I am not sure if this is the correct area to place this but I didn't want to subject anyone to "ratings" in Issues and Causes. So, I am posting this here for discussion.

Just wondering if anyone is familiar with what is going on and what their opinions are.

For those of you who do not know, I will try to recap in a nutshell.

Don Imus is a radio and television personality. He has a talk radio show that can be viewed on television on MSNBC. He is known for making, distasteful remarks, at times. Some call his humor, potty humor. Some think he is really quite funny. Anyway, during one of his broadcasts, they were recapping a basketball game played by the Rutgers girl's baskeball team. Rutgers lost. While they were airing a clip, Imus made a comment about the team. He called them "nappy headed hos" (nappy headed whores). Most of the girls are African-American and there is no question that they are the ones to whom he was directing his remarks. There was quite an uproar over this. Imus was suspended for two weeks. Reverend Al Sharpton is calling for Imus to be fired and he is not backing down. Sharpton thinks it is high time that people who make these racist comments need to be dealt with in a way that isn't a simple slap on the back of the hand, which is what he views the suspension to be.

So, for those of you who are familiar with this, any comments? What are your views?
For those of you not familiar with this, please do a Google search to gather more info. Then post back here with your views.

I am quite interested in hearing opinions. I think this really cuts to the heart of the racial problems we are still having in this country, and I am wondering where people stand on this issue.

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I pretty much expected that answer from you "spam on whitebread."

Thank you for the scintillating dialogue. You really challenged me mentally. I am sitting here, during yet another snowfall. It would be nice to have a discussion on something other than the bible, the present administration, global warming, or spam and the many uses thereof.

Ok, This is my opinion. Sharpton is a sleazebag out for self promotion first and only. He's the worst example of a civil rights advocate that there is.

What Imus said was reprehensible. He should be punished for it. But Imus is not a bad person, just a stupid one. I don't believe Imus is a racist. Imus is clearly trying to make amends for the remark. But its being blown WAY out of proportion by Sharpton.

I read where Imus pointed to the cancer patient ranch he runs pointing that he's basically a good person and Sharpton responding saying; "This is not about whether you are a good man. What you said was racist." While the latter is true, wouldn't it be better to use Imus's platform to promote the fight against racism rather than hold him up as an example? If you are calling for someone's firing for ONE stupid remark, doesn't it matter what good he has done? Are you going to take away the good things he does but wouldn't be able to continue? None of these things enters into Sharpton's pea brain. He doesn't think about consequences, just promoting himself.

And another quote I read was from Bryan Monroe president of the Nat'l Assoc of Black Journalists. He stated; "These woman are devasted by what he said." I wonder if Monroe actually talked to any of the team members. I can't imagine they would be "devasted" by a stupid offhand remark from a guy like Imus. Upset? Sure! Angry? Definitely! But devastated? Give me a break.

Suspend Imus for a couple of weeks. Make his publicly apologize. Make him go to Rutgers and tell the team how sorry he is. But fire him? Lets not be ridiculous.

By the way, I am not an Imus fan. I don't like him or listen to him.

Well I thought we all knew that Imus is the most boring person in the Media. I really expected his true colors to show at some point. Just stating my position on Imus. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz but enough about me, let's talk about you.

Imus is another example of a has-been who is trying to latch on to any publicity he can. You can tell by his looks that he's scared of fading away: badly dyed hair, grow it long to appear young and hip, a face like a cadaver. If people didn't give him the time of day he wouldn't even be on the air. Who are these people that listen to him?

I like what Glenn Beck said on CNN last night, what he said is terrible but those there americans are supposed to have freedom of speech and freedom of the press so if he gets pulled off the air, who next?

Aparently he's just extremely rude to everyone (ive never seen this show though) but yeah. While his comments may be rude an arrogant if he silenced where does it end.

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Originally Posted by NeedKarma

Imus is another example of a has-been who is trying to latch on to any publicity he can. You can tell by his looks that he's scared of fading away: badly dyed hair, grow it long to appear young and hip, a face like a cadaver. If people didn't give him the time of day he wouldn't even be on the air. Who are these people that listen to him?

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Yep, As alwys Karma, you are right on. Who are these people?

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Originally Posted by Lowtax4eva

I like what Glenn Beck said on CNN last night, what he said is terrible but those there americans are supposed to have freedom of speech and freedom of the press so if he gets pulled off the air, who next?

Aparently he's just extremely rude to everyone (ive never seen this show though) but yeah. While his comments may be rude an arrogant if he silenced where does it end.

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We can't talk about the present administration on this post, sorry.:rolleyes:

Hi Ruby - Great topic here.

Lots of Monkey hugs to you :).

