been brought up on how rappers call women ho's and b...hes in their music, and it is ok for them to do it, but if a white person does it is wrong. i myself get very frustrated with my race sometimes at this type of behavior, because it is simply disrespectful behavior to women, but it also brings the black race down. i have listened to imus before and i agreee with SCAR that he was tyring to be funny, but he could have left it at the hair and tattoo cracks and not went any further.

[TDDance234]

I think SCAR hit it right on the head.

His commentary has been worthless for atleast five years now, he's become a Howard Stern-type publicity stunt. He offers nothing intelligent in the Sports world and probably should just be put in a pasture.

[4everfsu]

What he said was wrong, but he has the right to free speech. So I say leave him alone, people know what kind of man he is. If you dont like his show simply turn the dial.

[LUconn]

The question was "Can black people be racist?" Most that called in said no!

I've had people tell me that. You can't really argue with it because it's completely illogical. I've heard you have to have the power to be racist because racism would have to result in oppression. But that's really not true at all.

But anyway, as for Imus, I just cant see somebody being punished in that way (by society. I guess that's who's POV we're answering from). This just seems like a case where if the guy shouldnt be on the air, than he wont be becuase there's no market, or people are boycotting. Something to that affect. If I'm using my freedom of speech to broadcast "death to america, and also people over 60" I probably wouldnt be on the air that long because nobody would listen. I guess that's just the capitalist in me.

[TDDance234]

Members of the Rutgers women's basketball team and coach C. Vivian Stringer planned to offer their feelings Tuesday on the gathering storm.

I'll be interested to see the Rutgers team response.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070410/ap_ ... s_protests

[RubberMallet]

imus has been mailing it in for 15 years....his opinion is completely irrelevant and is nothing more than listening to my 80 yr old grandfather ramble on about the mexicans accross the street...

plus, this is what imus does...he makes fun of himself more than anyone else....

moron 1 and moron 2 (aka jesse jackson and al sharpton) just want to create a ruckus meanwhile the real black role models of today are still singing about making money, banging chicks, ghost riding, drinking, and getting smoked up.......but yeah give imus hell...that will make a difference..

[PAmedic]

I'm one of the cynical minority who dreams of the days of free speech in pre-PC America.

like others have pointed out- listen to most popular recording artists and you'll hear FAR worse trash that gets excused as "art" lets not be so hypocritical to say that Imus' idiocy was anything close to the worst people heard that day. Much of what people listen to or view BY CHOICE is more intolerant or vulgar.

simply put- there is no longer any tolerance for the expression of viewpoints that offend segments of our populace; esp those have been deemed in need of protection or special treatment- incl minorities or those who have been legitimately harmed or discriminated in the past.

the real issue here is that certain "Civil Rights" leaders MUST have controversy and percieved indignities occur to keep their power base (read: INCOME) intact. No need for a lunatic like Al Sharpton if there are no issues to complain about. Thats why stupidity like Imus' show will always be made into more than it is- while minority professors advocate the killing of all whites, muslim "clerics" call for Jihad, and illegal immegrants demand special consideration; all of which is given tacit approval in the guise of multiculturalism or political correctness.

I no longer lose sleep over it- I am just aware that being white will put my words and actions under a microscope, and I no longer have the latitude that others may enjoy.

Interesting dichotomy, no?

[TDDance234]

[LUconn]

but you're white, and that opinion is not valid. And when somebody black, says that, like Bill Cosby for example, he's an old coot or Uncle Tom. You can't win calling out Jackson or Sharpton.

[PAmedic]

it goes without saying that I consider SCAR, SMOOTHIE (among others that are close to me) friends and brothers.

differences in physical appearance has never been a criterium for me in making aquaintences or developing relationships.

there are plenty of people for which I have developed a healthy dislike- all of whom share my skin color

[Libertine]

But anyway, as for Imus, I just cant see somebody being punished in that way (by society. I guess that's who's POV we're answering from). This just seems like a case where if the guy shouldnt be on the air, than he wont be becuase there's no market, or people are boycotting. Something to that affect. If I'm using my freedom of speech to broadcast "death to america, and also people over 60" I probably wouldnt be on the air that long because nobody would listen. I guess that's just the capitalist in me.

