How do you feel about Imus' Remarks? And what makes rap music any different? Because they are black?

Question

How can NWA, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, be any different? This is a free country, and just because you are black, does not give you the right to say whatever you want about your own race. Equal rights are equal rights. Youre color should not matter. Black people can call each other the "N" word, but no one else? And please do not bring the slavery issue into this, that was 100's of years ago. I support Don Imus.

Thank you all for your comments.
Peace

For those of you who live under a rock, Don Imus has his own radio show on MSNBC. He made a JOKE about the Rutgers Womens Basketball Team. He called them nappy headed hos. Now his show has been suspended for 2 weeks.

Can we please stop with the ******? No one is stupid, they are not "Flipping it around to their benefit" It means what it means. Dont try to stray from that fact. And how can anyone flip that word for their benefit? Who would want to benefit from that?

SoulFlow.........are you serious? I am a 30 year old white person who grew up listening to NWA. I probably know more songs than you....from any of their albums....and Im white. Trust me, NWA has said WAAAAYYYYY worse things than....Nappy Headed Ho. WAY worse things. And yes, I know what Nappy Headed Hos means. Did you even read my question? Obviously not. Come with something a little better than your "copy and paste" remarks.

Answer 1

Check this out and let me know what you think:

http://www.break.com/index/double_standard.html

Talk about double standards. Why wasn't this all over the news????????

Karasi, your arguement has one giant hole in it. You say that Imus is spewing these words over public radio and RIGHT AFTER THAT, you say not to listen to the stations that play those rap songs. What the heck is the difference????? Don't listen to Imus! He's an a$$ anyway and, believe me, he says nasty stuff about EVERYONE, not just women on a basketball team (2 of which are white!)

Answer 2

Here we go again. What he said was terrible.

If I went to your home and saw things I didn't like and heard your family all call each other nutjobs, would it be okay if I called you all nutjobs too? No it would not.

You will be pissed off if a foreign dignitary came to your country and called Americans a bad name. Even if you had just said the same word.

A family, culture, country, an organization, or whatever can call itself what it pleases. Outsiders cannot. This is common sense and common courtesy.

What you and millions of others do not realize is that what he said was first of all mean and unneccessary, and racist and sexist.

His epithet was an ugly comment with origins in hatred. It is part of the long standing belief that black women are not good looking (really we just don't look like other groups of women) and that we deserve to be insulted for this. That makes it racist.

It is sexist because it is part of the long standing belief that women should be judged by their appearance first, and their ability second.

No one should have the right to insult anyone. I am going to say again that every mother on this Earth, along with every father, should have taught lessons of kindness, human respect, and courtesy to every child from DAY ONE. It is clear (I think this is the 9th time I have answered this question) that a lot of lousy parents exist.

He had NO "RIGHT" to say what he said, just like I have no "right" to insult him.

You don't have the right to insult me or any other black person just because you WANT to. Or anyone else for that matter. And the same goes for me.

The rappers you cited dont' have the right to insult anyone either, but the difference is that none of them ever said "nappy headed ho's". You don't even know what that means do you?

It upsets me and other people and that is infringing on my "RIGHTS" to live in peace.

Please believe that the same people pissed at Don Imus are pissed at any rapper who has something bad to say. And this term did not originate in rap.

It is pretty clear that you aren't even concerned with how maybe those girls felt about being called that...This is a neglected part of the whole issue as well.

Even that is why so many black people are mad. Black women are completely dehumanized. An ugly remark about a group of black women becomes a debate about how YOU feel and how it is infringing on YOUR rights. Not about how THEY felt as human beings.

You show your racism yet again.

And you can support Mr. Imus all you want, but he was wrong.
If someone had said this about Paris Hilton, or the National Cheerleading Team, you can bet there would be sympathy and outrage.

Answer 3

I think if I am hearing interviews correctly... They are justifing it this way... Because they are african American's they are not using it in the contect of calling them names but that they are bringing thier history in their music... Now... They have white women on their video's acting out these lyrics... And do they really think that the white boys and men that are bopping their heads to this disrespectful, demeaning and plain trashy lyrics are thinking of the history behind it ... I think not... first of all lets not forget that if the ladies would just stop and realize that they are contributing and standing up for all women in America and stop undressing and playing the part of the lyrics then we might be able to get past this... The African Americans are not upset at what imus said they are glad to have the chance once again to say we have been treated unfair... Let it go be apart of America people... racismn goes both ways and if that was an african american man who made that comment nothing would have been said... My hat's off to you Imus for over coming drugs and drinking and able to share that with all your viewers... And let me say I could be wrong but I seem to remember a couple of years ago when Martin Luther King day Imus reconized it and played his famous words on his show that day and respected this man for all that he had contribute in his days... Does that sound like a racist person to you. Think about it I would love to see come out of this our next generation not being influence by the lyrics and the comments that not just imus but our tv programs, music and even cartoons seem to think is okay.

