Don Imus controversy raises issues about inconsistent principles
Don Imus was one of the America’s leading radio talk show hosts. His show was also simulcast on MSNBC TV each morning. He reportedly has an audience of many millions. And he clearly is one of the country’s most outraegous racists I have ever heard.
This past week, Imus found himself in hot water when he described the African American female members of the Ritgers Basketball team as “nappy-haired hos.” It is an obnoxious, racist phrase. These young women were near champions and were involved in a playoff game in which they excelled, although did not win their championship. Instead of neing held up as role models, Imus used the women as a platform to once again spew his hateful racist views.
And where the morality of what should be an obvious problem comes apart at the seems.
I’m not defending Imus at all. I am not saying the public shouldn’t outraged when a widely broadcast radio talkshow host says something ignorant on the airwaves. I am saying though that morality doesn’t have a skin color. It doesn’t have an ethnicity. And principles do not have boundaries.
Why was the public not equally outraged when Imus and his sidekick writers and coi-hosts attacked Arabs on the air as “animals, animals?” Or when Imus referred to the Suha Arafat, wife of the late Palestinian President Yasir Arafat, during Arafat’s funeral as “that fat pig of a wife?”
Why was the public not outraged when Imus made anti-Semitic comments about Jews controlling CBS? Or other ethnic slurs against Asians, Muslims and Hispanics?
Is morality in America the right of only those who have the most clout?
African Americans certainly have more clout than Arab Americans. Had Imus called Arabs “nappy-haired hos,” or “sand niggers,” would his future be more secure today?
African American leaders are complaining not only about Imus, but about the use of racist terms by African American rappers and hip-hop artists. But no one has punished anyone the way they are punishing Imus.
Although he was suspended from his job effective next week (that’s astonishing that it was immediate), I believe Don Imus should be fired. he should be fired immediately, without any hesitation. He should have been fired years ago. Suddenly, though, the controversy has forced him to issue repeated apologies. Are they sincere, or merely his belief that by apologizing he can save his million dollar salary, his job and his prestigious post as a national American radio commentator and TV talk show host?
His advertisers are removing their ads. Why? Because they suddenly feel Don Imus is a racist, or because they are more concerned with how the ocntroversy might impact their sales revenues? In otherwords, as long as no one complained, the advertisers didn’t care what Imus said on his radio and MSNBC TV show.
I believe Americans need to look within themselves, really review their own conduct. Americans are the most educated people in the world, but the least educated about the world. Their education or lack of education on subjects seems to drive what they believe, what they support, and what they feel is inappropriate conduct and what can be ignored.
Imus is a problem.
But the bigger problem is with the American people who seem to pick and choose when morality and principle should apply.
– Ray Hanania
www.hanania.com
Join the Conversation
The media and Al Sharpton were the only ones raising a ruckus about Imus. Oh, and maybe Howard Stern has an old resentment or two. The guy is an idiot that doesn’t desrve an ounce of attention. He should have been fired and taken off the air years ago. The best part of yesterdays news conference was hearing the two Rutgers team members speak with such dignity.
The idiot in this story is Al Sharpton. He’s a moron who ferments problems and creates them just so he can keep his job as America’s premier advisor on race relations, even though he’s nothing but a blubbering Afrocentric moron who commands the respect of just about no Americans. Honestly, I don’t think most black people were really offended or so affected by this. Al Sharpton made it a bigger deal than it really is. Don Imus has done a lot for the black community and even had the courage to appear on Shaprton’s radio show (where numerous black callers sided with Imus), and despite this, Sharpton continued to call for him to be fired and refused to appear on his show. The term is a common phrase within the black community. Why is it OK for black to say but not OK for Imus to say it? Is it any less racist? Furthermore, a hypersensitive America that can’t confront reality is not a good thing. A few words or phrases are no big deal, Imus wasn’t inciting violence or preaching supremacy. He was simply putting down a team he doesn’t like. Europeans do it all the time with the French national soccer team, making fun of the fact that it is mostly black. The French don’t care, and neither do Africans. The same should be for America.
Furthermore, people fail to remember that in the same show Imus was paying compliments to the TEnnessee team and contrasting its more cultured players with what he percieved to be the more rough and ready Rutgers girls. The UTenn team is also predominantly black. How can he be a racist then? Had Imus or any other radio personality said the same thing for at eam of white people, calling them “white trash hos” or something, would that have been a big deal?
The fact is, Imus didn’t use the n-word, didn’t put down the black race. He insulted irresponsibly a woman’s basketball team. This guy makes his living out of being offensive and crossing the lines. It’s ridiculous that he’s being punished for it, especially since he’s raised tens of millions for autism research. Al Sharpton is making this a much bigger deal than it is becaue Al’s entire career is dependent on fixing “race Problems.” The fact is, he’s an idiot, as any viewer of any CNN special on Race, such as the recent one on a former sundown town in Texas, will tell you. I have no respect for the guy and he genuinely thinks he’s the emperor of black people. Almost none of the blacks I know thought this was a very big deal. It’s been taken way out of proportion.
By the way, Ray, aren’t you a little old to be on a site called “Middle East YOUTH”?
