Do you think the firing of Imus will cause censorship in free speech?

Answer 1

There is already a ton of censorship in free speech. It is just that it is corporate censorship. There always has been a lot of censorship in the U.S., although certainly not as much as in some other countries around the world. Our censorship is more of an insidious kind in which many ideas never, ever make it to the surface because corporations have all the power to limit their transmission. It is only when something stupid and shocking such as the Imus insults and the Michael Richard's insane rantings get attention that we start to think our free speech may be in danger. Sadly, people do not draw attention to the fact that very important counterviews other than the views which big corporate media wants us to hear are being censored. Although comments by Imus are distressing, it is more distressing that we have to really hunt for the truth about most everything that REALLY affects our lives. What Imus said is just representative of who he is -- a shock jock on the same level as say a Howard Stern.

Answer 2

No. There's already a large intolerance toward this nonsense going on in the nation's airwaves. Don Imus' firing is just the first step as many others may follow in his suit. It's time for these trash-talkers to tone down their rhetoric or end up like Imus at the end-fired!!!

Answer 3

This I believe............

Imus has had his radio show since the 1960's!!! Honestly, he has lost his touch. The loss of his job won't hurt him too badly since he's made so much money for this show. I believe that MSNBC NBC and everyone else felt that he was making them lose money and they were waiting for him to screw up so they could have a reason to fire him.

Because of past events and the criticism of past celebrities, he'll probably end up writing a book and making millions or even getting another radio show that everyone will want to listen to because he's gotten so much publicity.

I think that everyone just needs to chill out. I thought we had gotten over the racism thing. Don't you think that we are smart enough now to worry about the important things and not something so childish and immature? So what, he said a racist comment... big woop. Comedians make fun of other races all the time and he is a comedian, you don't see everyone freaking out about it. Comedians make fun of white people all the time, you don't see huge unions being formed and new laws being passed and people getting fired. In fact, if white people were to do something so drastic everyone would think they were overreacting.... or forming another KKK.

Imus is washed up GET OVER IT

We should all be coming together to face greater issues and challenges
such as THE WAR WE ARE IN
GLOBAL WARMING
DARFUR

WAKE UP!!!

Answer 4

No!
Because it has to start in the black community and many blacks believe that they are immune from racism.
When the black people stop calling their women 'ho's and other insulting things perhaps we will clean up our act, but, consider this:
No more polish jokes
No more Irish jokes
No more jewish jokes
Perhaps that will be for the good, I honestly don't believe what Imus said was having an impact until Al Sharpton and the media made a national weekend nightly harangue about it.
I feel the it was the media at fault and mostly MSNBC. with the help of Al Sharpton.

Answer 5

Sharpton and Jackson are going after the white liberal media, so while Sharpton and Jackson are otherwise just shaking folks down in their usual style, in this case the media deserve it.

You have to understand, there are whole communities and industries with a vested interest in making sure different races stay angry at each other. If we all became one people tomorrow, everything perfect, do you honestly think the NAACP would tolerate that? Heck no, they would start stirring the pot and start whining about something, anything, to stay in the "struggle".

As the saying goes, the worst thing in life is to never achieve your dream. The second worse thing is to achieve it.

Same thing with Jackson and Sharpton. The day they can't claim "discrimination", they are out of a job. And remember, the rules don't apply to them.

But ... since the liberal media have ragged endlessly about Bush, global warming, and america in general, good riddence.

Answer 6

Free speech will always be, but if firing one person slows down some of the filthy talk - all in America will be thankful. I think the ugliness in this country needs to stop. I realize he has a right to say anything he wants, but on public radio for all the world to hear a little discretion is needed always. It is common courtesy for the children. This applies to every talk show whether radio or television or Internet.

Answer 7

No not really, this matter was handled by market forces and on an economic level, even though some people in government showed their faces to make sure they were on the "right" side of the issue. He was fired by his employers, not censored or fined by the FCC, because the negative attention caused by the comments scared sponsers, sponsers, and network executives. If executives were taking things off the air that offended black people, they would have gotten rid of most of BET, "I Love New York", and "Flava of Love".

Answer 8

I agree. This has nothing to do with censorship or free speech.

Don Imus is still perfectly free to say what he pleases. His corporate employers and sponsors have exercised their free speech rights by deciding to use their air time and advertising dollars to someone else.

Just because you can say what you want, doesn't mean you are immune to repercussions from those who find it offensive. The Dixie Chicks found that out when they badmouthed our president and many of their fans responded by no longer buying their CDs and the radio stations that played their music suddenly stopped playing it. Everyone involved exercised their free speech rights.

Answer 9

Free speech is disappearing throughout the West. People are in prison in Germany and Austria right now just for questioning some aspects of the Holocaust. Soon we will have "Hate Crime" laws everywhere and the First Amendment will be history.

Answer 10

This Is My Own Op ion.He Is An Ignorant Self centered jerk anyway.ItsAbout Time Some Body Starts doing something about the way people talk and act in public.I dint think it will have a thing to do with our freedom of speech.It will maybe send out a message to tho use Who are so ignorant that there not funny and enough is enough.