So the offense given to the female Rutgers basketball players was so grievous that it demanded Imus be fired. Fine, but what about the harm caused to the lives of those Duke lacrosse players?
The wrongly-accused Duke students did not merely endure a two-word insult. They have had to suffer through the most horrific allegations, launched in a witch-hunt atmosphere that lasted for more than a year. They got little support from the university, and virtually no cooperation from the state.
What's the appropriate punishment for Mike Nifong, the opportunistic prosecutor, who seems to have "played" the evidence to promote his career? And what about the long list of Duke professors--some African American, some white--who circulated petitions using the incident to demonstrate racism at Duke, helping in the process to create the atmosphere of racial hysteria in which the whole incident was examined?
I hold no brief for Imus and given his scumbag behavior over years, an argument can be made that he deserved what he got. But on balance I consider the Duke show-trial, thankfully now ended, to have been a much greater miscarriage of justice. The Duke professors, even more than Imus, should have known better and not abused their power. Instead they played the race card and ruined these students' lives in their own university setting. Who will hold them accountable for the pain they have caused?
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 9)
1.
A lawsuit will hold them accountable, and once that happens I'm sure the University will hold them accountable as well (unless they try to pre-empt the lawsuit by punishing them now).
This incident is still unfolding, it's a little early to suggest they won't be punished for what they did. Nifong will probably be disbarred just for trying to have the case judged in the court of popular opinion, let alone all of the other ethics violations he committed. He'll have a nasty lawsuit on his hands too which he will surely lose. He will be ruined, Imus' punishment will look like a cakewalk when compared to his.
Peter at 6:58PM on Apr 13th 2007
2. I recall Jesse Jackson immediately jumping to the dancer's defense and doing the talk show circuits, claiming the "evidence was in" and that the players were "absolutely guilty." And why? Because she is black. And that is the only reason Jackson leapt to her aid. He went so far as to say he would get her a college scholarship on Hannity and Colmes. When Hannity asked Jackson if he would still grant the scholarship if the players turned out to be innocent, he said yes. Where is Jackson now on this issue and where is the OUTRAGE against his race baiting smear campaign against a group of WHITE men who were proven to be completely innocent? I believe an apology is in order!! Where is Reverend Al on this issue of RACIAL INJUSTICE? Oh, that's right, you have to be BLACK, right Al? I think it is high time the media STOP GIVING THESE MEN ANY CREDIBILITY. They have NONE!
jim at 7:05PM on Apr 13th 2007
3. Good deal,another BUSHEY buddy bites the dust.I couldn't care less 'bout what he said,JUST THANK GOD HE'S HISTORY...........
oldworldorder at 7:09PM on Apr 13th 2007
4. MY feeling about this intire thing, is that Imus was unjustly fired. Its not like rappers don't use those same words. If people want to stop these type remarks, then they need to make it illegal for everyone to use remarks like Imus did and punish everyone who use's the same type comments.
What is even more outragious is Sharpton and Jackson who are ten times worse then Imus, came out against one of their own Democrats. Just goes to show you the Democrats will stab their own people in the back..makes no difference with these Dem's.
Imus has done a ton of good things for kids with cancer and also given money to wounded soldiers medical care. I am no fan of Imus, but I will give Imus credit on alot of the good he has done for others. I think CBS and ABC did him very unfair.
Emily at 8:06PM on Apr 13th 2007
5. Do you have any kids or grand kids? how would you feel if some one did that to some one you love or care about. It also he with sin throw the frist stone. Well I guess you have a lot of sin...look people are throwing at you. wow.What are you going to tell God about this one? hurting his little ones. I think you need to pray and asks forgivness,
And wait........it might be a long one........
rRev. Earlene James at 7:24PM on Apr 13th 2007
6. Interestingly, I sent emails to media people at the Rainbow Coalition asking when public apologies would be issued by Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharpton regarding the Duke Lacrosse players.
I am still waiting for a reply - two days later. Not holding my breath.
Jayne Parker at 8:33AM on Apr 19th 2007
7. I think its a disgrace that Imus said those comments, but at the same time what happened turned out to be a strike against all that America stands for. We are a free nation, free to say what we want. What Imus said was not an FCC violation, its was tasteless, and last time I checked, it wasn't illegal to be tasteless. At the same time, where is the outrage to the Spike Lee film that the quote came from? Lets play fair here and stop saying its ok to say certain things because you are black, but not ok because you are white. CBS and NBC should have let the fans decide by leaving Imus on the air, thats the American way.
Pete from Astoria, NY at 12:08AM on Apr 14th 2007
8. You are such a race baiter yourself. The two situations are somewhat different in that the Rutgers Basketball Womens team were innocent bystanders, minding their business. In the DUKE case, these young men invited strippers and had booze and a party going on. It was anyone's word in this type of situation when unclean "fun" is invited into your space and home. Thats what the trial was for and they prevailed. Just get over it!
Jane at 10:42PM on Apr 13th 2007
9. What Dom Imus said was totally inappropriate. He should do his penance of some sort, but being fired? I think that is ridiculous and Socialistic! The comments he made have their roots where in the English language? No where. They were created by the same people that use these terms profusley in music, and language. Rappers, etc. use made up these terms and use them. Give me a break! Do you think that once you expose that type of language to everyone, that only you have license to use it and not be held accountable? I think not. Maybe Mr.Sharpton should start to govern and rally Americans of African descent to stop the rappers language from creating a cancer in society.
