Don I Mus Apologize 100 Times...
Wow- Don Imus (for once) is in the hot seat. No surprise, really. His career is based upon his sharp tongued response to guests who frequently appear on his show. Too, his comments always come as a response to national and global events that occur in the world. He's a talking head. That's what he's supposed to do. But, he offended some young people who happen to play basketball really well and the fact that the 'victims' are minorities, has stirred up a hornet's nest among those who have ready access to big media. Here is the latest AP story to date about the unfortunate incident:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070410/ap_en_tv/imus_protests
While I personally do not condone the statements that Imus made in calling the Rutgers' women's basketball team "nappy headed ho's", he has apologized for his crude remarks repeatedly on the air and in front of television crews. Not only did he meet and apologize in person with two of his biggest critics, Jesse Jackson and Al (I ought to be promoting a boxing spectacle in Vegas) Sharpton, the turmoil in the media continues. It continues largely because of the ensuing saber waving of Jackson and Sharpton who cannot accept (or don't want to accept) the man's apologies. How many times must he be publicly taken to task? 70 times 7? Come on guys, enough is enough.
Forgive me, but why are Sharpton and Jackson the appointed judge and jury on all things relating to an exercise in poor judgement when it comes to racially motivated comments? Shouldn't the apologies have been made to the Athletics Department of Rutgers and specifically to the young ladies on the basketball team that he offended?
Old wounds run deep, some have said. Comments that pertain to racial bigotry and hatred are difficult to overcome with a simple apology others have said. Well, I must ask: At what point is the apology enough? At what point does the "offendee" reach forgiveness from the "offended"? What act of contrition is a high enough price to pay for words that cannot be taken back but for which numerous apologies have been publicly offered?
Apparently, the judge and jury say the answer is for Imus to be fired. Forget about 1st Amendment freedoms in this country. When it doesn't further Jackson's or Sharpton's agendas, or it doesn't fit another minority's agenda - we just look the other way and demand that a man lose his livelihood.
While despicable and deplorable, this man's constitutional right to say whatever he wishes on the airwaves is guaranteed by that raggedy old parchment in Washington, DC. Certainly, the body that oversees the regulating of public airwaves can censor him, fine him, even remove him from the airwaves for a time, but the last thing anyone wants is to bring the litmus test of the 1st Amendment to the forefront over racially oriented material.
Jackson and Sharpton need to get over it. They need to return to whatever activity occupied their world before the television lights and microphones were turned on. Like moths to a flame.
My two cents worth today.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070410/ap_en_tv/imus_protests
While I personally do not condone the statements that Imus made in calling the Rutgers' women's basketball team "nappy headed ho's", he has apologized for his crude remarks repeatedly on the air and in front of television crews. Not only did he meet and apologize in person with two of his biggest critics, Jesse Jackson and Al (I ought to be promoting a boxing spectacle in Vegas) Sharpton, the turmoil in the media continues. It continues largely because of the ensuing saber waving of Jackson and Sharpton who cannot accept (or don't want to accept) the man's apologies. How many times must he be publicly taken to task? 70 times 7? Come on guys, enough is enough.
Forgive me, but why are Sharpton and Jackson the appointed judge and jury on all things relating to an exercise in poor judgement when it comes to racially motivated comments? Shouldn't the apologies have been made to the Athletics Department of Rutgers and specifically to the young ladies on the basketball team that he offended?
Old wounds run deep, some have said. Comments that pertain to racial bigotry and hatred are difficult to overcome with a simple apology others have said. Well, I must ask: At what point is the apology enough? At what point does the "offendee" reach forgiveness from the "offended"? What act of contrition is a high enough price to pay for words that cannot be taken back but for which numerous apologies have been publicly offered?
Apparently, the judge and jury say the answer is for Imus to be fired. Forget about 1st Amendment freedoms in this country. When it doesn't further Jackson's or Sharpton's agendas, or it doesn't fit another minority's agenda - we just look the other way and demand that a man lose his livelihood.
While despicable and deplorable, this man's constitutional right to say whatever he wishes on the airwaves is guaranteed by that raggedy old parchment in Washington, DC. Certainly, the body that oversees the regulating of public airwaves can censor him, fine him, even remove him from the airwaves for a time, but the last thing anyone wants is to bring the litmus test of the 1st Amendment to the forefront over racially oriented material.
Jackson and Sharpton need to get over it. They need to return to whatever activity occupied their world before the television lights and microphones were turned on. Like moths to a flame.
My two cents worth today.
posted by Troy M. Stirman | 7:30 AM
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