Am I the only black person who has forgiven Imus?

Question

The man said he was sorry...why does he have to go? I dont think the guy had to be fired from the TV part of his show. If a person can't say sorry and be forgiven whats he suppose to do? Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson don't speak for all black ppl....they blew everything way outta porportion. Imus owed the girls he insulted a apology and thats that. Leave it alone!!! I'm more offended by the terrorist Rosie O'Donnell than Imus and she still keeps her job!

Geminess what the hell are you talking about? Why cant i be offended by Rosie?

Answer 1

You are not the only one. I did not forgive him because I did not chastise him. I am black and I can tell you this much. I am absolutely digusted with everyone that jumped on the "fire Imus" band wagon. NBC groveled like cowards especially to people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, two men who in their past called white people names, like cracker and uncle hymie.
Look at what THEY contributed to just last year in Durham, NC when THEY called the innocent WHITE boys names in their rush to keep themselves relevant, then you had NBC and MSNBC parading them around as moral compasses. I cannot express just how disgusted I am. Blacks who jumped on like a pack of ravening dogs should keep their mouths shut and clean up their own backyard before they can castigate someone else for saying what Imus did. They aren't out there consistently berating black people, rappers and comedians when they use the "n" word or describe women as bit*hes and ho's. They have not chastised the likes of Ice Cube who used the words to describe women and blacks in general as nappy haired as he has done in his songs. How about Tyra Banks who has described herself as nappy haired.
MSNBC did not stand up for Imus. Granted it was hurtful to the athletes. but guess what, some of these same advertisers who pulled their ads from his show also do so on the Rush Limbaugh show yet they did not leave the show after what he said about MIchael J Fox and his incurable disease. Huh. This is why he was hired. He is a "shock" jock. I could understand if he had cursed or said the "n" or the "b" words-but he didn't. He used descriptors used by black people amongst themselves but he supposedly now committed a crime.

Answer 2

I was going to answer your question immediately, until I saw the statement:
"I'm more offended by the terrorist Rosie O'Donnell than Imus and she still keeps her job!"

Thats when I started to wonder...as a Black person myself...would another Black catagorize Rosie O'Donnell as a terrorist???? I don't think so....but I might be wrong.

But...given the anonymity of the internet, anyone can say that they are Black or White or purple or Green. So having said that, I will say this about Imus, Jackson and Sharpton:

IMO Sharpton and Jackson also need to be put out to pasture. AND...you give too much credit to the Beavis and Butthead of MY ethnic community. I doubt very seriously if either had anything to do with Imus' firing. I believe NBC's decision was purely ECONOMIC...not political, not personal. When the sponsors started to drop Imus, NBC made the decision to can him.

The problem is...there seems to be no one of this generation who takes on moral and idyllic issues. But sadly it seems for them its all about the "Benjamins", these days.

God knows Sharpton and Jackson are like a pair of old worn out shoes and I must say I am sick and tired of BOTH of them.

As for Imus, had that remark been the ONLY racist or misogynist remark, I would say let him stay...but it seems he broke the camel's back with this last remark.

Answer 3

Quite possibly. Yes he was wrong, but everyone says stupid stuff about everyone else all the time if we like that idea or not. Even though he is pretty crazy with his remarks he has done remarkable things for a lot of other people. The whole situation sucks on both sides and I see both sides myself. I can't say that what he said should have ever had been said, but it was the producer that threw the words out on the air first and without thinking I think, Imus repeated and added to it. Bad move on both people. The girls are right too. I agree 100% about Rosie thought. She needed to be tossed off that show months ago. She lets things fly out of her mouth every moment she gets and nothing happens to her. Rosie does nothing to help anyone but herself. Make it fair. Rosie has never said she was sorry to anyone about anything. I agree if Imus said he was sorry and sincerly means it, they should take his apology as it is given. We live in a world of double standards though.

