Don't be too hard on Imus

[Slyder]

Did Imus say a stupid, racist thing? Without doubt. I have always found that he among all the RW pundits, to be the most humble, if such a word has any meaning in this context. But, you see, I am a politically incorrect, wheelchair-riding gay liberal male living in Kansas. I have been called every thing in the book. I have even had the n-word thrown my way and there is no way one could ever mistake my white race. I have been told that cripples are a economic drain on society and I should kill myself. I have been called an "idiot cripple" while using my right-of-way in crosswalks or trying to figure out how to use a theoretically accessible restroom. Comments on other aspects of my life have been even more interesting than that. You should hear what the women in my workplace say about men!

But you see, I support freedom on speech even on the air waves, particularly when air heads are speaking. Drivel is drivel. I am even more free-speech friendly than the ACLU of which I am a proud member.

I have a secret desire to demonstrate against Republican hypocrites who are anti-gay. For instance, when Newt comes to town, I would love to meet him with a sign straight out of my fellow-Kansan Fred Phelps' playbook: NEWT IN HELL MARK 10:11

You see, Mark 10:11 says he who divorces his wife and marries another has committed adultery. The Bible says that the punishment for adultery is death. Divorce and remarriage is, Biblically speaking, as much a capital sexual perversion as sodomy.

I figure if I allow idiots to run on with their ill-informed and stupid mouths, someday I may achieve my fondest desire. But only if I have a very long stick holding up my sign. I am also very short sitting down all the time.

[Tom Joad]

1. I support Freedom of Speech too. I support diversity on the airwaves

It's time for msnbc to promote diversity. an empty time slot in the morning is a good place to start.

Let Imus go on the web or something. He can have all the free speech he wants.

[KingFlorez]

2. Free speech works both ways

Free speech doesn't mean that others can't criticize you for your comments. Imus made this comment and now others are voicing their right to free speech by criticizing him.

[Orrex]

3. Heh heh. You said "hard on"

Heh heh.

[Cobalt-60]

4. hes not worthy of notice. Neither are the decomposing remains of Anna Nichole

maintain focus.
Ignorant redneck goon babble doesnt even start to out weigh the importance of the attorney scandal or the forever war in Iraq.

[emilyg]

8. good comment

i agree

[Kickin_Donkey]

19. Imus might not be worthy of notice, but the issue of racism does ...

There are a lot of important issues: Iraq, global warming, Medicare, etc. Race is one of the central issues of American society and culture, so if you equate this to Anna Nicole, maybe you're racist yourself. If you're not willing to stand up to racism, maybe you don't belong on DU.

[Cobalt-60]

23. Its a worthy cause

I put driving out the Republicons first among all causes.
If they remain in place racism will be the open policy of the state forever instead of one of this administrations perversions.
The whole Imus thing is a smokescreen, a distraction.
It's a standard Republicon policy to send out a clown to distract the cameras from their evil doing.
I call it the Quayle maneuver, after poppy's VP. When the old man wanted to steal for his buddies, Quayle would do something ignorant to draw attention from the crime.
And thats what Imus has done.
The Anna nichole thing is being employed as an additional camera lure.
As far as do I belong here? Who the f*ck are you to question my presence?
Fighting with each other is just what the Cons want.
We need to destroy the common enemy first.
They'll be plenty of time to bicker later.

[NormanYorkstein]

5. I'm using my free speech to boycott Imus' advertisers

and suggest everyone do the same.

[Erika]

6. Imus was also sexist and picked on young girls.

Why did you ignore this?

[DemBones DemBones]

18. Because he's a man, of course. You would think that

being gay and disabled would make him more sympathetic to how blacks and women are treated.

[Morgana LaFey]

30. Nope, for many people that "white male" thing trumps EVERYTHING

and I do mean everything.

Free speech my ass.

[pepperbear]

7. what? no k? no r? n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

9. He's got way more freedom of speech than any of us.

I don't want a law against saying vile hateful things, I want to speak out against it, exercise my freedom of speech, my right to boycott, and if the result is that Imus, that vile old rightwing sack of shit, goes away, good!

[DemBones DemBones]

20. Exactly. He's had free speech for years, and been paid very well

for his crudity, sexism, racism, etc.

He finally said something insulting enough, aimed at college students who had done nothing but play good basketball, that pissed off enough people that we're using OUR free speech to say he should be fired. I told MSNBC by e-mail that I would quit watching their programs and boycott their sponsors if Imus stays, and I mean it.

They need to make a business decision. If Imus stays, they'll have to accept the results. Maybe they'll be able to keep an audience and sponsors, maybe not.

[tblue]

10. I am overwhelmed enough trying to get our Congress to do right and get Republics

out of office to put any effort into bringing down one puny little man for making a stupid comment. If he were remorseless, I might see a reason to harp on Imus. But that doesn't seem to me to be the case. I only know about this from listening to Stephanie Miller, and reading about it here. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't know about it, much less care. If I were talented enough to play basketball, he probably would have called me a nappy headed ho, too. In which case, I would hope I would've laughed in his face and gone on about my game, just like I'm sure every one of those girls' mamas told them to. Words only damage you if you let them. We are bigger and stronger than this if we choose to be.

