MSNBC drops Imus

BAC'sMom wrote: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/

HuskerMom replied: I was listening to them talk about it on the radio today. I just kept thinking that he's a shock jock and it was a joke.

luvmykids replied: I think he was way out of line, wether he was joking or not I don't know but it wasn't appropriate. I know, I know, freedom of speech etc but I think it was far too degrading and ignorant to be excused

jcc64 replied:

If it happened to be you or your daughter that he referred to as a whore, I doubt you'd find it funny.

Yes, he's made his living by being provocative, but these girls that he degraded are not famous people or politicians who choose to thrust themselves into the spotlight for public consumption. They are high achieving student athletes who worked hard to get where they are, and at a moment when they should be celebrated as role models and feeling their best, this jacka$$ has to take them down into the gutter. It wasn't funny, and he crossed a line.

stella6979 replied: I agree that what he said was tasteless, but I've heard worse coming from Howard Stern and he still has a job. This wasn't the first time that Imus has made derrogatory comments, so my only question is, why they didn't get rid of him long ago?

HuskerMom replied:
I never said I thought it was funny.

luvmykids replied:
I think it took to long, and I can't stand Howard Stern either. I think in both cases because of their popularity in spite of their disgusting points of view they are big money makers. I guess for Imus and MSNBC it was just the straw that broke the camels back. And even though MSNBC denies it, I'm sure it had a lot to do with the advertisers who threatened to pull out.

jcc64 replied:


You got that right, Monica.

stella6979 replied:
Oh, I absolutely agree that it had to do with the advertisers. Don't get me wrong, I don't care for Imus or Howard Stern, I just think he should have been let go long before this ever happened.

Jamison'smama replied: I think it was the blatant racism that he spewed. Apparently this was not the first racist thing that he's said but it was the first that was caught and made so public.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: I personally can't stand the man and don't know how my father ever listened to him. I kept hoping that maybe my dad was just saying it to get my goat as he knows I'm a liberal. That aside, Imus's remarks were completely out of line and I think it's fantasic that he did get the boot. Even if it was to soothe advertiser feathers.

Insanemomof3 replied: Ummm ok. I am dumb. What did he say?

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: He used some really derogatory terms in regards to the Rutgers girls basket ball team while they were playing for the NCAA championship. I'm sure you can google the exact terms used.

Here's a link.
http://ncaabasketball.aolsportsblog.com/20...ppy-headed-hos/

lisar replied: Okay and I know alot of people are gona hate me for this but oh well.

Here is my outlook on it. I have never heard the show or even heard of the show. However the comment that he made WAS inappropriate. I am not a racist person. However I DO NOT like Jesse Jackson. I hear about that man all the time stirring things up. If the DJ would have made that comment about an all white girls team he would still have a job. Honestly. It would have been blown off.

And this comment:

Jackson wants more black show hosts
The Rev. Jesse Jackson said he planned to meet with CBS and NBC executives on Thursday with a delegation of other civil rights activists and lawmakers to discuss the Imus situation and diversity in broadcasting.[I]

Seriously give me a break. There is BET (Black entertainment television)
what if there was a White Entertainment Telivision Jesse Jackson would be all over that calling it racisim.

I just hate it for people to play the racist card. I dont see any White people doing it. White people are called all kinds of things White trash, trailer park trash, whitie, cracker, I could go on and on but god for forbid you say the `n` word you will be sued. And for him to call them nappy headed ho's at least he didnt call them all the `n` word. Which is apparently being taken the same way. It just upsets me with these things and makes me mad because they get a huge stir up. But if anything about white people were said nothing would have been said cause honeslty most white people just dont care what others think.

Oh and just to add I am not a racist person. Truly I am not. I think a `n` can be a white person a black person a mexican any of them I think its the way you act not the color of your skin. And I am not saying that everything I said applies to every black person in America I have a few that work here that are some of the best people I have ever met.

Sorry this got long.

Farelle replied: It's sad that this seems to be the most important news issue these days. Aren't there more important things for us all to be concerned with other than what some jerk syas? I mean is what HE says so very important?? Isn't it our job as parents to teach our children that it's more important what we think of ourselves and not what other people say about us? It was a hurtful thing to say but those girls should know that they are better than that.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Lisa I agree with alot of what you said. I do not believe that if his comment had been 'bunch of blonde hos' or something to that effect we would see this sort of outrage. Does it make what he said any less offensive? No. But it does draw into light that there is a definate double standard. You can't support free speech unless you support it fully and that is going to mean you will hear things you don't like or agree with and quite possibly are offended by. It can't be a civil right to say derogatory/inflamatory things about some groups if it is not a right to say them about all groups. Hate SPEECH is still FREE speech.

jcc64 replied:
Yes, Jesse Jackson is a political opportunist. But the reason there is a BET is specifically because the mainstream media (and the rest of society for that matter) is controlled and dominated by white people. That's why there's also Black history month or women's studies- it's a small attempt to counterbalance or give voice to a different perspective other than the dominant one, which is and always has been, white.
White people may not get as upset about derogatory termology because they are the ones with the power in our culture- the "n" word is emblematic of a much much bigger problem, one you cannot understand unless you walk a mile in their shoes. It's just words, but it's the sentiment beneath the words that is really at issue.
And btw, I don't know why the outrage is limited to the racist component. The fact that he referred to a group of accomplished student athletes as whores is about as mysogynist a perspective as you can possibly get- where are the womens' groups? I as a woman take exception to that.

stella6979 replied:
I'm not defending him by any means, and I could be completely wrong, but around here "hoe" is another term for "bitch". I don't think he was meaning to call them whores, but like I said, I can't say for sure. Either way, it was tasteless, and I'm glad they finally did something about it.

