Imus Loses Radio Show

[ufojoe]

One more voice has been silenced. This week it is Imus. Next week will it be Rosie O'Donnell. This is not about "nappy head ho's" -- it is about censorship! Will Bill Maher be next? Maybe Keith Olbermann? This is about our rights to free speech. Or would you prefer a society of strictly controlled free speech?

This is not about free speech or censorship.  CBS and MSNBC made these decisions not the government.  They made a business decision.  The real issue is written in Jason Whitlock's article located at http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/66339.html. 

Exactly. People can be disappointed with NBC and CBS but it's not free speech. Imus can go to Times Square tomorrow and say whatever he wants.

If Imus was making racist comments in the forest and nobody was listening, do we care?

[karen anderson]

LOL @ joe!!

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

Some of these posts are just so amazing how people can mix up 2-3-4-5 issues into one. Just a glance and we see, no freedom of speech, Imus might be right about them being hoes, it's all the media blah blah blah. But at least it illustrates why the country's so screwed up when it comes to racism.

It's screwed up because people allow words to hurt them.  How pathetic and weak must a person be to let words hurt?  On top of this weakness comes an opportunity to make money.  If they sue they are hos. 

If by 'ho' you mean whore, then look it up.  Suing someone is legal and does not make one a whore, sex for money does.  Words do hurt--as a mother of a teenaged girl, the word 'ho' as applied to college girls who are not whores *does* strike a nerve.  It is dehumanizing and demeaning.

Some of these posts are just so amazing how people can mix up 2-3-4-5 issues into one. Just a glance and we see, no freedom of speech, Imus might be right about them being hoes, it's all the media blah blah blah. But at least it illustrates why the country's so screwed up when it comes to racism.

It's screwed up because people allow words to hurt them.  How pathetic and weak must a person be to let words hurt?  On top of this weakness comes an opportunity to make money.  If they sue they are hos. 

If by 'ho' you mean whore, then look it up.  Suing someone is legal and does not make one a whore, sex for money does.  Words do hurt--as a mother of a teenaged girl, the word 'ho' as applied to college girls who are not whores *does* strike a nerve.  It is dehumanizing and demeaning.

Using an argument that words aren't hurtful is disingenuous or naive, Either way when a grown man like Imus holds out  a specific group of individuals, especially young hard working women for ridicule and humiliation on national TV  he needs to be held accountable. Too many people are trying rationalize his conduct by pointing out the hypocrisy of racial dynamics in society but that has never worked and never will. But, maybe an incident like this could serve to propel the issue to a point where other aspects of the problem can finally be addressed and all this stuff could be talked about and real progress could be made. But it won't happen while people try to defend the indefensible.

[klb55]

Some of these posts are just so amazing how people can mix up 2-3-4-5 issues into one. Just a glance and we see, no freedom of speech, Imus might be right about them being hoes, it's all the media blah blah blah. But at least it illustrates why the country's so screwed up when it comes to racism.

It's screwed up because people allow words to hurt them. How pathetic and weak must a person be to let words hurt? On top of this weakness comes an opportunity to make money. If they sue they are hos.

If by 'ho' you mean whore, then look it up. Suing someone is legal and does not make one a whore, sex for money does. Words do hurt--as a mother of a teenaged girl, the word 'ho' as applied to college girls who are not whores *does* strike a nerve. It is dehumanizing and demeaning.

I'm more than aware of the definition.  A whore takes advantage of her body in order to make money.  These girls want to take advantage of an idiot's attempt at humor and make money.  At least a whore does something for the money.  You give an awful lot of power to people when you allow them to hurt you with words.  Empowering these people is exactly want they want.  If getting called a name is the worst thing someone has to deal with then consider yourself lucky.  This society is full of a bunch of hyper-sensitive crybabies.  Why do your care what other people think or say?  Grow up

[klb55]

Some of these posts are just so amazing how people can mix up 2-3-4-5 issues into one. Just a glance and we see, no freedom of speech, Imus might be right about them being hoes, it's all the media blah blah blah. But at least it illustrates why the country's so screwed up when it comes to racism.

It's screwed up because people allow words to hurt them. How pathetic and weak must a person be to let words hurt? On top of this weakness comes an opportunity to make money. If they sue they are hos.

If by 'ho' you mean whore, then look it up. Suing someone is legal and does not make one a whore, sex for money does. Words do hurt--as a mother of a teenaged girl, the word 'ho' as applied to college girls who are not whores *does* strike a nerve. It is dehumanizing and demeaning.

