I haven't written about the Imus affair here. I never listen to Imus and thus have no opinion of or particular interest in him. My main interest in the matter was simply to see how it would play out and what the outcome would say about the state of our culture.
Now that it's over, except for the comeback (presumably on a lesser media outlet), what have we learned? For one thing, we see that even in our boisterous and increasingly uncivil culture there are still limits. They may come into play only when incivility is directed at African-Americans, but it's still good to obtain confirmation that a critical mass of the public (I'm hoping it wasn't just corporate executives) is highly offended by the kind of insult Imus issued. The public's disgust was the key here, not the firing of Imus. His statement was bad enough to justify the discharge, but not so horrible as to require it. .
We also learned that has-beens Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson still get to play a role when racial controversies arise. That's unfortunate, especially in the case of Sharpton. As my Power Line partner Scott Johnson has written, "from his promotion of Tawana Brawley's hoax. . ., to his defense of the Central Park 'wilding' rapists, to his role in the pogroms leading to the murders of Yankel Rosenbaum in Crown Heights and eight victims in Freddy's Fashion Mart in Harlem, Sharpton has compiled a record that should result in his excommunication by decent people from civil society." Most recently, Sharpton promoted the miscarriage of justice represented by the prosecution of the three Duke lacrosse players. The only good I see coming from Sharpton's involvement is that by groveling before the pernicious preacher, Imus perhaps lost some of his credibility as an iconoclast. Those who forgive or are okay with his comment about the Rutgers player may be unwilling to forgive his appearance with Sharpton.
The final lesson comes from the reaction of the Rutgers basketball players. Naturally, they were insulted by Imus' comments, and could not be expected to laugh them off. But it was disappointing to see these women fall so readily into the victim role. After Imus met with the team today, the coach said that the healing process could now begin. It is a bad sign that an idiotic insult by a performing monkey would require a healing process. As one extraordinarily successful woman of hispanic national origin wrote to me in amazement, "Here are these. . .tough women on top of the world and they are so fragile that a remark knocks them down?"
Growing incivility of discourse coupled with hyper-sensitivity to insult isn't a good combination. This week's victory for civility was too circumscribed to signal a lasting set-back for the combination.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 9)
16. they say he's a racist,but yet he had to apologize to two of the most racist men in america,jesse jackson and that clown al sharpton.how ironic,how sad
richard hartman at 12:48AM on Apr 14th 2007
17. I liked Imus the way I liked Eddie Murphy Richard Prior Chris Rock et al they are all "comedians" to me I never take comdedy seriously to me a sense of humor is not black or white it just is.
carole vallieres at 12:54AM on Apr 14th 2007
18. Kind of stupid, Blacks calleach other NIGGER but if a white person calls one of them NIGGER that is a big insult. Why is it that Rev, Jessie Jackson always shows up to make a big complaint when something is wrong BUT you never see him when his people are in regular trobule (Highest jail rate, Highest teen pregnecy, Higheswt theft rate, Highest men that have gotten woman pregant and left them to say YOUR PROBLEM) So tell me why can't I call someone that is black a NIGGER. Chris Rock Jokes about it say's that he will never live where NIGGERS live but only where Blacks live. vHow come he is not being RAPED by the press.
John at 12:56AM on Apr 14th 2007
19. It's all a bunch of crap! He shouldn't have been canned! It is always a RACIAL thing when blacks are involved; never a racial slur when the terms honky, whitey etc. are used!!!!!
m. garvin at 12:57AM on Apr 14th 2007
20.
Damn it Paul, sometimes you make me think I'm a conservative. I agreed with every word.
Freedom of speech means that no subject is taboo, but it also means anyone and everyone has the right to protest the message of others by way of their own free speech. This allows society (instead of government) to determine for itself what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. Nobody should be censored for what they have to say, but they must be prepared to accept the consequences of popular opinion from a society who disagrees with them once they have said it, if they truly believe in free speech.
If that means losing an outlet of that speech which affects millions who disagree with you, then due to the unpopularity of your speech you lose the right to that outlet. Even though he has been removed from a major media outlet that does not mean he can't say what he wants to say elsewhere, but when the majority of your audience disagrees with what you say you lose the credibility necessary to maintain that audience or to be carried by that media outlet.