BAC'sMom replied: On any giving day you can turn on the radio or TV and hear those type of comments or worse in songs, movies etc. Why don’t they address the whole problem?

I agree with you Lisa

cameragirl21 replied:
you are right, he is unimportant and what he says and really what any public figure says should not be an important aspect of any of our lives.
here's the problem though, there is more to this than people realize which is why Jesse Jackson got involved.
i am afraid i may be opening Pandora's Box by what i'm about to say but once people bring this up, may as well tell the whole story, which is not being told in any of these articles.
before i even go into this, i want to say that liberal as i am, for the most part, i am not a fan of Jesse Jackson either. however, i am a huge fan of MLK, Jr. and a big supporter of civil rights for all and of affirmative action.
at any rate, Jesse Jackson got involved for a very specific reason, other than what appears to be the obvious.
here's the thing, and i want to stress that i am NOT saying that Imus is a white supremacist, although he did make a racist comment but what i'm about to say does NOT mean that i am lumping him in with white supremacists. at any rate, if you visit white supremacist sites, like for instance, david duke's website, you'll find a trend where white supremacists are encouraging people not to support or patronize US sporting events, other than hockey games because most hockey players are white but if you got to a baseball, or baseketball or football game, you'll find there are more blacks (and hispanics) than whites. for this reason, white supremacists often tell people not to go to these games or spend money on them or support them in any way. clearly, there is a disparity in the sense that blacks are a minority but not when it comes to most popular sports. that implies that blacks are likely to be better natural (genetic) athletes and yet to a white supremacist it implies a sense of unfairness because many black students get scholarships to top of the line schools like the University of Michigan for instance that has a record of academic excellence but also is very competitive in sports. so to a white supremacist, this carries with it a sense of unfairness.
if you're wondering how i know it's because i visit these sites regularly to keep myself informed...i'm Jewish and most white supremacists hate me just as much if not more than they'd hate any black person. i prefer to know my enemy and know where s/he is coming from than to hide in the sand so like i said, i do read these sites regularly.
at any rate, the problem with Imus is he didn't just insult blacks, he insulted black athletes which to a person like Jesse Jackson is a little too close to what white supremacists are saying. as i understand it, these girls are also college students, which once again goes back to white supremacists complaining that black athletes have unfair advantages over whites when it comes to getting into college and receiving scholarships.
that said, it's very easy to point at Imus and call him a white supremacist, which once again, i am NOT saying he is but someone like Jesse Jackson can easily make the connection and MSNBC is not fox news, they are not known to be right leaning and likely have a sizeable left winged audience, as well as sponsors who are not amused by this. it's not just a racist comment, if you kwim.
as for Howard Stern, he is tacky and tasteless but most of his comments are sexual in nature and i've never heard him say anything racist although i don't listen to him much so i wouldn't know for sure but that is why IMO he still has a job and Imus doesn't.
idk but i don't think Imus is a bonafide racist or white supremacist, i suspect he was just uninformed but nowadays in the age of being PC, what you don't know CAN hurt you. and when you're a public figure you have to be so careful about what you say.
i have a feeling i'm going to be really sorry i posted this because i'm sure someone here will find a reason to be upset or offended by it so i'm just making this disclaimer that it was meant to offer up information only and only to those who are interested and is not intended to change anyone's mind or to offend anyone or to point fingers at anyone here or to imply anything about anyone here or anyone at all, including Imus.

lisar replied:
I disagree. I do not think that white people are the ones in control here at all or the dominant race. That was years ago not in todays society. Yea there is black history month how come there isnt a white history month though. We learned more about black history in school than we did anything else, thats the school I went to.

hawkshoe replied: Personally, I think Imus is being used as a scapegoat by all these people with hidden (or not so hidden) agendas. Yes, what he said was offensive. Quite honestly, I think it is nearly impossible to go through life and not say something that would offend someone. I am not sure what the regulations are regarding using the language he used over Federally regulated airways. It seems to me that it should first be determined what, if any, rule he broke and then base his punishment on the guidelines that are established. Using the media to try this man is a crime in and of itself. The people who had a problem with it (I honestly don't ever listen to his show) should go through the appropriate channels to have him dealt with. Instead, people like Reverand Al, Jessie Jackson and others are persecuting this man in an effort to bring more attention to themselves and their cause. Again, I do think that what he said was inappropriate and he should make a formal public appology to those girls in addition to whatever punishment the FCC (I think that is the right agency) has outlined in it's guidelines. It would seem to me that firing a man because of one racist comment would be taking the matter to the extreme.

jcc64 replied:


For real? How many people in Congress are black vs white? The Supreme Court? Congress? How many CEO's of Fortune 500 companies are black? How many media outlets are run by black people? The justice system?
The reason there is no white history month is because EVERY month is white history month. School history books are predominantly told from a white/European perspective. Everything in this culture skews towards white people. Real estate agents steer black people away from white neighborhoods, white people move out of neighborhoods when black people begin to infiltrate, black schools are underfunded and inferior to white schools, and on and on and on. I really really disagree with your contention that black people are in control of this country.