There are no Black, Irish, Italian, Polish, Puerto Rican etc. Americans! We are AMERICANS FIRST!!! Then we are defined by our ethnic background!!!
GEORGE at 7:41PM on Apr 13th 2007
10. I THINK THIS MATTER WAS BLOWN WAY OUT OF PORPORTION. TO ME JUST BECAUSE DON IMUS IS ON THE RADIO AND MADE HIS REMARKS VERY PUBLIC. NO MATTER HOW IGNORANT IT MAY HAVE BEEN IT DOESNT GIVE THE RADIO STATION THE RIGHT TO COST THIS MAN HIS JOB. ALSO WITH THE GARBAGE THAT IS IN RAP MUSIC I DONT SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN HIS COMMENTS TO ANYTHING LUDACRIS, 50 CENT, MYSTIKAL ETC HAVE TO SAY TOWARDS FEMALES
AND TO QUOTE AN ARTICLE IN THE DAILY NEWS, LESBIAN IS IN A FIGHT WITH A MAN AND SCREAMS, I'M A N**** IM A MAN, WHATS THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT. WE CANT STEREOTYPE THESE THINGS FOR OUR CONVENIENCE......ITS A LOT OF BULLSH**
CARMEN at 7:43PM on Apr 13th 2007
11. Don Imus comments were tame compared to a lot of the hard-ass, macho comments I hear on Detroit talk radio stations every day. Here in Detroit, we have radio shock jocks that talk every minute of the day about "skinny assed faggots", "muff diving queers", "pole sucking blowheads", "skanky assed hoe's", "baloney sucking whores", etc. They talk like that on the talk radio stations here in Detroit 24-7. What Don Imus was busted for is extremely tame compared to a lot of the macho, hard-ass radio talk I catch on the radio here in Detroit.
Carl Johnson at 7:49PM on Apr 13th 2007
12. i sent a e-mail to al sharpton about the tawana brawley thing. he ruined white peoples lives and never once said he was sorry. its a double standard in this country. i also asked him where he was when my nephew was attacked by 9 black guys and beat him with a snapple bottle. when caught one of them said to the cop that "whitey" wouldnt go down. if he did they would have killed him. but al and jesse only stand up for thier own. p.s it never made the news, if it was 9 whites beating 1 black kid they would have plastered it all over the news, never mentioned it when it happened to my nephew. they will never say they are sorry or be asked to fired. the other thing is? why dont i ever see the white girls from the team when the show them on tv? he said nappy headed ho's? wouldn't the white girls fall under the ho part?
the real truth at 7:49PM on Apr 13th 2007
13. I, too, have no love lost for Imus nor Howard Stern, the "shock jocks" have been spewing vile stuff for millions of dollars for years. The young women of Rutgers are admirable Americans. I think they should consider the source and ignore it going forward.
What will bring Duke University Professors to heel will be a vigorous suit by the three maligned students and their families. It would be wrong for them to just go away... they should extract millions from the University, the State and from Nifong himself. Put that money to a good charitable use and stand tall going forward!
gerard tobin at 8:06PM on Apr 13th 2007
14. Well, well, well, isn't this just a kick in the pants, this discussion has gotten very violent. Everyone pointing the finger at someone calling the race card etc. Well, I tell you this: "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one(satan the devil) this is why the world has gone mad; Imus just said what he is used to saying all the time, he just forgot where he was at that time when he said what he said, that's the way most folks talk in the privacy of their own homes and around certain company, so what' the big deal?
People are looking for a reason to vent and the topic of discussion just happens to be about an 80 year old man speaking about some young black players and calling them what most people do behind closed doors.
As for the Lacrose thing; I still believe they did it they just had something on the young lady that made her back down, if not, why those particular three players? Why not blame everyone that was there at this so-called party? And talking on the media doesn't make me feel any different about MY OPINION!!! The high priced lawyer that got them off, well, that's a whole other story. But know this that Jesus Christ himself was persecuted for something he didn't do and he was perfect, we aren't, let's just keep that in mind while we're accusing someone of wrong doing, remember Jesus said: 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you!"
dn2stsmrtyr at 8:05PM on Apr 13th 2007
15. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, SINCE WHEN CAN WE NOT SAY SOMETHING IN GENERAL, JOKING, OR MEANT TO BE "FUNNY" I TOOK IT NO LESS THAN A STATEMENT OF THE MOMENT. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING WITH MY HAIR IN KNOTS TWISTED ABOUT MY HEAD, SWEATING AND STANDING ON END AND THINK WHAT I LOOK AS IMUS DESCIBED. GET OVER IT. SO MUCH MORE TO BE CONCERNED WITH THAN A RADIO HOST VOICING AN OPINION. SORRY IF IT OFFENDED BUT IF IT DID, TOO SENSITIVE. TO POLITCALLY CORRECT, TOO, WELL, TO FIRST AMENDMENT SENSATIVE. JUST BEING.
DOE at 8:15PM on Apr 13th 2007