Hey Ray,
I agree with you.
There’s lots of “shock jocks” in America who make it their job to offend large segments of the population on a daily basis.
While I don’t condone what Imus said, I think he’s clearly being made a scapegoat while being used by Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson to get some news ink in an attempt to stay relevant.
The whole thing- from Imus’ comments to the inflated backlash- is just really gross.
Right… tell that to the black folks and many other minorities who look up to him.
Yes, and you are the spokesperson for most black people, did you go door to door asking em all before coming here and making this ludicrous post?
Name a few.
When blacks say it, it’s not racist, when someone else say it it might be. More specifically, when someone who you don’t know use these words it’s intended as a racist remarks.
You see kid, I grew up with niggers, curry niggers, rice niggers and buffalo niggers and few wiggers, but not sand niggers. Using the term nigger among ourselves was norm because it wasn’t intended as an offense even when the wiggers call us that name. When a homie calls you a nigger, it means you are accepted. This little word that is used to insult us and degrade us, we use it to unite. Of course when an outsider use it, it is taken as an offense for obvious reason and he better get ready for some ass wooping.
Educating yourself about the sub-culture that exist in your backyard might help or maybe getting to know some niggers yourself might just help also.
Irrelevant to the conversation. We are not talking about them.
Because the words he used only targets the black women of Rutgers. This guy it seems has a history of making racist comments. So what gives?
If people wanted to, and again, this is also irrelevant.
You gota be kidding me right? Nigger is not the only word to insult the black people. The words he used insults blacks, black women specifically.
Irrelevent. You want to know how much medical research Nazi Germany did? Shall we forget the fact that they committed genocide just because they did so many other goody goody things? Give me a break.
Yes, because they represent the millions of blacks living in the States or was that one odd black dude who hangs around with you? I also know that type.
Whatever Jina. Why is it OK for non-blacks in your “hood” to say nigger and not OK for non-blacks outside it to say it to each other? Perhaps they mean it affectionately as well?
How is the comment on the Tenn team irrelevent? Is anything that contradicts your sensitive BS irrelevent? It’s clear that Imus is NOT racist and has nothing against black women in general, just the Rutgers basketball team. He clearly likes the black women on the Tennessee team so what gives?
Why is it that everytime somebody criticizes someone who is HIspanic, black, or jewish, allegations of racism always fly? Same thing happened to Ken Livingston when he “offended” a jewish reporter or some jewish businessmen, and the same thing is happening to don imus for offending a women’s basketball team. AGain, if he or some black radio commentator called a white basketball team “white trash hos” would that be offensive? No. Would that cause a media uproar? No. Would you, Jina, Ms. Sensitive, be angry about it? Of course not.
I also resent your allegation that somehow I don’t associate with black people. I live in a diverse city and go to a pretty diverse school (45% nonwhite, about 10% black, 15% hispanic, and 20% asian/pacific islander).I definitely have black friends. And what would be wrong with the black people who don’t think Imus’ comments are a big deal? ARe they less black than you because they are less sensitive? Apparently you think that because I disagree with you and the Jackson/Sharpton race-baiting machine that I don’t associate with black people? That’s ridiculous. Most black people in this country don’t conform to your neoliberal expectations, and they have more important things to deal with than a radio shock jock.
“That type” of black dude you refer to at the end of your little retarded rant- what does that mean? Are you referring to the more integrated black, or as Tyrie from the REal World so eloquently put it, the “acceptable negro”? Is that a bad thing?
The fact is, I don’t think this is a big deal. I am not racist at all and am in fact very sensitive to REAL racism. Like the type of subconscious racism I encounter in real life, outside the media. Like that retarded “sparkling wiggles” video that seems to be making rounds on the internet. Like the Kramer incident. Like colonial oppression of the third world. Like the notion of the “white men’s burden”. All that shit is REAL and has REAL impacts, which the Imus incident does not. I am, after all, from the AFRICAN continent.
In fact, I’m sure if we were to visit any country in sub-Saharan Africa tomorrow they would more readily consider me a brother than you or any other black American.
are you kidding me? did you do a statistical analysis? i’m guessing no. virtually the entirety of the black blogosphere has been talking about this incident non-stop since it happened. you’re saying that you don’t think that most black people would be offended by a white tv personality demeaning black women by 1. criticizing a failure to live up to white beauty standards (“nappy-headed”) and 2. calling them “hos.” all of us should be offended by that, and if it doesn’t offend you than you might want to check yourself.
also, everyone really needs to come off the “black rappers say it, why can’t Imus say it?” because it’s an incredibly weak argument. misogynistic and bigoted language/sentiment is wrong no matter what. also, when people who don’t know a single thing about hiphop start to try and dissect and criticize it in these ways, it is often just about denial of their own racism, wanting to flip the script and make it all about the oppressed group’s racism so that they don’t have to examine their own.
i thought that imus had said “nappy-headed hos,” but either way, this statement shows a lack of knowledge of rap music. you should do more research instead of lumping all black rap artists into this category of misogynistic self-hate. and again, the question about reform in hiphop is one for a different conversation. it takes the focus off of the racist, sexist comments made by Imus. whether or not he felt like he was “allowed” to use that phrase because he once heard a black person use it is not the issue.
i agree with your last statement, about the picking and choosing.
