If Don Imus was a black man who degraded white women on a volleyball team, would things have been different?

Question

Can we admit the reason why people were so pissed about Don Imus being fired is that he degraded black women and 2 black leaders were the ones calling for his firing?

I've never seen so much "support" for a liberal from cons in my life.

Had Mike Huckabee and Bill O'Reilly been the ones calling for a black Imus firing, would anyone have been up in arms about it at all?

Are we really going to continue to pretend it was a freedom of speech thing?

Answer 1

Don Imus was stupid, no question.

At the same time, he is going to make millions on his wrongful termination law suit, given he had an employment agreement that called on him to be controversial and colorful. He was just doing exactly what he was being paid to do.

And that, my friend, is the really unfortunate thing here. Our shock jock culture values, supports, encourages and incentivizes boorish behavior......and then when the outrage becomes just a bit too much, those who created the environment declare FOUL.

The whole thing makes me sick.

Hard for me to blame him. hard for me to blame those who claimed foul.

I blame all of us who made him a celebrity for being a jerk.

Answer 2

No we can't agree as it isn't the case! People are pissed because he degraded a whole team. Obviously it was done because they were black!

Freedom of speech only refers to speech being denied by the government, not by an employer as a basis for firing someone. He had the freedom to say what he did, and he payed the consequences.

Do I think Imus should have been fired...No! That is the way he is, but that is the way O'Reilly and others are as well. That is what they get PAID to do!

Though looking back, I think Imus was wrong and I can't really agree with what he said or where he said it. Now if we can get rid of the rest of the shrills! At least Imus tried to be funny at times. He is not a pathetic man who sits around and does nothing for others, especially children with cancer! Imus is a good person who said something wrong. I can't say that about the rest of them!

Answer 3

I'll admit it. While it's not nice to degrade any women (the low class freak he is), the black community, and this country, needs all the help it can to encourage young black Americans, not discourage them, and that angered ethical people of every color.

It was a freedom of speech thing. It's just not the side you picked and that pisses you off. The sponsors have every right in the world to protect their businesses and likewise the employer of Imus have every right to protect their business.

It was a brilliant example of freedom of speech. Imus can spew crap about nappy-headed hoes all day long if he wants, just not on MSNBC.

Answer 4

The facts are that blacks do not make up the majority of the population. Imus was not directly fired bc of Al Sharpon or Jesse Jackson. He was fired and black listed by every top WHITE executive. They were making a money decision. Not that blacks would make a dent in their wallet, but because many EDUCATED white people were so embarrassed by his remarks (ie the ones that say that racism doesn't exist anymore).

Karma...ignorance is truly bliss isnt it?? Blame all of your pitfalls on the minorities ....thats what the nazis did and it breeded hate. One fact that you were wrong is that Blacks in general do not refer to themselves as Imus did ..this was a prejudical statement just switch out "nappy-headed" with "black" those are some "hard core black hoes.." still just as bad. pls stick to the facts. Seems when you start making things up you get off track.

Answer 5

Imus apologized to the team in person but it wasn't enough for the black leaders like Sharpton.

By the way...where's the apology from Sharpton that HE was wrong about the Duke players?

Answer 6

Just because it happened to a white man doesn't mean it's not racism. But, unfortunately, that's how a lot of the country thinks.

It's ok for African Americans to call each other old-fashioned derogatory terms (you know the "N" word I'm talking about), but the minute a white man calls them one its 9 o'clock news.

It's ok for me to walk down my street in a predominantly black neighborhood and be called a "cracker" but the minute I say anything *I'm* the racist.

It's ok for a less qualified African American to take a job over an educated white man and we call it fair and "affirmative action" doing right by them. The minute an educated, qualified white man gets a job over him, it's gone to civil court for being racism.

It's ok to have channels such as BET and Hispanic channels, but the minute we make one labeled WET (white entertainment channel) the NAACP would be on that like flies on horse doo.

It's ok for Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to use derogatory terms about the three white Duke Lacrosse players, but the minute Don Imus calls a few black women "nappy headed hoes" they're ready to light the torches for the lynching.

It's ok for black entertainers, such as Chris Rock, to spout white jokes as a typical comedy routine, but I don't see Sharpton and Jackson speaking out on that. They would only say something if the situation had been reversed.

It's become a "You're entitled to free speech, but only if you're a minority" thing instead. Yeah, I'm sick of the double standard too.

Answer 7

Some black leaders feel they accomplish something when the "get one over" on whitey. The ones doing the loudest complaining are actually the racists.
I think Mr. Imus picked up a phrase commonly heard in the black communities in the US.

Answer 8

Your final question, which contradicts your position, says it all.

And in regards to your title question, if Tom Joyner had said something about a unknown, college-age white women, yes he would have been fired.

Sorry, being a celebrity has roads filled with potholes. Watch your driving or you may wind up with a busted career.

Perhaps you missed the black columnist, Rochelle Riley, whose piece was widely circulated on the internet tubes. The title? "Message To Media: Stop Calling Al Sharpton".

Answer 9

Don Imus was a shock jock. That's what he was being paid to do. While what he said was sick, what else would you expect from somebody who's being paid to say stuff for shock value?

Answer 10

if it had been a black man to degrade white people in that way they would be named Dave chepalle, he dose it all the time and we call it funny, so drop it , get over it.... it was just dumb to go as far as it did, the money spent on this was enough to feed many family for weeks.... so who was really wrong, if you ignore it, it will just go away, I've been called allot of things in my life, been done wrong in many ways, don,t see anyone standing up for me like that, mater of fact when the last time the government said it white American day?????