And yes, free speech is free speech. He can say whatever he wants to say. But the difference is- he's getting paid to say it. And I for one think it's great that money talks and bulls&*$ walks. The corporate sponsors are heading for the hills, and for once, they're doing the right thing, imo. Let him spew his nonsense where millions of people don't have to listen to it.

lisar replied:
I never said that black people were in control. And I still disagree with it mainly cause the reason there are no blacks in congress is that they dont get voted in. And its not because there are more whites than black its cause black people dont run. What about Condelezza Rice ( I think is her name) Hell ya I would vote for her I think she does a wonderful job. Inspite of what others on here might think. And everymonth is white history month thats crap sorry. All thru the history books are blacks and whites its not jut one month a year that a black person is mentioned in history. And they have changed the text books they used to be told from that perspective at one time they are no longer.

And my child just learnt about how Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. A black man in the month of April. It isnt black history month. And she has yet to tell me anything about a white man that she has learned at school.

There are plenty of prominently black people in this world. What about Oprah Winfrey? And I have never seen her run for congress she is a smart well off black lady and for that matter I have never seen Rev. Jesse Jackson run for anything.

And we teach our kids that sticks and stones will break our bones but names will never hurt us. Then why cry wolf when someone calls someone a nappy headed ho.

And its the same thing with everything else if they didnt like his show then they didnt have to listen to it. Like I said before though I have never heard the show.

kimberley replied:
i agree. and to those that believe there is equality today between the races, i have to ask, have you yourself ever faced racism? i have had this conversation a few times IRL with people and find it curious that the ones saying people like Jesse Jackson are extremist dredging up the past are the ones who have never been slapped by the racism stick in their lives. they have never been passed over for college or a job because of their appearance or gender. they have never had co-workers snicker and make snide remarks about their customs. they have never had the family of a guy they liked tell them they are a worthless so-and-so because of the color of their skin. as Jeanne said, those women worked hard to become accomplished athletes and that comment was not only uncalled for, it was repulsive. just my

jcc64 replied:

The reason why there aren't more black people represented in our gov't isn't simply because people don't vote for them. Campaigns take money, lots of it, and while technically anyone can run, people without mountains of money and political connections don't have a prayer.

Yes, Oprah has alot of money, but just because a lucky few have risen to the top does not mean there aren't still SUBSTANTIAL societal obstacles in front of most people of color. And I'm showing my age here, but Jesse Jackson DID run for President, sometime in the 80's, I believe.
I am not a huge fan of his, as I said, he's an opportunist, but he's been at the vanguard of civil rights issues for 4 decades now. He was with MLK when he was assasinated. He does good work, though I think he discredits himself by appearing at each and every racially explosive media story. There are plenty of other victims of racism that could use his light shone on him, but it seems if there are no cameras around, he isn't either. He's almost become a parody of himself.
This is a hot button issue for me. My kids are biracial, and their ethnicity makes them targets for insults and slurs on a fairly regular basis. They understand that the insult says much more about the person hurling it than it does about them. But wouldn't it be nice if it didn't happen in the first place?

lisar replied:
I had no idea that Jesse Jackson had ran for president. And there any many black people in this world that have went to the top with lots of money.
My sister in law has a bi-racial child and her dh makes more money than most people I know can dream of ever having.
And no one can say that white people have more money than blacks so they cant run for congress. Its all about what you do when you get to that age to make money and to make something of yourself. I grew up without alot of money. But I made something with my life. I know black men and women who have done the same.


I am not racist so please dont take it that way if I am comming across that way. My thing is that I just hate it when people play the racist card, when there really isnt a reason to.

kimberley replied: sorry but i take acception to this... when opportunities are stripped from people due to their ethnicity, how can you say that equal opportunity exists? you are assuming everyone is on an even playing field and that is just not the reality of this world as much as we would like it to be. it is hard to make something of yourself when doors slam in your face everywhere you go, even when you work twice as hard as the white guy that has the position above you.

it is not a race card, it's a reality card.

jcc64 replied: ITA, Kimberly- well said. I once heard an analogy between racism and baseball that summed it up perfectly. Some people start out on 3rd base, and then congratulate themselves on all the hard work they did getting home. Other people start out at bat with 2 strikes against them, hands tied behind their backs, and then we blame them for not working hard enough to get to the same place.
We all have to work hard to get ahead in life. But some people have to work a whole lot harder, and it's ok to point that out. It takes nothing away from our own accomplishments to acknowledge that the game isn't fair for everyone. Maybe you can only really know that if you happen to be or love one of those people. But I'd like to think we all have the capacity to recognize injustice when we see it and speak up about it.
This whole thing is one of those cases. Those Rutgers girls overcame a tremendous amount of obstacles to get where they are. Instead of applauding them, Imus chose to belittle them. It goes beyond a bad joke. It's a mindset, and it's entrenched.

