In defense of Don Imus

[kentuck]

I don't believe he meant his latest comments in a racist way. I think he was attempting to be sarcastic. In response to a sports announcer that was on his show that mentioned that Pac-Man Jones had been arrested six times since he was drafted by Tennessee in 2005, Imus asked, "What color is he?" I believe he was trying to make the point that maybe he was arrested because he was black and that blacks are intimidated and arrested more by the law than whites. Just my opinion.

[msongs]

1. why would anybody listen to that guy for any reason? nt

[redqueen]

2. It'd be nice if that was the case.

If it is, I hope he goes on the air about what he really meant.

[babylonsister]

4. He already did. Now, will anyone listen? Well, I guess, because

I did. Trumped up charges by a media greedy for brainless stories they don't have to work for. Meantime, Glen Beck, Michael Savage, et al, keep spewing. Go figure.

[redqueen]

5. Thanks! Good to know that. Moving on...

:)

[Swamp Rat]

10. Rash Limpballs brazenly calls Obama "Halfrican" and "The Magic Negro," yet nothing happens.

[babylonsister]

12. No kidding. This drives me nuts; why does limpballs get a pass,

because he's a right winger? And Beck; the crap he spews should gain him eternal condemnation. But nothin' happens.

[Swamp Rat]

13. And this is peanuts compared to what Bushler actually does to brown-skinned people.

[Virginia Dare]

3. No defense for something so indefensibly stupid..

now he's going to preach to others about racial inequality? Idiotic for him to go there, even if it was sarcastic.

[Swamp Rat]

6. I turned on cable news at 7 am, and all I hear is 'Don Imus this' and 'Don Imus that.'

Cup of Joe Scarface on MSNBC was harping about Imus, then a talking head on CNN said, "his show will be on for two more hours, so we'll be watching to see what else he will say." I didn't even bother checking CNBC or FUX, then turned off the the TV.

They are a parody of themselves. The TV news is news about itself.

Welcome to the New American Idiocracy.

[babylonsister]

9. "They are a parody of themselves". Perfect analogy. Yet not

one word about the racist crap Buchanan spews on a regular basis.

[Swamp Rat]

11. Or Glenn Beck or Michael Savage or Name Any Right Wing Nutjob Radio Host

[tularetom]

7. It doesn't matter what he meant

For ten years or more he made his cute little snide references to blacks. You could see the little smirk on his face after he thought he'd gotten off a good one. His little act finally caught up with him and rightly or wrongly he can't step even one inch out of line now without a ton of shit landing on his head.

Your interpretation of what he said may be 100% correct but he is being judged on his overall performance which doesn't earn him the benefit of the doubt on racial issues.

IMO he should be off the air. Not because he's a racist. Because he isn't entertaining.

[skooooo]

26. Ratings say..

...many people find him entertaining.

[Ian David]

8. Don't care. All I know is, Michael "Savage" Weiner makes Imus look like Al fucking Sharpton. n/t

[kentuck]

14. The important part of this story ...

is how the corporate media is trying to blow it out of proportion, just as they will try other stories, if they are successful. They are already doing it with Barack Obama in several ways. They should be called on their tactics on this story as the others they plan in the near future.

[DianeK]

15. why does anyone give so much weight to what Don Imus has to say?

In case anyone forgot, he is a comedian

[FredScuttle]

34. So's Kramer

[Winterblues]

16. Since when has he been a voice for the blacks?

He calls them nappy headed Ho's and other names and yet I recall no time he has stood up for the unfair treatment of blacks. I believe it was exactly as it sounded. Why would a rational person even ask what color the person was? It what way is that even relevant? He was making the statement that it was a given if there was a robbery it must be a black person committing it.. Just my opinion of course...

[DefenseLawyer]

20. Well there is a real issue hidden in there.

A rational person might ask if a person who was arrested was white or black. The fact is there is real problem in this country concerning the disproportional number of African Americans arrested and jailed in this country, including the very real phenomenon of men of color being routinely pulled over in many communities for the crime of "driving while black". We ought to address why statistically a black offender is more likely to get prison time for the same offense that a white offender will get probation and why a 3rd of all African Americans end up in the criminal justice system. Those are real issues, even if Don Imus lacks credibility in raising them.


A few numbers:
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/racepris.htm

[skooooo]

25. Dick Gregory was on Imus this morning....

That will come as a big shock to all the Imus haters who want to believe he hates black people. Not the first time Gregory has been on the show, as well as many other professors etc. who have come on to discuss racial issues since Imus was fired last year.

I realize these facts are hard to understand if you are more than eager to make Imus into a KKKer, but the fact is he's NOT.

