OT: A rant on the Imus issue.

[Jackdog]

You're right: It has everything to do with hypocrisy of political correctness, better known as the emasculation of America.

Take care,
PK

Political correctness? Imus has said racist and sexist things in the past, on the air. He got fired for it. And that's part of the "emasculation of America"? Please. If someone says racist or sexist things on the job, the employer has the full right to fire that person, especially when that job is communication to millions over the airwaves.

I have a huge problem with this. Let's say you go to work tomorrow and say something offensive whether you think it's offensive or not, it's now PC to fire that person immediately.

America is making the logical connection that if you say something racist or sexist then you are racist or a sexist. Which is dangerous in my opinion. I know people that have made comments which have a racial tone to them, yet wouldn't be considered racists.

But as so many has pointed out, this isn't solely about Imus or racism, nor is it about the double racial standard. The over sensitivity is leading to a persecution of everyone's freedom of speech.

I agree brother.

[Sudz]

racism profiteers.

[pk500]

Political correctness? Imus has said racist and sexist things in the past, on the air. He got fired for it. And that's part of the "emasculation of America"? Please. If someone says racist or sexist things on the job, the employer has the full right to fire that person, especially when that job is communication to millions over the airwaves.

Yes. It's political correctness. "Imus in the Morning" was a unique blend of news and COMEDY.

Why is it when a comedian -- black or white -- makes a racist remark on cable airwaves it's considered a joke, even if that comedian has a history of using race as part of his schtick, but when Imus does it, even if his show does have a history of it, it's a national outrage?

Two reasons: One, advertiser dollars, and two, the emasculation of America and it's ability to laugh and express an opinion about itself by political correctness.

If Sharpton called the Tennessee women's team a bunch of "stringy-haired honkeys" or "cracker whores," he wouldn't have been fired. And any white group that tried to spearhead his firing would have been branded as a sect of the KKK.

Ray Nagin said he wanted to make New Orleans a "chocolate city," and only eyebrows were raised. Can you imagine Michael Bloomberg saying he wanted to make New York a "palace of alabaster?" He would be removed from office within two weeks.

That's America, 2007. As Jackdiggity said, Dr. King is rolling in his grave.

Race relations will improve in this country only when the rules and mores apply equally to all races. Every race needs to be a hell of a lot more tolerant toward others. It's not just "whitey's" problem.

Take care,
PK

[EZSnappin]

But as so many has pointed out, this isn't solely about Imus or racism, nor is it about the double racial standard. The over sensitivity is leading to a persecution of everyone's freedom of speech.

There is no persecution of freedom of speech here!
Zero. Zip. Nada.

Imus has every right to say whatever he wants, just as you or I. He does not, however, have the right to have a soapbox any bigger than you or I. All that happened here was him paying the price for speaking his mind - no one is saying he doesn't have the right to speak it.

He was paid (rather handsomely, though it doesn't matter) to entertain an audience in his own particular way. When the people who pay him for that feel it is no longer worth it because of whatever damn reason they choose (in this case, it was the cumulative effects of negative publicity), he got his soapbox pulled out from under him.

If someone else wants to pay for his soapbox, they will. If not, he can just do his thing on his own - start a paid podcast download or something. He hasn't been silenced or had any rights curtailed. Just like Sharpton (who will forever be painted as a clown because of past actions, regardless of the good he does otherwise; just as with Imus it is no defense for any of their comments) or Limbaugh or Michael Richards or David Duke or whomever, he can say what he likes, but has to learn to deal with it if people raise a stink.

Just because people don't like how easily people take offense nowadays doesn't change the fact that people do. Just because something doesn't offend you, or no offense was intended, doesn't make it so for everyone. Why is it wrong to be sensitive to other people? Especially when it comes to things that are intrinsic to their being like race or gender?

[TheHiddenTrack]

Trying to have a show that balances comedy and serious discourse is very tough, especially when your show is so successful.

He probably should be on a medium like satellite radio or HBO if he can't stop himself from saying something like that while trying to be funny. Which IMO shows some of his character, atleast Michael Richards was having a melt-down of some kind when his stuff came out.

[Leebo33]

Just because people don't like how easily people take offense nowadays doesn't change the fact that people do. Just because something doesn't offend you, or no offense was intended, doesn't make it so for everyone. Why is it wrong to be sensitive to other people?

Just to be safe from now on I'm only going to talk to people of the same race, creed, religion, sexual orientation, color, economic class, etc unless the topic is the weather or business. I used to talk about football, but now it's getting too risky with suspensions for personal conduct and such that could be turned racial. Plus, I don't want to hurt someone's feelings if their team sucks. That's why I'm a big fan of the sporting events were people aren't allowed to cheer so they don't offend anyone.

The worst thing you can be accused of these days is being insensitive. There would have been far less television coverage if Don Imus would have been accused of fondling a child.

