Is Don Imus an Innocent Victim?

By Joseph Speranzella, published Apr 11, 2007
Published Content: 52  Total Views: 27,282  Favorited By: 3 CPs
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Recent "racial slurs" said on Don Imus' nationally syndicated radio program have caught the attention of the nation, the press, and certain well known and always available publicity seekers.

America is now blessed with fresh dose of Jesse Jackson's and Al Sharpton's self-righteous posturing over comments made on Imus's show. Jackson and Sharpton are both demanding Imus be fired from his show. This may or may not be appropriate but as talk radio host Larry Elders pointed out, dunderheaded comments by the two, like Jackson calling New York "Hymie-town", racist remark against Jews, goes mostly unnoticed and gets by with a simple, single apology. Imus has apologized three times publicly and is still feeling the repercussions.

The offending comments occur in THIS context: a discussion about a basketball game last Wednesday. I was shocked at the reports of the slur until I saw the context in which they were made.

DON IMUS: So I watched the basketball game last night between a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.
SID ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night, seventh championship for Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by thirteen points.
DON IMUS: Some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they've got tattoos and -
BERNARD McGUIRK: Some hardcore hos.
DON IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there, I'm going to tell you that. Man, that's some -- ooh! And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so -- like kind of like a -- I don't know.
BERNARD McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
DON IMUS: Yeah.
BERNARD McGUIRK: The Jigaboos versus the Wannabes -
DON IMUS: Yeah.
BERNARD McGUIRK: That movie that he had?
DON IMUS: Yeah, it was a tough -
CHARLES McCORD: Do the Right Thing.
BERNARD McGUIRK: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
DON IMUS: I don't know if I'd have wanted to beat Rutgers or not. But they did, right?
SID ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors.
DON IMUS: Well, I guess, yeah.
LOU RUFFINO: Only tougher.

Is Don Imus an Innocent Victim?

Don Imus

Credit: MSNBC

Copyright: MSNBC

Comments
Showing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
 
 
Since when was Al"White interlopeers"Sharpton and Jessie"Hymietown Jackson"Moral authorities

Posted on 11/23/2007 at 9:11:00 PM

 
looks like another way for the African Americans/Blacks to play their defensive racial card. Obviously they just want to spread the publicity so they can keep in touch with the media. Stopping racism is impossible, which i think is nor a good or a bad thing.

Posted on 04/16/2007 at 2:04:00 AM

 
I agree completely, Alyce.

Posted on 04/14/2007 at 10:04:00 AM

 
I wonder what the reaction would have been if Tom Joyner and Chris Rock had the identical conversation as recorded above. I sympathize with the plight of "black" citizens of the United States because of what they had to endure and the racism that is still around. I think the "white" girls on the team should have been offended. Words do hurt, but when people put themselves in the public eye, they are going to have lots of unacceptable things said about them. I do not know Imus, he may well be a racist. Or he may be a victim of not knowing there is a double-standard as to what "white" people can say and what is strictly reserved for "black" folk.

Posted on 04/12/2007 at 7:04:00 AM

 
Don Imus' choice of words are deplorable. But the fact that in conversations with each other, Blacks often refer to each other using the N word cannot be ignored either. It's ok for them to address each other using that word, yet a white person uses that word and it's the end of the world. EVERYONE needs to watch the negative language...whether speaking with someone of your own race, or someone of a different race. These words should be considered foul language and NEVER used period. Let's be mindful of the double standards!!!

Posted on 04/12/2007 at 6:04:00 AM

 
If you know the real context of the movie that Spike Lee directed then you'd have a better understanding of why what Don Imus did was wrong. The word jiggaboo did not start with Spike Lee. The term is an anti-bellum slave term/insult use by slave masters. The image of a jiggaboo is one of very dark skin, bugged out eyes, and corse upkept hair. Spike Lee using these terms in the movie was statement that the words the have carried down from slavery are still hurtful and painful today. These are terms that divied African-Americans when we should be a united front. Words have power and can be used to lead nations to do good or evil. And a public figure like Don Imus should be mindful of that.

Posted on 04/11/2007 at 10:04:00 PM

 
I do think it's been taken out of context and blown way out of proportion; however, for those who wanted Imus fired, it's been done. Interestingly, on the 'Keep It Real Don Imus poll' so far no one has selected "it was a deliberate racial attack meant to be demeaning," or, "it was offensive because I never talk that way," or "he should be fired." http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/210996/the_keep_it_real_don_imus_poll_.html

Posted on 04/11/2007 at 9:04:00 PM

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