Why are people so keyed up over Don Imus?

Question

People use slang all day long & say things even worse than this--both black AND white. It is insane how high and mighty people are right now...

I am anti-racism big time and I think what he said was wrong, but people are getting WAY too keyed up over this. He speaks on the radio hrs a day--everyday, and has been doing this for like 30 yrs--it was inevitable that he would say something dumb..

Are we seriously going to consider firing him & censorship because of it? Are we really going to give up our "freedom of speech" because one old, white dude said something retarded? The whole thing is ridiculous!

What is your opinion?

I appreciate your answers, and I definitely agree with number 1 (sorry forgot the name)... I agree that he was dumb for saying it, but I still ask the same question...

Is this man, Don Imus, going to provoke the government/companies to CENSOR and take away our fundmental freedom of speech? That is what Sharpton and Jackson are asking, in essense.. They are asking for him to be fired, AKA they are trying to shut him down, censor him--take away his freedom of speech.

Have they lost their fkn minds? Have the people applauding them lost their fkn minds?

DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

Answer 1

Freedom of speech has been dying in this country for a long time. Even our universities routinely censor and penalize words or expressions that are outside their particular definition of a "norm." In some circles, for example, the term "illegal aliens" is considered racist and at least one state has tried to legally ban the term as hate language.

MSNBC has now banished Imus from its air waves. The two week suspension wasn't enough to satisfy the hate of Al & Jesse. They will not be satisfied until they end the I-man's career. Sharpton says he is now going to try to get Imus kicked off the radio as well. In a country where politically correct trumps the First Amendment, he'll probably succeed.

These censors succeed because we let them. Imus was wrong. His remarks were repugnant and I would hope everyone was offended at least a little. However, the punishment should fit the crime. He does not deserve to have a 30 plus year carreer ended because of four words uttered in a vain attempt to be funny.

I would encourage everyone to boycott MSNBC news programs. Send Steve Capus at MSNBC an email letting him know you disagree with his decision to cancel Imus. We don't have to agree with what he said in order to defend his right to say it.

Answer 2

It is because this man is in a position where he has been doing this for so long that he should have practiced better judgement. In these days where we have people like Kramer and Mel Gibbson making the kind of outburst that they did and end up paying for it,one would think people who are in an influencial position as Don Imus would think twice before putting his foot in his mouth

To top it off, I heard his little speech this morning and he did not seem remorseful at all. He is going to apologise but he is not asking them to accept it. That just means it wasn't exactly a slip of the tongue he meant what he said. He is only sorry that he was caught and it is viewed in the sense that it was actually meant.

Freedom of speech yes, but then to what extent are you going to take it.

I know I am gonna get a few thumbs down but what can I say my thoughts are my thoughts and I am prepared to stand behind them.

Answer 3

I'm getting really tired of people having to apologize for using their First Amendment rights. And when people do apologize, the haters don't accept it and want the person fired. There is no such thing as a RIGHT to not be offended.

Rappers and hip hop artists would scream bloody murder if someone told them they couldn't use the vulgar language in their songs. They would be the first to scream about freedom of speech.

I wonder how many people who are yelling the loudest about how he should be fired BUY that type of music and dance to it without giving it a thought.

I find the whole thing hypocritical and blown out of all proportion.
There are more important things in life to worry about.

Answer 4

Don Imus royally stepped in it, but He should've told Al Sharpton to look in the mirror before he cried foul. Cris Rock is the worst I've ever seen about about black slang jokes. Al Sharpton is as racist as they come. He's just using the only thing he's got left, 60's brotherhood reteric (Pathetic). It does'nt excuse Don Imus for being so thoughtless, but the sooner he starts defending himself the better. We are'nt guaranteed the right to not be offended in the Constitution.

Answer 5

he is a radio show host, their job is getting paid to talk crap. He was just being an idiot, nothing more nothing less. I dont think he should have been suspended but the company needed to save face.
Its understandable that Rutgers really didnt appreciate the comments, but they can suck it up. I'm sure everyone of the players has had someone say wayyyyyyyyyy worse things to them. Not saying that its right, but because hes a radio personality its a big deal? If some ordinary joe said the samething, no 1 would care.
enough said.

Answer 6

i'm all a/b freedom of speech but most people in this country don't seem to know what the words "freedom of" means. we say we do but we don't. i'm american and a muslim which is my freedom of religion but almost every day i can guarantee someone staring or making comments to me a/b my freedom to choose. so i say yeah he should lose his 30yr career b/c he should've thought a/b what a statement like that may cause him. he has a right to say what he wants but he has no right to hurt those young ladies. and you're right black comedians make those same jokes all the time but they're generalizations and musings while he aimed it at a specific group of people. he may not of intended to hurt them but he did and for that i believe he should pay or at least give them restitution for defamation, but even that may not be enough at this point.

Answer 7

in my opinion, i think of that Don Imus is a typical verbal abuser - he makes a assertion that's meant to harm and then turns around and says, in reality "what did I do?" His apologies are no longer apologies. i don't understand why he's so wide-unfold - are we as a united states of america so caught interior the muck that we choose somebody to place down others to sense extra powerful approximately ourselves. His cutting-edge remark is basically the tip of the iceburg and with a bit of luck it sinks the deliver. every physique and that i do propose every physique, who makes a residing off of the discomfort and degradation of others might desire to be fired.

Answer 8

I personally think that everyone is thinking it;s no big deal what he said, I to a degree think the same but than I think back to the few times I have heard people make racial remarks about/to me and than I do think its a big deal. it shows how ignorant and closed minded people are, when people make those types of remarks to me I shrug it off because I know those people are just exactly what they call them ''dumb, ignorant, and closed minded to the extreme''.
I know lots of people think it;s no big deal as to what he said but put your self in the parents-es shoes of those girls, what would your reaction be if someone said that about your kid???
I know many older whites still use the N word and their kids just look the other way ''they are old and they grew up when those words were used'' that doesn't make it OK.
Those are heavy words and someone in the public eye should not have those words in their vocabulary.

Answer 9

The whole thing is just absurd. I can turn on my TV, turn to any comedy station, and see black comedians making the exact comments Don Imus did. Where is Jesse and Al in this case?

Answer 10

Apparently, certain people no longer have the right to free speech. We know Al and Jesse can say what they want and noone will ever challenge what they say because they will be deemed racist. What is this country turning into?