Answer 4

I agree with you. Sure, he said something stupid, and he apologized. More to the point, he has been making off colored remarks for 30+ years, MSNBC knew his reputation. Not that it makes it okay.

Look at some of the thinngs Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have said over the years. I don't know if you watch the O Riley factor, but one of his guests said it best. SInce Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson can't solve the tough issues in the black community, they go for an easy target. That's how I feel.

As for Rosie, don't even get me started on her, she is an embarassment to white people. She needs to be fired too.

Answer 5

As a Rutgers Alum, I don't think what he said was right at all, but what bothers me is that Sharpton never creates a rally to stop the same kind of language used everyday by hip-hop "artists". How come people think that's okay? Maybe Imus thought, "Well, if Fifty Cent can say this kind of stuff all day long, why can't I?"

Answer 6

I hope your not!! but thank you for putting this out there, it makes a difference when people see that it's not an entire race who feels that way!! And yes Rosie O'Donnell is far worse than Imus.

Answer 7

Okay, so he said somthing off tha wall. But they shouldn't let any one make them feel less about them self. Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. un no way.
What do you'all think about this.
.. What they saying about Al Sharp, and Jess Jackson. if un called for. but I question the same factor. they should stand on more grounds on making a differnts. in the world as a whole. not a lil word game. ***' that. real talk.
.. from a young American. Geration Y.
thats is the people who came before me little issues. and thats Real/Talk.: Young Republicans. stnad for the nxt day. Pro Life .

Don Imus.
I' aint trippin off of Imus. he an old white guy. What you expect. better out of them ni this day and age. But yea. He was raised in the 50's. lived in the 60's.
Them were sum ***'d up tymes.
I think he should not be on public acess. Because kids can listen to him. and we should only want better for the nxt men. And not bring on bad habits, to the nxt's. .
You feel me.
As for Al Sharp. he kinda played out. Why do people try to make a statement out of the black community,
Jess Jackson. is my guy. he's cool. jst kinda old now. Its tyme that people like me. take places.

Answer 8

Good for you, but what he was punished for in a publicly round about way (because it gets the ratings), would be an FCC violation. If you have a license you are "public property" by the nature of the position. So anyone can really say anything about him. But he used his position to single a "civilian" out in a derogatory way and he got canned. Though (people will probably jump on me for this) the team itself had no reasonable expectation of privacy governing what people might say about them. If that were the case they would be firing most of the spectators at public events across the country.

Answer 9

I agree with you too but I think that the reason that Al sharpton is blowing it out of porpotion is to set an example for all racists white people. A great majority of white people feels the same way that Don feels. He said that it was a joke but it is a very offensive joke towards black women.

The thing that I don't understand is black people joke about white people all the time however, when a white person does it , it's a big deal... I guess it has to do with all the racism from way back then and it makes blacks very sensitive. Just like the "N" word everybody is saying it. I hear hispanics, indians, blacks of course say it however, if someone white says it, then theres a problem. I personally do not care who uses the "N" word it's how you say it.

Answer 10

YOU my friend are an essential element in the healing process that our country desperately needs. I love to see when an African American takes the moral high ground and shows superiority in my eyes. By forgiving we show that even though someone wronged us(in my eyes this makes them inferior) we are above seeking retaliation when confronted with an apology( said person acknowledging his/her shortcoming). We all have shortcomings but when I offend another because of something not in their control I am actually placing them above myself. I am attempting to belittle someone when there is no justification. I have been ignorant in the past.I am not perfect and was raised in a racist home later to be tempered because I thought it was wrong. I have physically fought white friends because of being friends with blacks and I have physically fought black friends because other blacks convinced him because I am white we shouldn't be friends. All this in adolescence mind you.
I'm no fan of Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. I am a fan of Roy Innis and those who dislike people who are racist whether black, white , red , yellow, or brown.

I may be considered white but in the color spectrum I am just a different shade of brown as we all are in the human race.