Crystalina replied: I don't see how anyone could listen to that man and say the words that came from his mouth were not necessarly racist. Really? How racist would it have to be to be considered racist? Oh, he didn't use the 'N' word. If I was a mother to one of those girls I would want to slap him in his vulgar mouth. Yes, we hear that kind of stuff all the time but does it make it right? NO. And he was laughing about it like it was nothing. Like he says it all the time. And he degraded those girls when all they were doing was playing a game of basketball. Is anyone going to remember the game? NO because of his remarks. That is what will be remembered.

And where I come from ho does indeed mean whore.

I agree with everthing that Jeanne has said as if it I had written it myself.

Here is a perfect example of racisim....how many African American childeren do you see on the new missing? How many times has a program you've watched been interupted due to an African American child being snatched? Their pictures may make it as far as a Wal-Mart lobby. Do you really think that they aren't missing? That only white kids are the ones being kidnapped and running away from home? Please. Now would be a good time to get your head out of the sand.


I do understand where some people may feel like whites are the minority but I also truly believe it's because they haven't looked into it enough. Whites are not the minority at all.

What you need to do is go through your childs school books (for those worried) and list all the white historical people in there and then do the same for the African Americans. I guarantee the white list will be much longer. And if it's longer fine. Those people deserve to be in there because really how many African Americans were able (at that time) to really do much? So should all African American people only be taught about during Black History month? If Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and it happend to be taught about when it did it's probably only because that is when it came up. I really doubt schools are teaching more about African Americans then Whites. And if they are you should really be taking it up with your school.

Crystalina replied: I also wanted to add that Howard Stern is on sattelite radio as Imus was on a news channel.

lisar replied:
Not true. http://www.missingkids.com/ The 3 top listed children are not white. What about that boy in georiga that they just found. I followed that story from day one. It was all over the news. And yes they did interupt the TV and Radio stations about it, that place aint but about 100 miles from where I live. All kids go missing and all kids get the same respect as a white child which is the way it should be.

lisar replied:
I agree.

Crystalina replied:
I'm sorry. I still disagree on this one. Just because their pictures are up there does not mean they get the same treatment. The news media does not get involved the same. I don't know about what boy in Georgia your speaking of but it's good to know it was on t.v.

Like I said, I still don't agree.

lisar replied: [QUOTE=kimberley,Apr 12 2007, 03:26 PM] [QUOTE=Jamison'smama,Apr 12 2007, 12:49 PM] I think it was the blatant racism that he spewed. Apparently this was not the first racist thing that he's said but it was the first that was caught and made so public. [/QUOTE]
i agree. and to those that believe there is equality today between the races, i have to ask, have you yourself ever faced racism?

Okay this post didnt go thru correctly.

I said yes I have dealt with racisim. I am a white girl and went to a black school that was about 80/20. So there were alot more black kids than me. So yes I dealt with them everyday.

lisar replied:
Thats fine we can agree to disagree. We are adults.

lisar replied:
Nothing in this world is perfect some people have thier head in the clouds and are still dreaming of that perfect place to live.

I think alot of it has to do with the fact that we all grow up in diffrent parts of the country and everyone is diffrent so we all see diffrent things.

jcc64 replied: This post has strayed far off the ot, but that's ok, b/c it's worth talking about.
I agree with Crystal about the missing children in the media. Maybe the child missing in Ga was black, but that story never made it out of the local news. I knew nothing about it until you mentioned it. Had it been a blond, blue eyed child, the chances that it would have become a national obsession are exponentially higher. It's not conjecture, it's not my opinion- it's a fact.
There are several well known studies where African American children were given a choice between a blond Caucasian baby doll and a black one, and asked which one is more beautiful. Almost without exception, the white doll was chosen. Why is that, do you suppose?
Look at New Orleans. Which neighborhoods got rebuilt, and which ones didn't? Which people got out on time, which people didn't? I could cite example after example, all day long- racism is alive and well. And we can't address it until we allow ourselves to admit this and have an ongoing dialogue.
And going to a school where you were in the 20% minority should have given you a unique understanding of what it feels like to be a minority. The difference is, at the end of the school day, you could re-enter the dominant culture, and eventually, you graduated. For minorities, there is no escaping, and your ethnicity follows you everywhere you go- on job interviews, in stores (even Oprah Winfrey, to use your example, was a recent victim of racism when she tried to shop in a fancy boutique in Paris) in encounters with the law, etc. As I said, it's everywhere, and it's not only ok to admit it, it's vital that we do. We can do better.

cameragirl21 replied:
i'm the one who said he's not necessarily racist and the reason i said that is because i don't listen to him so i don't know and everything i say here gets twisted and taken out of context and usually leads to some sort of commotion that i didn't start but that i invariably always get blamed for so i worded it very carefully and left a disclaimer to try to avoid that from happening again.
that's all.
truth be told, anyone who says what he says is of course a racist and in all fairness, and i am treading carefully here but i may as well say it--if we did have a white history month then tbh i don't think many of us whites would like it too much...the fact is we'd be learning about all sorts of not so great things like the crusades to the inquisition to the slaughter of Native Americans to the slave trade to the holocaust, all perpetuated by whites. it's not to say that whites haven't done anything good because of course whites are known for many great accomplishments BUT white history month is not something that we, as whites would enjoy IMO if everything in white history were to be lumped into a single month.
again, a disclaimer--this was not meant to offend it is only stating an alternate viewpoint and is JMO and nothing more than that.