Apparently, Imus still makes people money. Or, at least, they think he does.

I vote "complete apathy" on this one. It's amazing. As soon as I see Al Sharpton involved in anything, I pretty much know that I'm not going to give a crap about whatever it is he's talking about.

[RubberMallet]

i dislike more white people than i do black people...i don't see how i can possibly be racist

[PAmedic]

i dislike more white people than i do black people...i don't see how i can possibly be racist

[LUconn]

that's because you only know like 3 black people.

[RubberMallet]

that's because you only know like 3 black people.

i believe that would be you capt connecticut....did you forget i live in illinois?

[bigsmooth]

"meanwhile the real black role models of today are still singing about making money, banging chicks, ghost riding, drinking, and getting smoked up".

that is a very blanket statement mallet and i may have taken it wrong, and if so i do apologize, but i do not consider rap artists role models. there are many blacks out there that are positive role models, but the musicians are what the youths are wanting to hear. indeed sharpton and jackson should be calling out these rappers and negative members of the black race who say the same things as imus did. i do agree that whites are gonna get called out for statements like this, but it is the way our world is now.

[olldflame]

I watch Imus on MSNBC most mornings simply because I can't stomach the alternatives for getting some awareness of what's going on in the world before heading off to work. To be honest, most of what could be thought as racially insensitive on the show comes from his producer Bernard McGurk, who does a parody of New Orleans mayor Nagan and some other bits using a black dialect. I was watching the day this happened and remember thinking "no he did-en!" It was way, waaaay over the line.

I'm interested to hear the response of the Rutgers players. If they come down hard and demand Imus' turkey-like neck, I think they should also all submit their Ipods to have any songs with "B" or "H" references deleted.

[RubberMallet]

"meanwhile the real black role models of today are still singing about making money, banging chicks, ghost riding, drinking, and getting smoked up".

that is a very blanket statement mallet and i may have taken it wrong, and if so i do apologize, but i do not consider rap artists role models. there are many blacks out there that are positive role models, but the musicians are what the youths are wanting to hear. indeed sharpton and jackson should be calling out these rappers and negative members of the black race who say the same things as imus did. i do agree that whites are gonna get called out for statements like this, but it is the way our world is now.

you might not but 90% of the black kids at the school i help out with or the youth center i work at seem to think they are....

[thepostman]

"meanwhile the real black role models of today are still singing about making money, banging chicks, ghost riding, drinking, and getting smoked up".

that is a very blanket statement mallet and i may have taken it wrong, and if so i do apologize, but i do not consider rap artists role models. there are many blacks out there that are positive role models, but the musicians are what the youths are wanting to hear. indeed sharpton and jackson should be calling out these rappers and negative members of the black race who say the same things as imus did. i do agree that whites are gonna get called out for statements like this, but it is the way our world is now.

You may not consider them role models, but there are a lot of people that do...not all black people...but a lot. do, its sad and needs to be changed, and more black people like Bill Cosby need to stand up against this kind of thing, because I know for a fact he is not alone in his beliefs...

Sophmore year I roomed with a good friend of mine who happens to also be black, and we talked quite a few times about race and why things are the way they are...and it helped me understand things more, and in turn helped him as well....

I think what it comes down to is understanding...white people will never completely understand a lblack persons point of view on racism, just like a black person will never understand a white persons view...but we can get together and work on it and truely make things better instead of pointing figures at all the crazies in the world...

Imus isn't a racist, he may be out of line....but I don't know if anybody even listens to him anymore...to tell you the truth until this happened i had no idea...to this day I have no idea how he's been on the radio for so long, he is incredibly boring......I don't know if he should have been suspended or not, but he has been, and thats the way it is...so, whatever..he's apologized....and i guess thats all that matters..

[RubberMallet]

speaking of roommates, i am racist against the french and uconn fans...if thats possible