It's especially cruel to hear that Imus is back in the middle of my local public radio station's pledge drive. After being hounded off his morning radio and cable TV slot for referring to Rutgers University's women's basketball team in ugly terms, Don Imus is reportedly returning to New York's WABC, and the temptation to take up with the "shock-jock" again is especially acute now, when all serious discussion on the airwaves is being pre-empted by morning hosts wielding unctuous cheer to bleed us for cash. Imus's show was a refuge, offering cranky debates on politics, education, religion and foreign policy with presidential contenders, sitting senators, historians and newspeople. He got me through several fundraising weeks, not to mention that series on rice farming. I'll be sticking out the fundraising drives from here on, however.
Though it was his untoward description of the largely African-American Rutgers team that set Al Sharpton and, ultimately, the entire babblocracy against him, Imus's "gaffe" was by no means an isolated incident. What passed for racial parody was often just a white guy talking in a dull African-American accent—the audio version of blackface—and irony meant insulting all African-Americans using rap slang, as if it was a black thing, and they'd understand. Sure, Imus backed black candidates and championed black churchman, but in the end his racial equanimity was like his dude ranch for children with cancer: in the face of his tolerance for race jokes, it came to sound more like sanctimony than sanity. Even during pledge week, swearing off Imus is a pledge that's easy to make.
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I love Imus!! Welcome back. We missed you. I'm black and I totally understood that it was a misunderstanding. Sharpton and Jackson preys (prays) for opportunities like that to advance their monetary cause when in acutality they know that Imus is not a racist.
Imus isn't a racist per se, but, he has racist attitudes. Unfortunately, alot of caucasians believe he is correct in his assertions that most blacks talk like Steppin Fetchit, and like rap music, so they must call each other the B-word, the H-word, and the N-word, so most people don't know that Imus is kidding at times, but serious most of the time. I don't mind Imus getting his job back, just remember to have more blacks involved in your show that way you'll know what you can say, and what you should not say. That makes a big difference in this day and age!
I am a Black female who understands the dynamics of racism. I missed Imus in the morning he is a great radio personality. WE ARE SO HYPOCRITICAL IN AMERICA both Whites and Blacks alike. We can not continue to have it both ways. Imus was what it was he poked fun at all of us. We have to quit side barring and look at the big picture. We live in a racist world. Do something about social and civil injustices not shock jocks, DJ'S dont make or enforce the rules they parody them. He was doing his job making fun at all of us. Did he understand the ramifications NO. I do not believe for one minute that he meant to hurt anyone. The young ladies were smart, gifted and well spoken. I think if the truth be told they could care less about what Imus said because none of it was true about any of the young ladies I saw. This is supposedly a free country. What a big joke this was. This is the very reason that other countries hate us so much we need to clean up our on back yards, which is so very dirty right now. Ask Argentina and France they see right through this crap. This makes me so mad innocent people our getting killed in a stupid war. LetS fight at home to change the laws where we all can live in a world that is economically and socially balanced for all races. Imus poked fun at the president of the USA.People please lets get real.
I am glad that Imus is back. Of course what he said about the black college girls was wrong, and he was crucified for it. However, when he put down the Palestinians, there was no outcry by the media. Why is there one set of standards for Blacks and Jews and another for Arabs by the media? One's career is on the line today if one crosses the line of political correctness regarding Blacks or Jews. However the reverse is not true with Arabs/Muslims. Right now there is a big push being propagated by the media called "Islamo-Facism Awareness Week". This is being led by some Jews like David Horowitz. Propaganda against any race is very dangerous. Some people have a short memory.
Carolyn Johnson
Didn't Jesus say Let he who is without sin cast the first stone? Or Judge not lest ye be judged? Common Christians it is very disheartening to read all this judging on comments made by Imus. He ain't the only one who ever made comments like that and won't be the last but you shouldn't point too many fingers at him because one day those very fingers will be pointing back at you. He will deal with his own demons so deal with your own demons and leave the poor guy alone. Go pick on someone else. Like OJ or Michael Vick. Now those two should deserve your wrath or is it because they both are black that you don't want to say anything that might come off as racialy biased. It is fine to pick on someone who is white that does something wrong and that is considered not racial but if you say anythig about black people then it is racial whether it is right or wrong. Can't people have opinions anymore without bringing in the race card? How hippocritical our society is becoming.
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