[Teal]

This whole thing is goofy. How did this become a big deal? Kramer, Mel Gibson, sure, but this? Just some guy cracking jokes using terminology from the "hip-hop" culture. Would it have been better if he said, "Those women on the Rutgers team look rather rough-and-tumble!"? Of course, it's nicer never to say anything that be construed as mean or negative, but he and others have been doing it for decades without this kind of trumped-up controversy. Funny how the self-proclaimed defenders of free speech and tolerance of many viewpoints and blah blah blah all have the pitchforks out when an opportune moment arises. It's a perfect example of why I don't give anything they say much credence.

It wasn't just his "nappy hos" comment. He said it, got flack for it, and then people started to look at the things he's said before and discovered that this wasn't an isolated incident. I bet that most people didn't know about his history with this kind of stuff....but then with the increased scrutiny, they did. So if someone has a history of sexist and/or racist comments, what do you do? Just nod and say "that's ok"?

As for "defenders of free speech", Imus has the right to say whatever he wants, racist or otherwise. But companies that hire him to talk on the radio also have the right to fire him if he's making sexist/racist statements on the radio. The Imus situation has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

Jared:

If that makes you sleep better at night, then you can believe that. It was all about the nappy line, and Al Sharpton making another ass of-er, name for, himself. Period. It's PC, hypocrite bullshit.

What I find absolutely sad is that the damn team accepted the apology, and it is to them that Imus owed the ONLY apology. He offended those girls, he apologized to them, and they accepted. That's as far as it ever should have gone. The friggin' speech police (LOL FUNNY THAT 'REV. SHARPIE AND 'REV' JESSE CONSIDER THEMSELVES QUALIFIED TO DO SUCH A THING) crap is getting REALLY old, and the babies who propagate this stuff need to grow up and obtain a skin and a backbone...

[Leebo33]

Uh-oh. The announcer in the Pens game just referred to the Senators' African-American goalie as "well spoken." Racist (according to Dan Patrick on his radio show)!

[TheGamer]

The thing is the National Association of Black Journalists were the first to make an issue out of this. Not Jesse or Al. Jesse and Al did the right thing in speaking out against Imus. He has the right to say what he wants, but we don't have to like or accept it. Me personally, I don't want anyone who wants to spew such ignorance and hatred over the airwaves and influencing others. Yeah, I can change the station, but I also want everyone to know what this person believes. How racism continues is by letting people sweep it under the rug and act like it didn't happen. Or to keep allowing the person to do the same crap over and over again and make these bull s*** apologies. If he was truly sorry, he would have been mindful not to say it in the first place. He didn't apologize until people complained.

Of course, the ladies accepted his apology, that was the classy thing to do. They've shown nothing but class throughout the whole thing and didn't deserve to called what this guy called them.

This country was founded on racism, its going to take a lot longer than 60 years of civil rights to change the mindset of a lot of people, when it still exists today. right or wrong.

[Leebo33]

He didn't apologize until people complained.

I'm wondering how many times in human history someone has apologized when nobody complained.

[FatPitcher]

This country was founded on racism, its going to take a lot longer than 60 years of civil rights to change the mindset of a lot of people, when it still exists today. right or wrong.

Real racism still exists, but crying wolf over the phony stuff isn't going to help anything. Also, having different sets of rules based on what race you are is always bad, whether it's counting blacks as 3/5 of a person, forcing them to go to different schools and use different public facilities, giving them preference in college admissions, or using different standards for judging what is acceptable speech for each race. If the government wants us all to treat each other as equals, it should treat us equally, too.

On the freedom of speech issue, didn't Rev. Al just advocate new laws governing acceptable speech on the radio? In light of that, it's hard to say that freedom of speech is not part of this thing.

[TheGamer]

He didn't apologize until people complained.

I'm wondering how many times in human history someone has apologized when nobody complained.

probably not many, but in regards to this guy, that's his history. say something stupid to offend someone, then apologize. If he was sincere he would have learned from the 1st time.

[pk500]

Just because people don't like how easily people take offense nowadays doesn't change the fact that people do. Just because something doesn't offend you, or no offense was intended, doesn't make it so for everyone. Why is it wrong to be sensitive to other people? Especially when it comes to things that are intrinsic to their being like race or gender?

Because those who can't or don't want to laugh at others usually have a hell of a tough time laughing at their own little insanity. In other words, they're politically correct tight asses.

It's a f*cked-up world, and if you can't laugh at it and yours and others' contribution to the madness, then you're a politically correct tight ass whom I hope has a brick of hash in your freezer to alleviate the daily tension.

If Sharpton said tomorrow on his radio show, "all residents of Syracuse, N.Y. are cracker farmer dumbasses," I would just shrug my shoulders and laugh while saying, "What a dick." If Jesse Jackson said this week "Irish-Americans are brawling, drunken offspring of potato farmers," I would laugh and say, "What a f*cking idiot."

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Uh-oh. The announcer in the Pens game just referred to the Senators' African-American goalie as "well spoken." Racist (according to Dan Patrick on his radio show)!

Come on, Leebo: You know better. Ray Emery is a "great athlete" while Marc-Andre Fleury is a "rink rat who works so hard and is so smart."