Peter at 1:02AM on Apr 14th 2007
21. As God is my witness, it is rather hard to understand our human races! Always arguing about something when they could just ignore what seems to insult them. Of course the NAACP plays a big part in all this crap.Why all these blacks take anything that a white person says and blows it out of proportion mystifies me. Iam a member of an organization that has been fighting to save our Confederate Flag that represents our Southern Heritage. I will never understand why the NAACP went to war to rid us of a flag that was no harm to them or their race.Their on people fault in the Civil War. We were a in a horrible war that took everything dear to All the Southern People. It was Sherman and his 80,000 practiced argonists who burned Atlanta to the ground.So why is there an cbjection to flying a flag to remind everyone black and white what was done to the south. So if the NAACP would find another project to gain them money in their club it of course would stop spreading feelings of hate.No one that is living today should apologize for slavery. Those that caused it are long dead and quite frankly should be forgotten.Read the book "The South Was Right" written by twin brothers James Ronald Kennedy and Walter Donald Kennedy.Read this book and learn the truth. Jean Fuller
Jean Fuller at 1:20AM on Apr 14th 2007
22. The downfall, are the SO CALLED leaders in the black community! What a DISGRACE, REV JJ and his adultress affairs, Big Al a child from an adultress affair, Black Panthers BULLIES! 2 Pimps and a gang policing whoever they want, no way these are moral leaders! No wonder their focus is so distorted,
FREEDOM at 11:40AM on Apr 14th 2007
23. first I can not call jesse jackson or al sharpton reverends. A man of God would preach forgiveness not demand another mans lively hood be taken. Jesse the squak box wants attention and that is all. George jefferson uses white honkey but are the sponsors in an uproar. No we are to bend over take it there and be content. I say the message the sponsors who pulled support and msnbc and cbs sent out was to hell with all other races we only care about the black race. Jesse Jackson has called the jewish people hymies isn't he still televised and I don't hear of any sponsors pulling out. In todays society were african americans call themselves these names how they expect anything more from other folks. I am not prejuidice at all. I have an adopted korean child and a mixed child. I have black grandchildren. My little boy goes to a 90% black school. He has been called white cracker and oh guess what else (nappy head) hmm wonder where that came from.
Donna at 1:23AM on Apr 14th 2007
24. Democratic Africian Americans,
Please, You liberals need to know what you are buying into here. Do you realize that Jesse and Al are playing you all? When was the last time they did anything for anyone else except themselves. The Duke scandal? Rainbow coalition paying for all of Jesse's kids from another mother? These men have never had real jobs and they are feeding off of you. If MLK had not have been assassinated, the "black" leadership who call themselves "Reverend", would not be so liberal. Maybe I will get ordained on the internet so I can get away with slander. MLK had character, Al and Jesse don't! The Republican party freed you from slavery and yet you still vote for the same party that is pandering social programs to keep you dependant on them. I don't understand it. I am game for any diversity training as long as you can tell me why you idiots follow these two fools!
Al
Al Nordin at 12:50AM on Jul 18th 2007
25. Double standards.
What Imus said was certainly inapporiate but.... Until standards are set for EVERYONE to follow, his fireing was over kill. Sharpton has never (to my knowledge) made an appology for his racist remarks, and the rap trap songs on the airways far excede what the I Man said. I thought the FCC set rules for whats allowed and disallowed on Radio and TV. Imus has done great things for many people, and now because Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton raised a stink, I fear much of that will fade into the background. Example the Ranch where he certainly gives our young children a needed "boost".
Jbass at 1:38AM on Apr 14th 2007
26. Its only racism when a white person makes inappropriate comments. When blacks do it its cool talk. Which is the bigger crime?
Kelly at 2:06AM on Apr 14th 2007
27. I am a nonconformist but biblically accurate theological thinker/writer, and, as such, have been labeled a "hairy-tick" and worse many times by religious leaders even more evil of soul than the legendary Imus. Truth to tell, I have found that being treated with disrespect really isn't a big thing unless you allow it to be such in your own mind. I deal with it by considering the profound level of insanity that would inspire them to expose their own consumate stupidity by insulting a man of sterling personal integrity and sound scholarship like me. Then I simply turn them over to my God, "who is a consuming fire," for effective disposition whatever that may mean in their particular case. Ha! "He who laughs last..." Falsly maligned people everywhere would be wise to take notice.
