Don Imus : Racism, Sexism, or Just Bad Taste?
MSNBC and CBS Suspend Don Imus For Two Weeks
Apology Not Accepted! (AP)
In the five days since he referred to members of the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team, as “nappy-headed hos,” Don Imus has apologized so many times I’ve lost count. For some people, in particular Al Sharpton, no amount of “sorries” can make up for what he said. Sharpton along with Jesse Jackson and number of other supporters want the aging shock jock fired for what they feel were racist comments. Some have picketed outside of the NBC tower, Sharpton pummeled him on his nationally syndicated radio show and MSNBC and CBS have suspended him for two weeks.
Posted by American Woman |
I am a woman nearing 60 years old. Rather recently I was in a club, on a cruise ship. I was sitting at a small round table with my husband having a drink. Then, we got up to dance. After the dance ended, we headed back to our table where our drinks were, at about the same time a group of young “people of color” approached the table. I casually and sweetly said to them that we were sitting there, as I would have notified anyone who was about to sit at our table where our drinks were. There were lots of empty seats in the club at the time. The young men were perfectly fine with this, and reacted normally to an ordinary situation. However, I got some very “severe” racial verbal abuse from the young woman. I told her, “it’s all right, I’ll sit somewhere else”. She continued to react with extreme negative prejudice. Finally, after a bit of time, one of the young men moved the table with our drinks on it, closer to us. I thanked him. ” Oh, is THAT all you wanted”, replied the nasty young woman. I didn’t respond. Now my question is (1) WHAT did she THINK I wanted!!! and (2) Why did she have to create such an unpleasant atmosphere to begin with?? Needless to say, my mood of “ephoria” on our 30th wedding anniversary was shaken for the remainder of the trip. I never returned to that club. And, to this day I’m deeply shocked and infuriated at that young woman. I, personnally, have ALSO undergone quite a bit of “religious, racial” in-your-face prejudice in my time (including job discrimination and housing discrimination - because of religion and ethnic origin- that’s right folks!!) I’m sick of all this. Imus is known as a satirist and is always poking fun at different racial, ethnic and religious groups, as well as his own!! When are we going to “GET OVER OURSELVES”!!! Some of us had ancestors who were slaves in this country, and some of us had relatives that were murdered in Nazi Germany!! Many of us escaped religious and ethnic intolerance (which we find again in the new countries we “escaped” to - but in more tolerable forms). I think putting Imus’ head on the chopping block will not help any people or causes, but just drive us further apart. Part of tolerance is the ability to laugh at our differences, and get over them!! If Imus was a politician this would be another matter, but Imus is a radio talk-show host comedian, known for his biting satiric wit; and he attacks all groups (racial, ethnic, and religious). I think the recent focus on his remarks divide the country more, and help to foster hatred among groups, rather then cement groups together. However, the smartest talk show host of all is Howard Stern; at least he just sticks to aberrant sexual acts, and body parts. But, I do object to his mal-treatment of women. (How come we haven’t heard too much about that????) signed, one old white lady’s opinion (aren’t I entitled to one???)
April 10th, 2007 | #