Crystalina replied:
I don't want to pick on one person's post but I will say I was not speaking of yours.

lisar replied:
Okay I was gona leave this entire post alone but for some reason I cant.

Okay Jennifer white history month was just an example. We dont learn about black history in just one month while in school. We learn about both thru out the entire school year.

cameragirl21 replied: Lisa, i am so not trying to argue with you or anything, it just occurred to me when you mentioned white history month yesterday that if such a thing existed, we'd be learning about a series of attempted genocides over the millenia and that it would probably make us uncomfortable.
as to your daughter's school, in as much as she learned about Eli Whitney i'm sure she also learned (or will learn) about George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Ben Franklin, etc.
i think that there were so many influential people throughout history that come from all different races and ethnicities and that white history month vs black history month really isn't the issue.
the fact is that Imus was paid to speak so it's beyond free speech. his show had sponsors and advertisers and they opted out once he opened his mouth so even if that's what he thought, he gained nothing by saying it and in fact lost his job and offended a whole lot of people.
i think and hope he will be used as an example for others (especially public figures) to think twice before they speak because what they say can hurt other people.
that's all i was saying, it was not meant to be an attack or disagreement with you at all.
as for black history month, we have it to highlight the history of a minority that often feels and gets left out, it's not meant IMO to say one race is more important than another.

Farelle replied: Hi - Mind if I jump in here? I have been reading these posts for days and I just have to say that this whole thing is just so out of hand....point well made by all the posts too. I was watching some news show last night and there was a very well spoken obvioulsy well educated black man on who FINALLY said what we all need to hear, and I posted it earlier too. Yes it was a nasty thing to say, yes he needed to apologize, yes he had to be responsible for his actions....BUT....those girls know who they are and NOTHING anyone can say can take that away from them. Why do we all worry so much about what others think? Isn't it more important what we think of ourselves? I think in bringing up my children, that's what I will teach them. I could't possibly teach them that every time during their life when someone says something they don't like make a huge issue out of it! Haven't we all been called names when we were kids? I know it happened to me. Do I dwell on it? Has it scarred me for life? No, it's made me stronger and I've grown into the kind of person who will not repeat that behavior as an adult.

TheOaf66 replied: i just want to say one thing I am trying to keep out of this discussion now I think Imus def. should have thought before he spoke but lets look at the flip side...when Chris Rock talks about white people during one of his comedy shows you know how white people can't dance and they are this and that it really doesn't seem like that big of a deal and it is meant for a "comedy" effect which from what I understand is what Imus's intentions were supposed to be, it seems all the hoopla is because a white guy said this about black women. I am not excusing it but IMO people like Sharpton and Jackson blow things out of proportion and they never say anything about the other side of the coin so to speak. I am not trying to stir anything up just wanted to bring up another perspective and in no way am I trying to argue or offend anyone

lisar replied:
Well put.

And I am the type of person who doesnt care what other people think of me. When I was growing up that is one thing that I learnt and will teach my kids is that what other people think of you is not important in life.

lisar replied:
I agree. I see Chris Rock on all the time making jokes about white people. But do you see white people sueing him over it or making the news all about it. No we dont see that. I laugh with all of it.

A&A'smommy replied: I was going to stay away from this post I have LOTS of views that people probably would NOT like about this topic, I'm NOT by any means racist BUT the way I have grown up, the type of people I have grown up around has given me the view and opinions, facts that I have.

Jennifer, Lisa pretty much everyone has it right we just have different VIEWS on all this, Farrelle that was a GREAT way to put, they are STRONG woman and they have worked VERY hard to get where they are now and they should NOT let what he said get to them. Yes what he said was wrong and he SHOULD take responsibility for what he said AND apologize. But IMO we need to learn from this and move on and continue to fight against racism against every race.

A&A'smommy replied:
ITA and that is my point, it definitely was NOT appropriate timing though, not that what he said was at all appropriate he should have just chosen better timing or not spoke at all.

TheOaf66 replied:
cuz a lot of it is true...I can't dance to save my life

lisar replied:
I agree. I will admit that when we have a good healthy debate I do learn new things and see things from someone elses point of view.

jcc64 replied: Chris Rock, who I happen to think is hilarious, relentlessly lampoons black people as well as whites. He's a comedian- that's what he does.

lisar replied:
My unlce wore a shirt in the bahammas that said

Caution:
Cant dance overly caucasion.
I loved it. All them people in the bagammas got a huge kick out of it. when they put him on stage for a dance contest.

A&A'smommy replied:
your right and he isn't the only one!!!