Using an argument that words aren't hurtful is disingenuous or naive, Either way when a grown man like Imus holds out a specific group of individuals, especially young hard working women for ridicule and humiliation on national TV he needs to be held accountable. Too many people are trying rationalize his conduct by pointing out the hypocrisy of racial dynamics in society but that has never worked and never will. But, maybe an incident like this could serve to propel the issue to a point where other aspects of the problem can finally be addressed and all this stuff could be talked about and real progress could be made. But it won't happen while people try to defend the indefensible.

you wrote "But, maybe an incident like this could serve to propel the issue to a point where other aspects of the problem can finally be addressed and all this stuff could be talked about and real progress could be made."

if you mean name calling then I'd argue that you don't understand the problems of the black community
if you mean the issues that Jason Whitlock addresses then I agree

klb-

I'm done w/ this topic for now but I owe you a response to your statments.

a) No I don't "understand the problems of the black community".
b) Whitlock makes many good points, but fails miserably in properly articulating/addressing the Imus situation.

[klb55]

klb-

I'm done w/ this topic for now but I owe you a response to your statments.

a) No I don't "understand the problems of the black community".
b) Whitlock makes many good points, but fails miserably in properly articulating/addressing the Imus situation.

Gulf,
You've missed the point of the article.  He did properly articulate and address the Imus issue.  His point is that Imus' comments are of no consequence and the real issues that plague the black communities go unaddressed by the gutless so called black leaders.

well then he's half right.

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

Some of these posts are just so amazing how people can mix up 2-3-4-5 issues into one. Just a glance and we see, no freedom of speech, Imus might be right about them being hoes, it's all the media blah blah blah. But at least it illustrates why the country's so screwed up when it comes to racism.

It's screwed up because people allow words to hurt them. How pathetic and weak must a person be to let words hurt? On top of this weakness comes an opportunity to make money. If they sue they are hos.

If by 'ho' you mean whore, then look it up. Suing someone is legal and does not make one a whore, sex for money does. Words do hurt--as a mother of a teenaged girl, the word 'ho' as applied to college girls who are not whores *does* strike a nerve. It is dehumanizing and demeaning.

I'm more than aware of the definition.  A whore takes advantage of her body in order to make money.  These girls want to take advantage of an idiot's attempt at humor and make money.  At least a whore does something for the money.  You give an awful lot of power to people when you allow them to hurt you with words.  Empowering these people is exactly want they want.  If getting called a name is the worst thing someone has to deal with then consider yourself lucky.  This society is full of a bunch of hyper-sensitive crybabies.  Why do your care what other people think or say?  Grow up

I can't really debate when your arguments are so infantile.  "At least a whore does something for the money"?? "Grow up"??

 I will answer your question, however.  The reason I care what someone on the public airways says is that it perpetuates the misogynistic attitudes that pervade our society, and I have a daughter and a son. I sincerely hope that the world that they inherit from us can be an improved one.  Where name-calling and sexism are common, so is violence against women, especially sexual violence.  If a  person is dehumanized because she is a 'ho', it's way easier to assault her than if she is a human being.  And far easier to discriminate against her in the job market, etc. 

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

Sexism and racism are real, not just words.  The reason people are "offended" is because these attitudes affect their lives--pay, job opportunities, mortgage approvals, violence, etc. You can be motivated all you want, but if the job is given to the white guy because of the old boy network, the opportunity was never yours to begin with.  The words don't hurt if there's no discrimination, but in our society there is.  Correcting people who perpetuate stereotypes that are damaging is still unfortunately necessary.

[klb55]

What is going on?  Posts appearing, disappearing, reappearing........

Dbrooks.......it looks like some of your posts are doing the same

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

What is going on?  Posts appearing, disappearing, reappearing........

Dbrooks.......it looks like some of your posts are doing the same

I don't know, but I did edit one of mine when I realized it was on the wrong Imus thread.  I'm about to sign off--hope you win at poker!

[klb55]

Sexism and racism are real, not just words. The reason people are "offended" is because these attitudes affect their lives--pay, job opportunities, mortgage approvals, violence, etc. You can be motivated all you want, but if the job is given to the white guy because of the old boy network, the opportunity was never yours to begin with. The words don't hurt if there's no discrimination, but in our society there is. Correcting people who perpetuate stereotypes that are damaging is still unfortunately necessary.

I guess someone forgot to tell the Japanese-Americans.  I agree that those are problems.  Regardless of any obstacles, we live in the most opportunistic, wealthy country in the history of the world.  Too many people, due to this "victim" attitude, don't pursue their dreams because they don't believe those dreams are attainable.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is we will never live in perfectly equitable society.  Life isn't fair and never will be.  Take care and good night.

[klb55]

I'm trying to play poker so my responses are not as quick as I would like.  The two references you made were comments not arguments.  I admit they were unnecessary but in no way were they supporting any position I have.  What is infantile?  A person who thinks that Don Imus was trying to be malicious.  It was a sixty year old man's ill conceived attempt at humor using language heard in popular culture.  The race merchants, Al and Jesse, are using this for their own benefit.  I'd direct you to the article written by Jason Whitlock.