Imus? - Don't watch him at all. But when I do see the rare spot of him, to me, just nothing but noise that comes out. Sadly, I feel the same way about Al Sharpton. Nothing but noise comes out. Each individual has the opportunity to do great things based on the positions that they have, and yet, at least in my eyes, they are blown opportunities.

With that said, the comments that Imus made, were just disgusting. But I do not care one ioda what someone like him thinks. But see, that is easy for me to say, as I generally don't fall into the categories where ugly comments are made about a group of people. So I really am unsure if I even have a right to comment on Imus's ugly comments or anyone else's for that matter. From where I sit, pfffft, who cares what that sad sack thinks? But, if I were a part of a group, that throughout time, would be poked, pushed, called names, time after time after time, would I so easily dismiss it? I don't think so. Think I would be darn hurt. And the last thing I would want would be an apology from him. Why? Has his heart changed? Has all the ugly inside him been removed? When he looks at people, does he see them as the person inside, or what they look like outside? This doesn't apply just to Imus, but to all of those who have said ugly words about another group of people.
An apology? Fire him? Why? I wouldn't want squat from him. Notta nothing. To me, to request something from him, is saying, "Imus, I value your opinion so much"... blleeeek.

This kind of nonsense always breaks my heart. No one feels better after and there really is no need for it whatsoever. I will never ever understand predjudice or racism. Ever. If someone is kind and loving, why care what they look like?

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Originally Posted by magprob

We can't talk about the present administration on this post, sorry.:rolleyes:

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Maggie, maggie, maggie. Now don't go putting words in my mouth.


Thank you all.

Scott, I agree with 99% of what you have stated. The only difference is that this was not a one time remark by Imus. He has done this before. He basically insults everyone but he has made racial remarks towards African Americans in the past. He has never been called to the carpet so intensely before. I do believe that in his heart of hearts, the guy is a racist just because of the way he so matter of factly blurted out the remark. I have always thought the guy is an idiot. Does it mean he should be fired? I don't know. I don't like him and don't watch the guy, and for the life of me, I don't understand why he still has a show. Are his ratings that high?

Karma, you stated exactly what I have thought since he showed up on Television. The guy looks like a cadaver. How he has managed to stay alive and sitting upright all these years is beyond me. I have no idea who his core audience is but I am hazarding a guess that they aren't people I would be friends with.

As always Allheart, you are all heart. I agree with the "noise" comment. Both men disgust me. They are on the same end of my personal intolerance scale. I would like to see them both shipped off to the Island of Has Beens and Wannabes.

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Originally Posted by RubyPitbull

I pretty much expected that answer from you "spam on whitebread."

Thank you for the scintillating dialogue. You really challenged me mentally. I am sitting here, during yet another snowfall. It would be nice to have a discussion on something other than the bible, the present administration, global warming, or spam and the many uses thereof.

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No love, those words came out of your mouth.

If you want to get nitpicky with me, my dear, I never said "we cannot talk about the present administration..." as you have stated. I said, "It would be nice to have a discussion on something other than,..." Two very different statements indeed, my darling.

Don't mess with me spam lover. I am surrounded by a seemingly inexhaustable supply of snow. Someone lied. It ain't spring.

Well then just go outside and make some snow Angels for a while and stop being a pitbull! GRRRRRR! You have cabin fever.

Ruby,

I just looked high and low for a SPAM beater. Sorry, came up empty handed.

Maybe it's best, since my last research, well... :o

Many hugs to you.

Amen Scott... and probably stuff after it I did not read.

What really blows my mind is that anyone listens to either one of them, unless it is for a good laugh.

... a sad laugh, though...

You are very right maggie, but I can't help myself. I am a pitbull, after all. Anyway, not just cabin fever. Tax return fever too.

Heehee Allheart. Would love to see what you might turn up this time around.

http://www.cyberbrahma.com/rants/images/spam1.jpg

Like many other "shock jocks" on the radio... Imus keeps his job by delivering ratings for his show. If people are not paying attention to him, he's going to loose his gig. So what does he do? The same thing so many of these characters do... They try to be more outrageous and controversial than their competition. He knew this comment would get a reaction, that's why he made it.

I don't like shock media, but I recognize the fact that these guys have to play these characters for the sake of getting ratings. I'm sorry our culture embraces this stuff, but if the masses weren't drawn to it, these guys wouldn't be doing it.

Al is playing the same attention game, but he really believes his own BS. That's the difference. He's not putting on a show for ratings, he actually believes his own outrageous demands.

Should Imus be fired? I don't know... maybe.
Should Imus be fired because Al says so? I don't think so.

Like I said, I don't like or listen to him. But if you fire Imus for that remark, then you got to fire Hannity for his hate mongering. The first amendment does have some presence here.