TheOaf66 replied:
well if you follow that logic then Imus is paid to be a "shock jock" and that is what he does

gr33n3y3z replied:
I agree

And JJ makes trouble at every chance he gets and MLK would be rolling in his grave over JJ for what he has turned into.

jcc64 replied: Ok, about the assertion that people should stop making a big deal about it and have a thicker skin or brush it off or whatever. As a white person, it's much easier to dismiss negative comments because the attitude behind them isn't persistently and consistently interfering with my ability to live my life. They are just words, and I can see them as such. But for most black people, the underlying racism behind the words permeates many aspects of their lives. I have already spoken about this at great length in my other posts on this thread. It's not a two way street, because you can only be a racist if you are holding the power. Yes, black people can be racists, but more often than not, their racism is not likely to influence your life in any meaningful way.

cameragirl21 replied:
i agree and i also think that calling them nappy headed hos is saying that even though they got into a good college and have potentially good futures they are still trash underneath because of their race.
if i were them that's how i'd take it. i think it goes beyond simple racism, that's just my take on it.
and i don't think you can really compare Chris Rock to a person like Imus because Chris Rock is not paid by a major news network to engage in political discussions but rather he's a hardcore comedian and you always know what to expect from him so if you think you'll find it offensive you just don't go to his show or watch it on tv.
they are not the same IMO.

lisar replied:
The way I see it is if I can dismiss a racist comment then why shouldnt any else be able to do it. Come on seriously I had a black lady tell me one time that "that was such a hard time on my people" I asked her if she had ever met anyone that lived in that time frame". No she hadnt so my thing is if you didnt live in those times then you shouldnt be all defensive like we live there now or something. We are all equal right.

And this has gotten so off the original post I am just waiting for the topic to change or something. How about gun control and illegal workers rights. Lets go all out if we are going to.

lisar replied:
Yes but if you find Imus offensive the dont turn the radio to his station. I dont see how the 2 can be seperated. They both get paid to do what they do.

cameragirl21 replied: i don't know, i personally would agree that you can't blame whites of today for what happened to blacks in the 1800s BUT i don't blame blacks for being upset about it to this day and for getting defensive about it.
i guess i can relate--when people make holocaust jokes or make light of the holocaust i take it VERY personally. i certainly don't blame the germans of today for what happened but the thing is that there are some things that a group of people will never get over, nor should they be expected to get over them.
idk if this thread has really gotten too off topic, we are actually discussing the roots of the issues behind why Imus got fired and why what he said is such a big deal.

cameragirl21 replied:
but Lisa, he didn't get fired because people like me or anyone else found him offensive, like i said, i don't listen to him and didn't know anything about it till i read it on the news.
the sponsors and advertisers pulled out so msnbc had no choice but to fire him, this was entirely up to the sponsors and advertisers who didn't want to be associated with anything like that.
any advertiser/sponsor of Chris Rock has to know what they're getting into....

TheOaf66 replied:
but you have to also look at it at another angle...do I think it should be forgotten no not in a million years but do I think it should be dwelled on no. I don't have any negative feeling towards romans for the mass genocide of Christians as I myself am one. I don't feell ill agains the english for tormenting and oppressing my ancestors (the ones that came to America). It happened long ago and I don't think drudging it up all the time helps solve the problem. I don't deny what happened in the past was horrible and I don't agree with it but that is what makes history history.

lisar replied:
Well I think I am gona sue Chris Rock for making all of those white jokes.

gr33n3y3z replied:
non of us here was around in the 1800
I'm sick of ppl. blaming me for what happend many moons ago I didnt do it so get over it and move on
If this sticking blame game keeps going on it will never get better.

TheOaf66 replied:

lisar replied:
I totally agree.

cameragirl21 replied:
Troy, to be fair, what you're describing happened a very long time ago, i don't think you can compare it to something that happened less than 100 years ago.
your ancestors whom you never knew but are in fact members of your lineage may have suffered at the hands of others and that is terrible and it should never be forgotten but my own grandmother had to leave her belongings behind to flee the nazis and lost everything she had except her life, thank God for that.
my other grandmother's brother was sent to fight the nazis in the Russian army...he died at the age of 20, so yeah, it's not exactly a very long time ago to me and for many blacks, it's not all that long ago to them either when as recently as the 50s and probably the 60s too, in places like alabama there were separate bathrooms and drinking fountains for whites and blacks.
i think for blacks, much of it is still happening because of the discrimination that they feel, which is EXACTLY what was highlighted by Imus' comments.

cameragirl21 replied:
Lisa, in all fairness, do you have any idea just how many times i have been called a Christ killer because my people were allegedly blamed for killing Jesus? i assure you i wasn't around 2000 years ago but Mel Gibson and the likes of him are still calling me a Christ killer and making movies that openly say that i and all Jews are Christ killers.
this is obviously WAY off topic but i only bring it up to show that it's not only whites who are being blamed for what happened way before they were born. the Mel Gibsons of this world continue to call me a Christ killer and there is not much i can do about that and at the same time plenty of blacks would call any white person (myself included because i sure look white even though i'm not of european heritage) a slave owner.
again, i bring this up only to show an alternative viewpoint and to make people realize that this goes both ways.
i realize this is way off topic and getting into very sticky territory so i am backing off now but i really wanted to make that point...we are all blamed for what we are not responsible for and i have always believed that the son is not responsible for the sins of the father but not everyone sees it that way and many people of all races and ethnicities get blamed for what their people may have done a very long time ago.

lisar replied:
I know that wasnt directed at me however, mel gibson made a movie.

Its a movie.....A very bad movie at that. I fell asleep watching it.

