2007
The Don Imus hullabaloo involving racial slurs against the Rutgers University women’s basketball team blanketed the airwaves for more than a week. As with all things that eventually pass, the controversy slipped under the radar (2008) paving the way for new sensationalistic stories that America loves to talk about.
The dictionary definition of racism is “prejudice or animosity against people who belong to other races” or “…the belief that some races are inherently superior or inferior.” My personal description advances that meaning to include power and control over the “victim” of racism. If a racist act causes you to lose your job or stellar reputation, or results in bodily harm (e.g. Rodney King and other police beatings) that is power and that IS overt racism. Racial epithets directed at you, however, may cause emotional damage and lower one’s self esteem, but only the targeted victim can allow that feeling to exist. I realize, in theory, this is an idealistic viewpoint. Words can, and do hurt. But carrying this kind of emotional baggage or dropping it, is within one's own power.
For more than three years, at a former place of employment, I endured racist comments from a senior executive. I could have complained or filed charges of racial discrimination. I did neither because (a) the executive who made the racial slurs did not exercise any control over my feelings about who I was as an individual, and (b) I recognized that he was a decent person (however ignorant) who simply needed to feel better about himself by putting me down. It was his problem, not mine.
Don Imus, for more than two decades, has always been an irascible, equal opportunity offender. He has slammed Blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Arabs, and Whites with vitriolic spite and bitter venom. Insults were the core of his show. But for the record, he and his wife also run a ranch in New Mexico for kids with cancer to help their healing process. He’s a gruff man on the outside with a pussycat interior.
He was also one of the most influential pitchmen in the history of broadcasting. His program garnered an estimated two million listeners and viewers each day, and more than $50-million in advertising revenue. Politicians, journalists, entertainers, and authors reaped tremendous publicity, and financial or political gain from their appearances on the Imus program. Most of the people to whom he gave generous air time have severed their ties with Mr. Imus. expressing embarrassment with their erstwhile affiliation with him.
Imus cannot be excused for his unthinking remarks, no matter how sincere he was with his apologies to the Rutgers team. But there is a double standard at work here. His misogynistic words are common in hip hop music, comedy, reality TV and on other talk shows that purport to dispense fair and balanced news.
Glenn Beck, for example, has used the “B” word to describe Hillary Clinton. He has referred to Katrina survivors as "scumbags" and told the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, "what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' "
Radio host Neal Boortz repeatedly attacks Muslims, calling one Muslim leader “a phony rag-picker." Boortz also described Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), who is African American, as “a ghetto slut," who looked like "an explosion at a Brillo pad factory.”
Bill O'Reilly regularly attacks Mexicans, Jews, gays, liberals and even cities! Denouncing San Francisco as “out of touch” with the rest of America, he said"…if Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."
Michael Savage told listeners that gay people "threaten your very survival" and once told a caller he hoped he would "get AIDS and die.” As for foul-mouthed, sexist and racist commentary by radio personalities like Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter, their collective remarks far outweigh any statements made by Don Imus.
How ironic that two Christian leaders—Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson led the movement to have Imus fired. In 1987, Sharpton invented the fictitious rape of Tawana Brawley, damaging the reputations of innocent White people. He has never apologized for that incident. In 1984, Jackson insulted New York's Jewish population by referring to the city as "Hymie Town". He did apologize. Both men continue to take up the Black cause but are generally thought of as publicity seekers and racial dividers rather than healers of racism.
What have we learned from this fiasco? Perhaps some good can come out of the I-man’s offensive and egregious error. We have bigger challenges in this country to deal with. Poverty, terrorism, health care, global warming, illegal immigration, and unprecedented national debt are at the top of the list. Let’s hope the Imus incident prompts the nation's media to consider a zero-tolerance approach to hurtful language and use the First Amendment to speak responsibly, thoughtfully ad with respect.
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