Should Don Imus be free to say what he wants?

Question

Freedom of speach implies that there is no cost for speaking your mind. He did not cause a panic but is there any real argument to be made. He has a right to apoligize if he wants but I want the right to say what is on my mind responsibly. Was he responsible to you? Is an atack on him an atack on us all.

Answer 1

Freedom of speech aside for the moment, I find the outrage from the black community somewhat troubling.

I was recently in Denver. I was in a large store and there was a group of young black men talking a few feet away from me. They referred to one another as "ni--er" several times. After the Imus comment I was thinking that I don't hear Hispanics call each other "greaser"; I don't hear Asians call each other "g--k"; I don't hear Jews call each other "kike".

If the black community is going to insist that I speak to them respectfully, shouldn't they speak to and about one another in the same way?

Interesting way Yahoo censored my comment. The "N" word and the "G" word were Xed out but not greaser or kike.

Answer 2

no one should be able to say whatever they want. giving a man total freedom to speak as he wishes is very dangerous.

the more freedom you have the more responsible you must be. for example if you are sitting in a crowded movie theater and you began yelling fire when there is none. and people get hurt because of your words, are you not accountable for your actions because you have free speech. furthermore should you have the freedom to shout fire in a movie theater if there is none. and last but not least what kind of person does this, do these kind of people exist....yes they do and don Imus is an example.

i am certain that there are many people who will say what he said are just words and know one died or was physically hurt .but does that make what he said right. and what about next time. what happens the next time if he or anyone else makes a comment that may not be horrible but is still outside of the code of moral decency. what if those comments start a riot, a murder or a suicide..........what if it is you that is being put down.........how meaningful and important is free speech now.

we all know right from wrong we know when our words will hurt. a conscious, respectful man will say and do what is right and understands what free speech is and will not abuse or take advantage of it.

Answer 3

The First Amendment only applies to the Federal Government. The Federal Government can't prevent a person from speaking but the privately owned radio station that Imus works for can. In the end the radio station is a business and will do what it must to stay in business including censoring hosts they feel are a threat to their business.

Radio stations make money from advertising and if Imus's remarks hurt the ability to sell advertising then they will fire him.

Answer 4

He should be able to say whatever he wants as long as he is not causing a widespread panic. He has the freedom f speech just like everyone else has the freedom to listen to anyhing else they want, it is called free will. I do not like Imus, I do not listen to him but he is being punished unfairly. Political correctness is going to far, soon enough people will be thrown in jail for what they say. He spoke his mind and I applaud him for that, not enough people speak their minds. Why are there so many hypocrites bashing him? Why aren't the people bashing Imus also getting on Carlos Mencia, Chris Rock, and Dave Chappelle for their racist material? Lets get rid of the double standard. He made a stupid joke, he wasn't doing anything that harmed these girls. People need to grow up, if you do not like what he says change the channel. Stick and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me, hmm first graders get it but adults don't. He wasn't trying to cause harm, he was trying to get a laugh. This is un-American the way people want to strip someone of their first amendment rights, SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!

Answer 5

Don Imus IS free to say what he wants. Yes this is America. Nobody has to agree with what anyone else is saying, but we still have a right to say whatever comes flying out of out mouth. People all over America say crappy things everyday and they are held accountable, so why are we going to look at Don Imus any differently? With him you have the same rights not to listen to his show.

Answer 6

Imus should be free to say what he wants without any government interference. But that does not mean there is/should be no cost for speaking your mind. People have the right to express their disgust at his statements, his employers have the right to sanction or fire him, etc. Personally, I think his comments are objectively offensive, but subjectively they were made without racist animus. Imus is basically an equal opportunity offender. His comments do not deserve the attention they have received.

Answer 7

Yes he should be free to say whatever he wants. Just another example of our so called freedoms - they only seem to apply when it suits certain people!

Edit: Several of you out there are citing things like "this is America" etc. in your responses. Newsflash: America is not the only nation where free speech is permitted. In fact it is permitted in most of the world. As a matter of fact The United States isn't even the freest nation on earth! We're around number 17, so let's cut the "we're Americans - we're free" nonsense. There's so much ignorance amongst people who have never been anywhere...........

Answer 8

He IS free to say what he wants. But the people who employ him also have a right to draw whatever parameters they want about how employees are to dress and behave if they want to keep their jobs. Example: Public school teachers may not wear hot pants and tube tops to teach.

Most places of employment provide job description manuals that contain which behaviors will be permitted and which will not.

Imus didn't violate Freedom of Speech.... he violated his terms of employment. He overestimated his value to his place of employment.

Answer 9

Personally I feel that freedom of speech is part of what makes America so great. But I think people should also be conscious of what they are saying and how it affects people. He should be able to speak the facts or truth so to call them nappy headed he could say because some of them were, but he didn't know those women to call them hoes. I could see how they became offended. I you said he was a nappy headed sexual predator he would get offended, his hair is nappy but you don't know if he's a sexual predator. Although he looks like one.

Answer 10

He does have the right to say what he really thinks. I saw a few of these games, and in some ways he was right, the women or some of them, looked more like gang members, then basketball players.