Answer 4

The whole problem with what don Imus said is that he was an influential person with millions of listeners....IMPORTANT LISTENERS...presidential candidates..rich white execs that face hiring or firing black females everyday..people who can actually make a difference...
If his comments were accepted by a vast majority than that would say alot about the country that we have become..

now degraders in the black community like rappers and comedians ..dont have the quality of followers that don Imus had..they dont even compare..

besides its the media and big business that give jesse jackson and al sharpton the outlet to their voice opinions ...how come no one is coming down on them? ..its because they are easy targets..just like the..the 7% of the population that is black female..this wasn't the glorious freedom of speech that everyone is saying that we have lost..this was an all out bullying and Imus thought he could get away with it in public..we know these guys make fun of us behind closed doors already..

Answer 5

It's all cRap.

First thought to mind was maybe Don Imus had heard to much cRap music. Garbage in, garbage out, regardless of the color of your mind.

I hear teenagers, white, black and brown, call each other bitc...s and hoes, as a matter of course during a school day. The Cd's in their back packs include the ones you mention and more. If you miss it at school you can catch it on the street from ghetto blasters; whether you want to listen or not.

Really no excuse for Imus to repeat this cRap; but I'm sure he will pay dearly. I see where Snoop is up on charges. Let's hope they stick.

I don't think this language belongs in public or private. I don't think the Constitution allows raw sewage to be dumped in my presence; be it from a broken broken sewer pipe or from a toilet mouth.

Answer 6

Oprah did a very interesting show with a panel of rappers and women from Spellman college addressing this issue with rappers and the black community stating that it has to be addressed within these cultures and I agree with that completely. While Imus was wrong, he was taking his cue from his personal bias and a community that has been getting away with disrespecting black women with the support and financial infusion of the black community that is undeniably a strong form of support. It's wrong for Imus, and it's wrong for rappers to promote such disrespect.

Answer 7

you are right, this is a free country, where you can say what you want to say, but you are wrong, because we have freedom of speech blacks can say what they please about each other or anybody else, like everyone else in America. it is up to you to choose to listen to Imus on his show, or buy those CD's from rappers who use certain words that offend.

i think supporting Imus says something about you, like its okay to call those girls nappy headed and its okay to call them hos, and thats not okay. just as when people listen to Lil' boosie the say, hey its okay that he gets turned on by two redboned B!tches kissing in the back seat. thats stupid. i think the reason Imus job may be on the line is b/c the station may not want to be in connection with a man who says those things about people, that the station doesn't want people to think they agree with Imus. that would hurt business.

and the "N" word used by whites in a negitive way didn't end with slavery, it continued well in the mid 1900's, and is still used today in a negitive way. thats the difference, its not what you say but how you say it. and its not what they call you but what you answer to. i pretty sure just like some blacks oppose the "N" word, you wouldn't want a white person calling you cracker.

Answer 8

The rap artists are no different they get penalized too....for instance.....Spellman, a Historically black female college would not allow Nelly and other artists that make derogatory remarks to women to perform on their campus......

Now lets not muddy the facts here...Imus pointed out these specific Rutgers athletes.....and called them names...they have a right to be upset.....

The other thing is just because some black people use the N word does not make it okay for a white person to use it...that excuse is old and tired.....Kinda like when your mom used to tell you if everyone jumped off a bridge would you do it too???

Finally, we have a long way to go regarding equality and that is the reason for inconsistencies in free speech......but this too shall pass

Answer 9

First of all both groups are wrong for their derogatory statements. But let me enlighten you on a fact. When an outsider, whether it's outside the family, church or other group say or does something offensive about one of your own it's harder to forgive than when it comes from one of your own who's been with you through thick and thin. We must admit that though much progress have been made, racial tension still exists. So let's not try to equate it with the rap artists. Though their statements are often offensive they're still our brothers with the same background and ancestors.

Answer 10

if your going to be offended by imus's remarks,then remember how words are used in certain rap music,and books and movies,and if al sharpton and the womens basketball team are so offended,then mabey they should start a movement to outlaw these words permanently,its not fair to pick on someone for using words that aren't really exclusive to any race,everyone should stop using words that offend,even if it means not selling cd's.i support don too,i think hes a scapegoat and al sharptons ticket to publicity right now.