It's my hockey take on the racist bullshit the sports media propagates all the time in hoops. Great black players "can jump out of the gym" and are "great natural athletes" while the great white player is "heady," "hard working" and a "gym rat."

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

This country was founded on racism, its going to take a lot longer than 60 years of civil rights to change the mindset of a lot of people, when it still exists today. right or wrong.

When you say "a lot of people," I sure as hell hope you're referring to people of all colors, not just the pale shade. Because racism pervades every skin color in this nation. It's not just a white problem.

Take care,
PK

[XXXIV]

I'm going to rant myself, because I think that that leathery sack of poop got what he deserved.

For starters, how does the involvement of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton change what Imus said?

Im late to this(Thank God:P)...

I agree with you that Jackson and Sharpton have nothing to do with what Imus did....They are a differernt issue...Besides there is no way to fire them... The clowns are the medias circus department creation.

Imus should have been fired...What he said shows you how f***in stupid and racist he is( slipped out on the ahole)....Cmon who says that??? and then on the air???...

His defense it was a joke...If it was a joke? it wasnt funny... People actually listen to this guy?...

I agree that people are overly sensitive ...I think political correctness is a load of crap....but imo in this case, and everything should be taken case by case, the dick just went way over the top...

[TheGamer]

This country was founded on racism, its going to take a lot longer than 60 years of civil rights to change the mindset of a lot of people, when it still exists today. right or wrong.

When you say "a lot of people," I sure as hell hope you're referring to people of all colors, not just the pale shade. Because racism pervades every skin color in this nation. It's not just a white problem.

Take care,
PK

Actually I was referring to Black people having a hard time getting over all of the crap that's been handed to us throughout history, regardless of how people want us to get over it. Its going to take more than 60 years of civil rights to change a lot of Black mindsets and bitterness.

[pk500]

Actually I was referring to Black people having a hard time getting over all of the crap that's been handed to us throughout history, regardless of how people want us to get over it. Its going to take more than 60 years of civil rights to change a lot of Black mindsets and bitterness.

OK, cool. I totally misconstrued your intent, and I'm sorry. Back to my cave ...

Take care,
PK

[TheGamer]

Actually I was referring to Black people having a hard time getting over all of the crap that's been handed to us throughout history, regardless of how people want us to get over it. Its going to take more than 60 years of civil rights to change a lot of Black mindsets and bitterness.

OK, cool. I totally misconstrued your intent, and I'm sorry. Back to my cave ...

Take care,
PK

its cool.

[Jared]

I have a huge problem with this. Let's say you go to work tomorrow and say something offensive whether you think it's offensive or not, it's now PC to fire that person immediately.

America is making the logical connection that if you say something racist or sexist then you are racist or a sexist. Which is dangerous in my opinion. I know people that have made comments which have a racial tone to them, yet wouldn't be considered racists.

Let me make this clear. If this was an isolated incident, then Imus should not have been fired. But if someone on the radio has a history of making these kinds of remarks, then I have no problem with them being fired.

As for the double standard, hey, I totally agree. Sharpton should be nailed just as hard for his racist comments, or if he makes similar comments in the future. But just because Sharpton isn't punished for his schtick doesn't mean that Imus shouldn't be nailed for what he's done.

Teal,

I really don't think (or hope that) Imus wouldn't have been fired for just one mistake. I think he was fired for his history of similar comments, and that the "nappy hos" comment just brought attention to that. As for Sharpton and Jackson, they should just shut up considering their past w/racist remarks.

[fsquid]

I think we should throw the jew down the well.

[Sport73]

I think we should throw the jew down the well.

I'd like fsquid banned from DSP for that insensitive comment. It's a typical slur from the notoriously racist squid community, everyone knows that squid, especially fsquid, are "flacid-legged pimps".

[Brando70]

I think we should throw the jew down the well.

I'd like fsquid banned from DSP for that insensitive comment. It's a typical slur from the notoriously racist squid community, everyone knows that squid, especially fsquid, are "flacid-legged pimps".

Squid is only using a phrase from another Jewish person, so until the entire Jewish community condemns that person, there's nothing wrong with squid advocating throwing Jews down wells.

[Sudz]

I think we should throw the jew down the well.

I'd like fsquid banned from DSP for that insensitive comment. It's a typical slur from the notoriously racist squid community, everyone knows that squid, especially fsquid, are "flacid-legged pimps".

Squid is only using a phrase from another Jewish person, so until the entire Jewish community condemns that person, there's nothing wrong with squid advocating throwing Jews down wells.

as a well-dweller. I find that insensitive.

[pk500]

as a well-dweller. I find that insensitive.

Very well then ...

I'm on well water at my house. So by making comments about wells and inferring that I'm a hick because I don't have public water, I'm offended. Plus I will lead a campaign to have all advertisers pull their support of Squid's blog at EPL Talk.

Squid must be fired now. I'm writing The Gaffer at EPLTalk.com this morning and demanding Squid's immediate termination.

Take care,
PK