Don Imus Suspended; Should Be Fired
Robert Paul Reyes
April 10, 2007
The Rutgers women's basketball team had a Cinderella season, advancing to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship game. The Rutgers players, predominately African American, are not only superb athletes, but excellent students. The average person would describe the Rutgers women's basketball team as inspiring, gifted and talented.
Don Imus, the shock jock with a microphone that reaches millions, described them as "nappy-headed hos." To Imus it doesn't matter if a young black woman succeeds or excels as a scholar and as an athlete -- she's still just a "nappy-headed ho."
Don's "nappy-headed ho" comment was not an aberration in an otherwise sterling career in broadcasting. The "I-Man" is a cantankerous old goat with a penchant for uttering racist, homophobic and sexist statements.
Imus apologized on his radio show and then he apologized again on Al Sharpton's radio show. Deja vu all over again? White guy insults African Americans, apologizes to Al Sharpton and then goes to rehab? It's racist to think that a publicity-loving buffoon like Sharpton represents all blacks.
There is no white equivalent to Al Sharpton; if I call Britney Spears a "stupid cracker ho", no white preacher has been designated as the person I go to for forgiveness.
Imus should apologize in person, privately, to the fine young Rutgers athletes he insulted.
From Newsday.Com:
"Both CBS and NBC Monday slapped a two-week suspension on Don Imus' program amid a chorus of calls for his resignation or firing after the now-notorious comment about the Rutgers University women's basketball team.
Due to the events of the past week, CBS Radio will suspend Don Imus and the broadcast of his show for a period of two weeks, effective Monday, April 16, according to a terse statement released late Monday by the radio broadcaster that owns 'Imus in the Morning.' The CBS announcement came a little less than an hour after NBC's -- which was effectively rendered redundant."
A two-week suspension is a slap on the wrist; this pattern of racist insult, apology, rehab, and then back to business as usual has got to stop. NBC and CBS should sent a strong signal that they will not tolerate any further racist comments from anyone, by firing Don Imus.
Don Imus, the shock jock with a microphone that reaches millions, described them as "nappy-headed hos." To Imus it doesn't matter if a young black woman succeeds or excels as a scholar and as an athlete -- she's still just a "nappy-headed ho."
Don's "nappy-headed ho" comment was not an aberration in an otherwise sterling career in broadcasting. The "I-Man" is a cantankerous old goat with a penchant for uttering racist, homophobic and sexist statements.
Imus apologized on his radio show and then he apologized again on Al Sharpton's radio show. Deja vu all over again? White guy insults African Americans, apologizes to Al Sharpton and then goes to rehab? It's racist to think that a publicity-loving buffoon like Sharpton represents all blacks.
There is no white equivalent to Al Sharpton; if I call Britney Spears a "stupid cracker ho", no white preacher has been designated as the person I go to for forgiveness.
Imus should apologize in person, privately, to the fine young Rutgers athletes he insulted.
From Newsday.Com:
"Both CBS and NBC Monday slapped a two-week suspension on Don Imus' program amid a chorus of calls for his resignation or firing after the now-notorious comment about the Rutgers University women's basketball team.
Due to the events of the past week, CBS Radio will suspend Don Imus and the broadcast of his show for a period of two weeks, effective Monday, April 16, according to a terse statement released late Monday by the radio broadcaster that owns 'Imus in the Morning.' The CBS announcement came a little less than an hour after NBC's -- which was effectively rendered redundant."
A two-week suspension is a slap on the wrist; this pattern of racist insult, apology, rehab, and then back to business as usual has got to stop. NBC and CBS should sent a strong signal that they will not tolerate any further racist comments from anyone, by firing Don Imus.
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