I just think if people would stop holding a grudge for something that happened so long ago even in the 40's or 50's then all of this would go away to begin with. If people didnt make such a big deal out of things then eventually it would stop all together cause they wouldnt be getting attention off of it.

BAC'sMom replied:

Exactly! Which is why WE as PARENTS should ALL educate OUR children and change this vicious cycle for the generations yet to come.

Enough is enough and pointing fingers is not going to get anything changed.

jcc64 replied: We don't need to go into the past to have racist atrocities to apologize for. We aren't talking about slavery, we're talking about something that was said last week, right?
I've never owned a slave, you've never owned a slave. But we all belong to a culture that is still inherently racist at its core. We've come a long way, but there are miles to go before we sleep.

cameragirl21 replied:
just wanted to say that that is one of my favorite poems, i love Robert Frost!

TheOaf66 replied: I agree racism still exists but it is not one sided...all races are discriminated against in one way or another. I think the "race cards" should all be discarded and things should go on a personal level...now I agree that this would happen in a perfect world but if people would stop yelling "what about me and what about what happened to my people years ago" things would get better

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Imus has also always touted himself as an Equal Opportunity Offender as well and has made a 40 year career out of it. Chris Rock has called women MANY times in his shows B****** and Hos and a mirad of other degrading names but HE gets laughed at...Let a white commedian who blasts white rednecks (Ron White for instance) make one crack about a black person he would be blasted but clearly that door does not swing both ways...Is what Imus said offensive? YES! BUT by that same token, as I said before, IF we have FREEDOM of speech- that MUST encompass everyone even the completely tasteless.

edited because I was typing quickly and left out a few words

TheOaf66 replied:
well said

kimberley replied: wow, i really should stop reading this thread because i just don't understand how people can't see racism is "alive and well" today as Jeanne said. we are not talking about slavery... we are talking about the REAL FACT that many people of color are getting passed over for scholarships, jobs, promotions etc based on their physical appearance today. you are deluded to think there is an equal playing field for minorities.
they have done shows on this where they put make up and a pretty little blond and video tape how she is treated over a few days. it is substantially different when she is viewed as a person of color instead of a pretty rich, blonde girl. for every good parent who teaches their kids to be accepting, there are 10 others teaching hate. this world is not much different now than 50yrs ago if you dig beneath the political correctness.

lisar replied:
Very well put.

A&A'smommy replied:
Sorry but Mel Gibson doesn't even count, and I'm part Jewish and no one has EVER called me a Christ Killer, and I didn't feel discriminated against during that passion of Christ. And you want to know something else thats weird I'm also part German how weird is that (so was Hitler but thats another story). And if we want to get technical the BIBLE says that we shouldn't hold grudges so what happened as far back as the 60s should also be a part of the past, not forgotten but everyone should move on from it!!

cameragirl21 replied: free speech means you can say you hate our president and not get killed for it the way you would have in the USSR or in China or Cuba or Venezuela or various middle eastern nations, it also means you are free to say you hate whomever but it does NOT mean that you won't lose your job for saying it because people are paying Imus to speak and when you are paid to speak then you have to say whatever the person who pays you to speak tells you to say.
i'm all for free speech but i assure you if you say you hate blacks and are a klansman you sure won't be working for me because i do NOT want my company represented by a racist and this is PRECISELY why Imus was fired...the sponsors didn't want their product represented by a racist either.
whether or not he IS a racist is in the eye of the beholder BUT the eye of the sponsor is ultimately what counts and they decided he's a racist so he no longer has a job, it's just that simple.
ultimately, it has nothing to do with the slave trade, the holocaust or anything else, it's all in the here and now--whomever holds the purse strings makes the decisions so you'd be well served to keep that person happy and Imus didn't, that's all there is to it.

lisar replied:
I understand your point I really do.

However when I have say (and this is just an example)

2 people in here looking for a job one black and one white say they have the same experiance.

Say the white biy is dressed nice and the black boy is dressed with his pants off his butt and gold teeth. Who do you think would be the better canadite for me to hire due to the fact they would be dealing with customers. And if it was the other way around I would hire the black guy. I have seen those shows and some them are so off the wall if you go into a place dressing all bad with your pants off your butt I wouldnt give you crap either. Same thing goes for a white person.

What about the points added on to government employment tests for minorites because they aren't on the same playing field as whites-they have the same and in most cases BETTER chances at scholarships and funding than a white kid-I don't see and blonde haired blue eyed college fund anywhere.

jcc64 replied: I'm not sure we're getting anywhere at this point.
*sigh*

TheOaf66 replied:
that is true kimberly but as I said, there are two sides to every coin...what about the white guy who doesn't get a job because a minority applied too and they have to fill some quota that is racism as well. I don't think color should be an issue, what happened in the past should not be an issue, as Jennifer said, it should be in the now. 2 people apply to me I don't see color I see qualifications etc. I have had friends of all races and don't see them that way it is their personality. If a certain person fits a profile that a stereotype describes than yeah I call them on it. Chris Rock described it very well in one of his bits

lisar replied:
Well put...

lisar replied:
I know.

redchief replied: Imus deserved to be fired. What he said was inexcusable. Enjoy your retirement, Don.