I might transcribe what Gregory had to say about all of this , if anyone is interested. Gregory was scheduled to be on to discuss George Carlin. What would Carlin say about all of this..hmmm.

[Winterblues]

29. I agree 100% with you

I was not suggesting otherwise only that Imus has no credibility on this issue. I believe he raised the race issue because he is a racist and not because it is indeed a serious problem in America. However it is only my opinion on the matter and I can only hope I am mistaken.

[skooooo]

32. Winterblues..

Read my post #31.

[Johonny]

17. I'm trying hard to believe that angle

Nope not working. The guys got to much history to believe it this time. He's always got an excuse for these comments, eventually you just have to accept he's doesn't have a positive view of black athletes.

[DefenseLawyer]

18. That is probably what he was trying to say

Otherwise it was so blatantly racist that even a racist wouldn't say it on the radio. But if you are Don Imus, you have no margin of error and certainly don't deserve the benefit of the doubt. That being the case, if that is what he meant, he could easily have done a better job of making his point. He and everyone in the room had to know how that sounded right when he said it. The fact that he didn't clarify it immediately makes his explanation ring hollow.

[kentuck]

19. I think it is more about the media than Don Imus...

Just my opinion.

[blues90]

21. I agree , Imus is not a stupid man .

I can look around and find many talk show hosts and others who have said much worse and they are free from attacks and still on the air . How about that Mike Reagan freak?

[Phillycat]

22. I don't think he meant it racist either, but he HAS made racist statements before.

People are probably less likely to give him the benefit of the doubt because of his previous statements.

[kentuck]

23. And I think basically that is what has happened...

because of his past comments. Actually, I think he was trying to sarcastically say that "look at his color - that is why he has been arrested 6 times" - as a way of saying that maybe he wasn't guilty all 6 times?

[Phillycat]

24. Well, but, his past comments are valid when coming to a conclusion about what he meant.

That's the reason prior acts are often allowed in court when they relate to the matter at hand. :shrug:

[skooooo]

27. May be, but you need to consider other actions as well.

Including his efforts to engage in serious discussions about race since he has been back on the air. Of course, those don't get sensational coverage like this statement has. No coverage for having civil rights leaders, or Debra Dickerson, or John Lewis, or Dick Gregory.

[Phillycat]

28. I admit I don't listen to his show.

The news media covered the last comments he made, and this one. Other than what I know from listening to Stern 10, 15 years ago, that's all I know about Don Imus. But you'd think he'd be more careful, you know?

[skooooo]

31. Here is what has been going on on his show over the last 6 months...

Yes, he should be more careful, I agree. And if people want to hate him, I don't care, but they should at least be aware of what is going on on the show. This is on a rural channel that farmers watch. Now farmers are listening to the people (and others) listed below. They are also being exposed to many AA jazz and blues artists that Imus has on the show.


=============================

Debra Dickerson interview
Part I - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwC8qBUWWLk
Part II - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_qT0YMNgYo

Dick Gregory interview (50 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WWFeoYng5w

There are more interesting interviews. If I can find them online , I'll post them.
==============================

Meanwhile from the Huffington Post:
I'm Standing With Imus in the Morning
Imus' new show has all the humor without the cringing. It is funnier than ever, with new cast members and a whole new group of broadcast personnel and executives to skewer. Imus has covered racial matters exceedingly well, including having Dick Gregory on the show for extended stints.

To hear the show in the Bay Area, I have to record it on my computer while I am sleeping and then transfer it onto my iPod. Inevitably, I am the only person in my BART car with a smile on my face.

[skooooo]

33. Carl Jeffers interview..

http://www.wabcradio.com/Article.asp?id=709215&spid=26427

====


Also Dick Cavett (ok, not an AA but remarkable nonetheless to have him on)
http://www.wabcradio.com/Article.asp?id=643741&spid=25482

George Carlin interview of Dec. 2007
Part I - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x82LNWUQCQ0
Part II - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOCX3Mm6CII

[dorkulon]

30. I agree, this is misplaced outrage.

This is a perfect example of why people are deathly afraid to ever discuss race, lest they be misinterpreted and then excoriated as racist. Imus was clearly implying that Jones had been arrested several times due to his race, but those of us addicted to outrage will bend over backwards to deliberately misinterpret anything he says as racism. It's pretty damn sad.

[asdjrocky]

35. Fuck Imus.

Fuck him. Fuck him. Fuck HIM! I thought the last thing he did was stupid and just typical, in fact, that didn't even really piss me off.

But to simply say, "What color is he?" Is just too fucking much. Gone, gone and gone is where that old and stupid asswipe should be.

(By the way, I'm a middle aged white guy who worked in radio for years, and yes, I've met the smelly little idiot.)