F M Richbourg III at 2:23AM on Apr 14th 2007
28. I do not really see what the big deal is all about. Now don't get me wrong what he said was wrong and those young ladies did not deserve that, but should he have lost his job behind it, I would say no. welcome to the real world. People everyday will say things that you may or may not agree with but the power of reaction always ends up in the hands of the individual that felt offended. You should never allow someone else’s words to define who you are and what you are trying to become, never give a person that much power over you. There are a lot of people everyday who say a lot of things they should not say whether they have a history of it or not, and by him being a very influential person should not have played a part either. I do not really think people should be making this matter a racial thing either; no matter what color a person is, something like that should have never been said. to me I feel he owes everyone an apology pay a fine and that's that, and let that be a lesson for all to watch what they say because greater consequences could follow. I understand that women are constantly being disrespected but like I said earlier if you feel it pertains to you and you can find some truth behind what a person says then I can see how one would be offended but if it does not then why care. Relating this to hip-hop is ludicrous there is no comparison. Rap is a unique form of art a way for people to express them selves in a poetic way using music. When people rap it is mostly about the things they are accustom to and everyday life. When they make songs about women they are not talking about all women just the ones they come across being involved in the entertainment business and they do come across a lot of different women who act in ways some women feel are inappropriate. And so to get mad because rappers chose to use that type of language in there music they are not to blame. The blame falls back on the parents and media who gives the kids and the public easy access to that type of music. If anything certain things should be played on the radio, and certain things should be shown on tv. And what is not shown if you want access to it you should have to pay extra for it. Hip hop is for entertainment purpose only not to disrespect are put anyone down in any kind of way and if your concern is the lyrics are to explicit, it downgrades women, and it has a negative impact on our younger generation then stop reacting to and portraying the image you hear in those songs its just for entertainment purposes. There should be a limit to what is projected on tv and the radio everything else should be saved for the cd which allow you to pay extra for more.
Lashunda at 2:32PM on Apr 14th 2007
29. There a so many excuses being made for Don Imus's comments. There are no 66 year old white males in our society that have any interest in Hip Hop. "Main Stream" American media immediately cried foul by focusing on "Rap" and black rappers. If Imus was a 30 year old, then I would be more accepting of his comments. But Imus is a part of the root of our racist society. His comments about prominent black figure over the years demonstrate a pattern of bigotry, and hatred within him. Imus knows nothing about the Hip Hop culture, but he seized the opportunity to degrade young prominent African American College students. The American society says get an education, be a positive influence in society. In doing so, the Rutgers Womens Basketball team was awarded with degrading racist comments refering them as "nappy headed ho's" Those comments are off limits to any white man or woman who use "Hip Hop" as protection for their personal hatred. Our world has been pruged of one less mouth piece of hatred and bigotry.
Norris Jackson at 2:17AM on Apr 14th 2007
30. This is so stupid. He should have been fired for one thing. He sucks. He is a terrible radio personality. I switched because he was annoying. Now, don't think I agree with his firing for "racist comments" give me a break. I never heard anyone say that before. That is actually mild compared to some of the things I have heard people say from where I am from. To be honest that isn't anything to cry over. I know alot worse things that could have been said Please note I am not a racist and I am not promoting this comment it is an example I have heard and should not be repeated for anything except to show Imus may be an idiot and a loser but not racist no offense is meant it is to show how mild his comment was.Please read no further if you are easily insulted and if I insult you I apoligize in advance it is not my intention. for example: What do you call a barn full of black people? Antique Farm Equipment. Example 2: What did God say when he created the first black man? "Opps burnt one" What did God say when he created the second black man? "Opps burnt another one. Please note these are racist comments I am not advocating racism I am just saying what Imus said was small. These are jokes I have heard in my community and I do not condone this in the least. I apoligize if you were offended I want to make the point he barely said anything. Also, the ones I chose are mild to some of things I have heard before. The above comments are comments that are racist and should not be said. They are to illustrate a point and I sincerly apoligize if you think I am trying to insult you. I am not trying to insult you. I am trying to make a point that Imus barely said anything. if you can even consider what he said racist you have no idea what racism really is.
Santaaa at 2:19AM on Apr 14th 2007