If you listen long enough you will hear every loudmouth speak when their brain is not working.
Imus was utterly stupid about his remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team, insultingly speaking about people he did not even know - and who were academically on target. He was not talking about Little Kim, or Foxy Brown. He must have thought he was a rap artist, who mouth those expressions to make money.
Then he goes and apologizes to the likes of Rev. "Hymietown" Jackson, and Rev. "Tawana Brawley" Sharpton. If either of these men spoke out about the raunchy and denigrating lyrics of the rappers as vociferously as they condemned Imus, maybe they could clean up the rappers' acts.
After Imus's firing, Rev. Sharpton recently said rappers are next, but in going after obscene rap he will meet resistance in the black community, where many, including music mogul Russell Simmons, view the lyrics as ghetto poetry.
We make a mockery of the situation when we allow Talk Radio people like Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Howard Stern.
James Carville, Bob Grant, Michael Savage, and Imus to make scads of money and then be offended by what they say. Some of them spew outright hatred, while others traffick in a raunchy, insulting comedy that's funny to some and hurtful to others. Unfortunately if we outlawed this kind of speech, we would end Talk Radio . . . and political campaigns.
But the radio talkers and TV pundits are only the tip of the iceberg. The high-paid corporate suits who hire these people and their demeaning talk, know exactly who their audience is - and where their wallets are.
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2 comments:
Right on Cranky. You're correct on all counts. However, we just had a beginnging with the firing of Imus. Maybe this is the beginning of the clean up.
This was a personal wake up call. I listened to Imus strickly for the interviews, because so many were outstanding. Although I usually tuned out when the banter began, I now realize that I had become so accostomed to the Imus brand of derogatory humor that I lost sight of when it crossed the line; this despite the fact that I never failed to get angry when he ranted against a small business person that did not treat him in the kingly fashion he demanded.
I would like each of his frequent past interviewees to declare their position now that it is clear that much of the joke comments during the balance of his program was offensive and inappropriate. Among those "friends of Imus" are:
Tom Friedman,Tim Russert,Andrea Mitchell,Doris Kearns Goodwin,
Chris Matthews,Howard Fineman, Jon Meacham, Jonathan Alter, Evan Thomas, Tom Brokow (until he retired),Bob Schieffer, Walter Isaacson,David Gregory,John McCain,John Kerry, Christopher Dodd, and Harold Ford Jr..
If this powerful group speaks up and acknowledges they were asleep at the wheel for having associated themselves with and thereby blessed Imus' derogatory program segments, there is a chance we can change the curlture. They are already late and the clock is ticking.
What a terrible waste if we miss this opportunity and how ironic if Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are able once again to play their selfish and devisive acts and turn out to be the beneficiaries.
PS: the phychology of Don Imus is of great interest, because here is a man who may be an angry misanthrope yet has devoted himself with substantial personal time, effort and financial contributions to outstanding charitable causes.
Michael Goldman
This was a personal wake up call. I listened to Imus strickly for the interviews, because so many were outstanding. Although I usually tuned out when the banter began, I now realize that I had become so accostomed to the Imus brand of derogatory humor that I lost sight of when it crossed the line; this despite the fact that I never failed to get angry when he ranted against a small business person that did not treat him in the kingly fashion he demanded.
I would like each of his frequent past interviewees to declare their position now that it is clear that much of the joke comments during the balance of his program was offensive and inappropriate. Among those "friends of Imus" are:
Tom Friedman,Tim Russert,Andrea Mitchell,Doris Kearns Goodwin,
Chris Matthews,Howard Fineman, Jon Meacham, Jonathan Alter, Evan Thomas, Tom Brokow (until he retired),Bob Schieffer, Walter Isaacson,David Gregory,John McCain,John Kerry, Christopher Dodd, and Harold Ford Jr..
If this powerful group speaks up and acknowledges they were asleep at the wheel for having associated themselves with and thereby blessed Imus' derogatory program segments, there is a chance we can change the curlture. They are already late and the clock is ticking.
What a terrible waste if we miss this opportunity and how ironic if Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are able once again to play their selfish and devisive acts and turn out to be the beneficiaries.
PS: the phychology of Don Imus is of great interest, because here is a man who may be an angry misanthrope yet has devoted himself with substantial personal time, effort and financial contributions to outstanding charitable causes.
Michael Goldman
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