I don't know what to do about the racial divide in this country. It exists and, in my opinion it's getting worse. I'm not taking part in the pounding of the wedge between black America and white America. I sit helplessly on the side and watch, knowing that with each strike of the hammer the odds that I'll be a victim of a hate crime rise every day. This is not conjecture, but fact. Black America says it doesn't hate me, because I'm not the white person they are targeting with their racial rhetoric. They claim they are talking to the white establishment; that they respect that I have to work hard every day of my life at two full time jobs just to make ends meet. I'm told that they hate my skin color for what it represents - all of the pain and class restriction of the ages. Yet when I defend myself I'm told it is the white America that runs this country that they hate, and I shouldn't take that personally.

Then I walk into a black neighborhood and I'm hated for simply being white. I drive by a street corner where illegal drugs are being bought and sold in a marketplace atmosphere and I realize that the the vendors of death are not Caucasian. I read a story in the newspaper about a car jacking and I already know the race of the people who committed the crime; and I know the race of the victims. But I'm not allowed to be angered by that because it is my European skin's fault that the world has come to this. And the confirmation of my thought process is profiling. I'm not allowed to decry racism of all kinds because the only people who can be blamed for being racists are white. We are in the majority, after all. How long for this, though? The gap is narrowing incredibly quickly. If birth rates continue as they are today, in less than 100 years Caucasians will no longer be in the majority. Then what will happen? Then how will hate be seen on a scale of acceptability? Will Caucasians still control the money? Will they be allowed? Who will the poor blame when the money is redistributed as they demanded and yet they are still poor?

I'm tired of being made to feel guilty for wanting to live my life peacefully and to the extent that I can. I'm tired of being held responsible for something my family has never partaken in (yes I've looked). I'm tired of being hated because I come from European blood. I started my life at minimum wage. I didn't scream how unfair that was. I also didn't accept it. Did I start my life on third base? Hell, no! I haven't scored a run yet either, but I'm crafty and I'll work hard to get to home plate. All I'm asking is that everyone else do what they must to score their runs too, and play your game fairly.

What Imus said was unacceptable and he's going to pay for it with his retirement from meaningful public life. What Sharpton and others have said in response is at least as unacceptable, but sadly those racists will not pay any price for spreading their counter-filth. And those of us who just want to live and let live have to be a little more wary.

lisar replied:

TheOaf66 replied: awesome way to put it Ed

Crystalina replied: The differance between Chris Rock and Imus is that Chris Rock does not specify who he is speaking of. He dogs the race in general. People know what he is about and they pay for it. The man is funny but when I watch him I know it is comedy.

Imus specifically targeted a group of girls that did not ask for it. Whether he is a shock jock or not he should have not targeted them. Period.

cameragirl21 replied: no one should have to tolerate being hated just for being a white european...no one should have to tolerate being called a nappy headed ho either.
Imus isn't being fired because he's white, he's being fired for being a racist and making racist comments. if he had kept his racism to himself he'd still have a job today.

Crystalina replied:
Yes but you look at that same job and count the white/"black" ratio.

redchief replied:
I didn't say Imus was being fired for being white. I said, "What Imus said was unacceptable and he's going to pay for it with his retirement from meaningful public life."

I also said, "What Sharpton and others have said in response is at least as unacceptable, but sadly those racists will not pay any price for spreading their counter-filth."

I meant what I said. I didn't mean what I didn't say.

cameragirl21 replied:
i didn't say that you said that, Ed, i was just pointing out that Imus was not fired just because of his european heritage.
i think people also have to realize that it will never be an entirely level playing field because blacks have been ostracized by whites for years and they are just now working on evening out the playing field so of course you will feel like they can get away with more.
we whites have gotten away with more for centuries....

jcc64 replied:

Ed, I think we're gonna get into it. The first sentence above- can you not extract from the discomfort of that experience how black people feel on the flip side? Again, you can leave that black neighborhood, and that uneasy feeling is gone. But when black people try to operate in a white dominated society, they don't get to leave the neighborhood- it's everywhere they want to be- it's where the good schools are, the nice houses, the safe streets, the good stores, etc...
And I'm not trying to take anything away from your accomplishments, or anyone else for that matter. But as a white man, your ability to get "home" is inherently easier than it is for minorities, for all the reasons already discussed here. Maybe that's hard for you to see because it hasn't been part of your reality on a day to day basis. Is it right for black people to be prejudiced or hold you personally accountable for what happened 100 yrs ago? No, but as I said, their hatred is not nearly as potent or influential because they are not in a position to compromise your life in any meaningful way. Yes, they can make you feel uncomfortable in their neighborhoods, but they can't prevent you from earning a living, or going to better schools, and on and on. Our racism is systemic- theirs' is not.
I can't for the life of me understand why it's so difficult to extend an olive branch. If people say they are hurting at our hands, why is it so difficult for us to open our hearts to them? What does it cost us to join hands with our brothers and sisters? Isn't that what Christ would want from us?

And Ed, I really don't understand that last sentence in the quote above? Can you clarify that? Are you suggesting that there are no white drug dealers? You ought to visit our local jail.

kimberley replied: i think Jeanne is right, we are getting nowhere with this thread. everyone has stated their stance clearly on this issue and i don't believe there is much more to be learned.

i wave the white flag and agree to disagree. i am closing this thread before this gets any more personal.

an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure