January 10, 2008 by Jolly Roger
The Imus thing, in my opinion, was blown way out of proportion to the actual offense. Imus was trying to do what Imus has been doing for 40 years, and while he picked his words poorly, there wasn’t really anything racist in the sentiment. Although I would not say that GE/MSNBC didn’t have a right to fire him (he was most definitely in violation of GE rules, although the guy was violating those rules almost every day in any case,) I would say that his apology should have been the end of it.
This is different. Sharpton’s comparison is a valid one, especially in light of the “Jena Six.” I wouldn’t expect a white woman who has clearly not had any direct contact with people on down the caste system that exists in America to understand that, but frankly I doubt she’d care much if she did understand it. In the circles she undoubtedly has spent her whole life in, such issues rarely get discussed in any manner save a condescending one.
She keeps her job by virtue of what channel it is she works for. On just about any other sports network, she’d have been handed her ass, and deservedly so. This flies past insensitive and heads directly to “too stupid to be on TV.”
Sphere: Related Content“If I got on this show and said I wanted to put some Jewish-American in a gas chamber, I don’t care what context I said it in, the entire Jewish community would have the right to say I should be put off this show or my radio show if I said it there,” Sharpton told CNN. “Or if I said I wanted to see a woman raped. This is an insult to all blacks. Lynching is not murder in general; it is not assault in general. It is a specific racial term.”
Yes, what Imus said was wrong and it was not only racist but sexist. I don’t care how you slice and dice it..calling someone you don’t personally know, on the national airwaves to boot, a Nappy Headed Ho’ is bullshit.
Whether he should of lost his job over it is another issue. He lost his job because the people who pay the bills..the advertisers started dropping like flies..not because Sharpton opened his piehole.
We enable people to continue making racist and/or sexist statements when we ignore them, or excuse them. It’s not ok to make ‘those’ comments in a public arena. If someone wants to be a racist in the privacy of their own home..go for it.
As I said, I don’t have a quarrel with MSNBC’s decision; I simply believe that Imus was just doing what Imus has done for decades, and I don’t think there was any overt racism in it. This chick though…. how can you NOT be aware of Jena, unless you live in a cave in Borneo?
What I don’t like is Limbaugh, Beck, O’Reilly and many others say racist and sexist remarks everyday on the airwaves and Sharpton and the rest remain silent.
I’ve heard Al howl about Herr Beck. Herr Beck is working for the kind of people who thought Ann C*****r was worthy of the cover of TIME, after all. No surprise there.
Just because that stupid woman is considered part of the media does not mean she knew about “Jena” JR. Its amazing how stupid people are of current events. Take Huckaberry..he doesn’t have the slightest inkling of whats going on in the world. You wrote about his glaring lack of knowledge I do believe
In Huck’s case, I was both right and wrong.
Huck’s proven that a lack of knowledge doesn’t equate to stupid, in his case. He fixes himself faster, and better, than any other candidate running. I misunderestimated him initially.
So, what does that all mean about the Huckster? That he is getting over on the Rethug voting block better than any of the others?
thats fucking depressing as hell, if I am reading your comment correctly.
Nutjob, it’s plain as day that he’s the best of the Gopper campaigners. And what’s more, he’s a genuine populist, even if his populism is infused with Jesusistan wingnuttery.
Huck’s the only Gopper talking about things like redoing the tax system, corporate greed, and sliding standards of living. He’s not going to just have Goppers as an audience; pitted against either of the two dem “front runners,” Huck is going to perform well. Especially since he’s got such a long stretch ahead and is so quick to adapt his message.