Hey, who says “53″ is old? When I hit 80, I might surrender, but until then, as my bio explains, 50 is the new 20, so I feel perfectly fine.
Beauty doesn’t look as beautiful unless you can contrast it to ugliness … love doesn;t looka s lovely unless it can be seen against hate … peace doesn’t seem as appealing until it is contrasted against war …a nd youth is just an age until it is contrasted against old
Ray Hanania
Well I always thought Al Sharpton was pretty great.
Not the proper way to debate someone.
You don’t know this non-black person. When they use the term, it might be offensive because an outsiders don’t use the term nigger unless they have the mental capacity of a 10 year old or is a racist.
You want me to give this guy a medal for not insulting the blacks on that team? This is why it’s irrelevant, it has nothing to do with the debate at hand. We are talking about why he used certain racist words and not why he didn’t.
It’s up to the offended party to take up the cause. Again what does this have to do with what we are debating.
Criticize them without using racist terms, criticize them in a civilized way. This almost never happens so you don’t expect these people stand still while someone who oppressed them and still do get away with this kind of crap.
Jewish gravestones sometimes get desecrated, synagogue vandalized. If Jews don’t remind the racist fucks that they are still watching them, they will know that there is a repercussion to their actions and may not do what they do. Same goes for blacks or other minorities. If they keep reminding the majority that they won’t stand back while they are insulted and degraded. Simple as that.
You don’t even know me, so stop coming to idiotic conclusions. And I am not Ms.
Good for you.
Their opinion, they have the freedom to choose. I am not talking about them. I am talking about the ones who are offended by the remarks.
Assumption.
Learn to debate before you call others retarded.
I don’t care what other do, their choice. I have no opinion for issues that are personal. I don’t like getting into another person’s personal business.
Because you are not black.
Whatever makes you sleep well at night.
Your opinion alone, it doesn’t apply to the rest.
Ya, you are from the same part of the African continent who enslaved the blacks before the white man came along.
What makes you say that? You have any source to backup this claim? Or do you mean like in Sudan where the Arabs are so nice to their black neighbours. Damn that’s some comradery going on there.
A typical racist is always in denial about his own racism by justifying his racism by claiming to be a friend of a black person, know a black person, a claim that a black person would consider him/her a friend if they met him because he is so not racist.
Ohh I have some advice you for your debating skills. Follow the below link and learn about fallacies because most of your post except few lines is considered one because it adds nothing to the debate except bring in details that has nothing to do with the topic.
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies
http://www.truthtree.com/debates.shtml
Same here, these guys risked their lives at one time to give the minorities in the States the rights they enjoy. I love it when the same minority step on them for their work now because they think it’s irrelevant. I don’t know why this Patrick thinks he’s Afrocentric, he is not. This man would backup any minority if they bring up the issue.
You can delete a post for inappropriate comments. However, you cannot delete a post asking why a post has been deleted! That’s simply ludicrous! So again—Why was my last post deleted?
Just answer the question!
Any more racist comments from anyone will result in deletion of your comments, no exception. If you keep at it, you’ll be banned.
http://www.mideastyouth.com/comment-policy
Patrick, think before you write. That was the reason I deleted your post. Debate the issue and don’t insult the person. Click on Comment policy, you violated the first 3 rules.
Uh wow
Yeah Europeans were making monkey noises at the French soccer team and regularly subjected them to racial slurs. You’re insanely wrong about the not caring part. Players have walked off the field in protest on more than one occasion, Henry founded an organization to fight racism in sport, FIFA has fined coaches and players that use racial hatred.
And actually it’s not harmless taunting. Football hooligan gangs are notorious for attacking minority groups off the field. One of the Italian ones was connected to a far right group that carried out a terrorist attack on a museum dedicated to Italian resistance to the Nazis.
I guess that kind of racism isn’t “real” enough for you? Or anyone who doesn’t use the n-word is by default not racist? Give me a break.
I have no idea why the last bit is like that. Oh well.
Fixed it
Merci!
Jina, of course you’re the one who deleted it because you disagree with me. It’s ridiculous that you can bring a personal vendetta and manifest it in deleting my points simply because we are arguing. Had I been on your side of things and used similar expressions, I would not have been deleted. Please elaborate on which racial slurs I used? NONE. People who disagree with Al Sharpton or YOU are not automatic racists. If that were true, then the vast majority of the American people (most non-black Americans, and many black Americans too, are just sick of Sharpton) would be racist. Get over yourself.
Furthermore, you neglect to show a justification for why my posts simply askign where my previous posts went were deleted. These things were three lines long–why were they deleted?
Finally, Jina, I’d like to remind you that I’ve been a part of this site for just as long as you, and I don’t think you’re qualified to try and delete the posts of people who disagree with you. You need to mature.
I’ve been away for a conference in Morocco and I will be back tomorrow night, I know this is a highly controversial discussion and I’d like to ask people to contact me personally regarding the whole deleting comments deal. What’s going on?