I have never listened to Don Imus, nor have I seen him on TV, except perhaps in passing. I could not tell you if he is left-leaning, right-leaning, an extremist, a moderate, funny or serious. I don't know what issues get him riled up, or what listener-contests he may have. All I know is that he made a racially (and I guess sexually) charged comment/joke, and was fired for it by CBS yesterday.
Also, he kind of looks like Neil Young. No one's mentioned that yet, so I thought I'd be the first.
Anyway, what I do know is that, in my opinion, this firing is nothing short of bullshit. What Imus said was obviously dumb, and he should have been condemned for it. I don't think, however, that the 18th ranked radio broadcaster in the nation's throwaway comment about a group of young women athletes has opened new (or old) racial divisions and caused a national crisis on par with Hurricane Katrina or Phil Hartman's murder (God, I still get mad over that...). I also don't think that the Rev. Al "In a down year, anyone can run for President" Sharpton should be the arbiter of what can and can't be said on the radio, or in the public sphere in general. I'm pretty sure there's a clause in the Constitution that covers that. Somewhere near the beginning, I believe.
If anything, Sharpton and Jesse "Hymie Town" Jackson are trivializing the real racism that exists today that is far more damaging to minorities in America than some weird old guy in a bad hat's senilic ramblings. But, of course, Sharpton and Jackson have gained national exposure for themselves and their organizations, which is really all that matters to them. As Sharpton himself says, the issue "was never about Don Imus."
Along those lines, I for one hope that this new public outrage manufactured by the two former Presidential candidates leads to some consistency. If they really are outraged by the systematic demeaning of minority women on the radio (Sharpton again: "We cannot afford a precedent established that the airwaves can be used to commercialize and mainstream sexism and racism."), then go after mainstream rap artists, whose lyrics are far, far, far more damaging under the standards Jackson and Sharpton and Wilbon and others have suddenly applied as the moral nirvana we should all aspire to. If Imus can't say "nappy-headed hos," why can Ludacris, Young Jeezy, R. Kelly, or Mims (to name a few) say that and worse? Because they're black?? Ban it all!!! And why not go after people like Louis Farrakhan, who may be the most anti-Semitic human being alive (sorry Ahmedinejad...)?? But of course he's not an easy target, and so gets a pass.
Look, I only point this out because I think it's ALL bullshit. I don't think that Don Imus should be censored, just as I don't think that any of the rap artists currently blowing up the Billboard charts should be censored (although it does bother me that rap has fallen so low, as their "music" doesn't come close in quality to anything produced in the 90's - listen to The Rhyme on XM Radio and you'll see what I mean). One of the great things about America is that we are supposed to be able to say whatever the hell we want, and the people can decide what to listen to and what to believe. I mean, hell, Rosie O'Donnell (who, disturbingly enough, is on my side on this particular issue) has her own pulpit to spew verbal diarrhea (thanks Carmela!) every single day! But I, as a free consumer, can (and do) choose not to listen to what she says. It's called free will. I, for one, have yet to find someone who has actually ever listened to Imus, so I don't know that it's terribly difficult to turn him off if you don't like what he says. What frightens me is that the whole PC movement has gone from a roll-your-eyes ha ha sidebar to a mainstream force actively deciding what we can and can't say, what we can and can't listen to, and what we can and can't watch. That, folks, is what goes on in places like Iran, China, Pakistan, and my office (porn = out). Al Sharpton does not speak for me, and should not try to act like he does. Last time I checked, he was not voted into a representative office.
I mean, seriously, I know it's been said before, but when did we become such a nation of thin-skinned pussies??? I thought sticks and stones could break my bones, but words could never hurt me. One Rutgers player noted: "This has scarred me for life." Really?!?!? Maybe to the extent that your coach has dragged you onto Oprah and CNN and MSNBC and Fox News and Al Jazeera and Vive la France and The Onion to discuss how three words could get more exposure than, say, a 103 year old woman hitting a hole in one, which is much more newsworthy in my opinion. When anyone can be persecuted for their thoughts and what they say in an otherwise legal manner, any possibility for dissent and an open forum are squashed. We get closer to 1984 (the book, not the terrible movie) every day.
Alright, end rant.
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2 comments:
I don't think the 1984 reference is appropriate. Is the government somehow involved with Don Imus? Is he being investigated? Subpoenaed? Prosecuted?
The thing to like about Imus's firing is that it was the result of the free market doing its job. Imus was allowed to say the stupidest shit imaginable for years until his sponsors decided it was no longer profitable to advertise on his show. He was fired when he was no longer a good investment, and not a moment sooner.
By 1984, I actually meant Fahrenheit 451, which is a more apt description, I think, of the regulation of free speech.
While I agree that, in theory, this was the free market performing at its best with the firing coming only after the sponsors pulled out, my main point was that the "outrage" over his firing, if it is in fact a legitimate attempt by Sharpton, Jackson, and whoever else to apply a certain moral standard to the airwaves, should be spread uniformly to all media disparaging women and minorities. Since I've written this, they have, in fact decided to take this route.
Although I abhor the kind of "morality police" movement that may or may not be emerging, I at least applaud them for being consistent.
Again, I don't know Don Imus from Don Rickles, and his firing was completely the call of his employers. It sounds like he was a major league douche.
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