[givemebackmycountry]

11. Slyder...

I just kicked/nominated and recommended your post.
I may not agree with 100% of what you say...
But, I love your heart.

[Bluebear]

12. Sorry, Slyder, he verbally assaulted young women barely out of high school

He called them whores. Freedom of speech does not apply here as he is being paid to perform.

You have a beautiful soul but don't be proud of being "politically incorrect". I wish we could strive to make the world more tolerant and civil, not less.

[Trajan]

13. I say his apology is enough .....

But pull his lame ass off the air anyways, just cause they should have yanked his foulness from the airwaves years ago ....

I am exercizing MY free speech rights here and now: Imus is an asshole who should NEVER have a national TV audience .... He can have all the free speech he wants, but TAKE HIM OFF .....

[Neshanic]

14. NIce post Slyder. Many here just don't get it.

[Bluebear]

21. Just because we don't agree doesn't mean I don't "get" it anymore than you

They are called opinions.

[DemBones DemBones]

22. Yes, we women don't get why you men are supporting this loser. nt

[chknltl]

15. Can I be hard on the MSM?????

NBC Nightly News: 6:00 Imus. 6:01 Imus. 6:02 Imus. 6:03 IMUS. 6:04 IMUS. 6:05 IMUS. 6:06 IMUS. 6:07 IMUS! 6:08 IMUS!! 6:09 IMUS!!!! 6:10 I-f**king-MUS!!!! 6:11 Commercial relief and when we come back 5 minutes of: "The REAL daddy of Anna Nicole's......"

So now I am wondering how many ERs across the country have noticed a sharp rise in college educated folks who have somehow managed to stab a fork into their own heads! :banghead:

[athena]

16. I guess you don't realize the damage he has done.

Think about all the young black women who play sports in high school or college. Think about how this incident is going to affect their lives. Whatever your opinion on free speech may be, many of them will decide not to play sports because of this; many young black girls will feel bad about their appearance because of Imus's comments, because they are still young and have not yet developed the confidence and thick skin required to stand up to such vile comments. And that was precisely the intent of Imus's remarks. What Imus said was extremely mean-spirited. He said the Rutgers girls were ugly and tough, while the Tennessee team, most of whom appear to be white, were "cuter." Those girls are not there to please Imus or a bunch of white men. They are there to play sports, challenge themselves, and get an education. His remarks were intended to put women -- and specifically black women -- in their place, and he has succeeded. What you may think of it is irrelevant. This is not about you. This is about young women all over the country who are striving to make something of themselves.

-----

ETA: I am a member of the ACLU, too, but this is not about free speech. The First Amendment does not protect a radio talk-show host from being fired for insulting, offending, and hurting his listeners. Here is the first amendment, since it seems you have forgotten what it says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

As you can see, it's about Congress making laws; it's not about a private radio station's decision to fire a talk-show host who is hurting its ratings.

[HarveyBrooks]

25. In my 45 years...

I've never seen something so blown totally out of proportion.

"many of them will decide not to play sports because of this"
What?!? Are you kidding me?

"many young black girls will feel bad about their appearance because of Imus's comments"
I could be wrong but I really dont think too many young black girls care what some old white guy thinks.

"And that was precisely the intent of Imus's remarks"
Bull. The ignorant old fart thought he was being funny.

Imus sucks but this PC outrage is just pathetic.

[athena]

26. And what do you know about how young girls think?

A friend of mine who teaches physics at a university said that since the sexist comments Larry Summers made, the percentage of female physics majors in his department have dropped dramatically. Since there are few women in physics to begin with, it may just have been a statistical fluctuation, but it may also have been a real effect. These are girls who are 19, 20, or 21 and are still unsure about their place in the world. If I were a 17-year-old in high school, I would think twice about getting into a position where I might be subject to nation-wide hatred, objectification, and ridicule. When young people do something good, it is our job to encourage them, not throw insults at them.

If you think Imus was just trying to be funny, you clearly don't have the slightest clue how sexism works. Whenever women get into a previously male-dominated field, they are sexualized and objectified. It's a way of telling them that they don't belong. Do you really think Imus would have insulted a group of male basketball players in the same way?

[LibertyorDeath]

17. Free Speech ......Not Hate Speech !!!!

Fuck Imus and his Hate.

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. You're not crippled. You're made of steel.

I salute you.

[KamaAina]

27. Imus on disability:

specifically, Janet Reno's Parkinson's diagnosis:

http://www.slate.com/id/2163872/entry/2064120?nav=ais

"Janet Reno's having a press conference. Ms. Reno, of course, has Parkinson's disease, has a noticeable tremor. <…> I don't know how she gets that lipstick on (laughter) looking like a rodeo clown."

So I guess it's like someone said to me back in college: "I'm not prejudiced. I hate everybody!"

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. "OK, he's racist, but..."

You lost me at the but.

[Cha]

29. Yeah, imus is too hard on everyone

else so the big fat whiner needs everyone to have pity on his uglyass.