As a local radio guy it's been moderately intriguing to watch the Don Imus debate, and even more interesting to see all the issues at play. I think there's more here than meets the eye, or ear.
First, Don Imus appears to have lost his mind. I can't pretend to understand our business on his level, as I've been happy to raise my family working in local radio. Nevertheless, his off-handed description of Rutgers' players was neither warranted nor useful. It showed nothing less than callous disregard for the success of young women; each worked her entire life to approach this level of achievement. Yet, it's impossible anywhere in radio to make all of your comments warranted, useful or both. It's also impossible not to make mistakes, experience slip-of-tongue or allow an expletive (or a few) to pass over the course of your career. Mechanical errors, bad moods, global warming, cold coffee, horrible guests and delinquent telephone conversations all function to throw curve balls to the radio host from time to time. Fortunately these are the vast minority of experiences for most of us, or so I would hope.
It is not my position to critique Don Imus. I am simply incredulous as to what has transpired over the past week, and even more confounded at Mr. Imus string of responses to this "event."
Whether Mr. Imus is actually "racist," depending upon your definition, is open for debate. Imus himself has re-opened such debate. His bad, so to speak. While Mr. Imus may secretly decry the level of political correctness that has invaded our society, the mistakes made over his airwaves attest to an uncommonly high level of short term bad judgment. With race set aside for a moment, personally degrading the members of a college basketball team based solely on appearance is beyond abusive. That this particular team has a significant composition of black females adds an almost incalculable level of harm. This game, for both the Lady Vols and Rutgers, will forever be defined by eight seconds of Imus' comments and the subsequent fallout.
In feudal Japanese times, samurai believed their sword was connected to their soul. In defeat, they would voluntarily fall upon such sword. Mr. Imus apparently chose the same fate with his microphone. Rather than immediately choosing a meaningful course of dialogue with those seriously offended by his comments, he found Al Sharpton's microphone and fell on it.
I find a couple of things sad about this entire debacle. First and foremost, the success of the Rutgers team has been completely shelved to make way for a racially-charged media circus. Likewise, I feel an opportunity for useful commentary and dialogue has been lost. I place a healthy amount of blame on Rev. Al Sharpton, and even more on Don Imus for allowing Sharpton to insert himself into yet another headline.
Al Sharpton is a dynamic public character. Ten percent reverend, 15 percent activist and 75 percent entertainer, I'm not exactly certain where to locate his congregation or attend his services. I'm also not sure whose civil rights he's attempting to protect. With the Duke verdict in this week, one might recall the historic irony of Al Sharpton leading a hoax rape charge against a white Assistant District Attorney (Steven Pagones) and losing $65,000 for defamation. Sharpton's associates paid the money. Now, after Sharpton spoke for the accuser in the Duke case, he was nowhere to be found when the DNA evidence arrived. The catalyst of cataclysm, this Al Sharpton fellow. Fred Harari, a Jew, lost his business and building to arson after Sharpton inserted himself into what became a deadly dispute over a lease. To me, as an individual, Al Sharpton has practiced decades of questionable racial theater at the expense of legitimate discussion, growth and progress. If you can offer Sharpton gain, he'll use you. After the horrid murder of Gianni Versace, a reward was offered by the City of New York for the apprehension and prosecution of Andrew Cunanan. Cunanan took his own life, and Fernando Carreira found him by happenstance while checking the boat on which Cunanan shot himself. Sharpton, a political rival of Rudy Giuliani at the time, used the case to paint Mayor Guiliani as a liar for not coming through on the reward cash. The truth seems to evaporate when the good Reverand visits town, and Don Imus should have retired rather than subjected himself and this issue to a reckless demagogue like Sharpton. Sharpton has referred to Jews as "diamond merchants" and decried whites moving into Harlem as "interlopers." I haven't seen Imus fanning the flames of any deadly riots, and neither has Yankel Rosenbaum. Look him up, and the Crown Heights riots. No matter what you think of Don Imus, Al Sharpton is decidedly not the man to pass judgment. Nor does Sharpton seem to traffic in much of the forgiveness his title of Reverend would seem to require.
Imus' years of race-baiting were torpedoed by the master, and Imus has only himself to accuse. Sharpton's brand of showbiz would be wisely avoided in similar situations, and sadly the meaningful voice and opinions of actual Rutgers players and families drowned under the cacophony of Al Sharpton's screams for Imus' job.
The string of broadcaster stupidity didn't end with Imus' foul comments or his ill-advised trip to Sharpton's studio. Gary Smith, a small town rock DJ in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania was fired for using the term "nappy headed ho's" in a radio contest. I suppose he thought it would be "topical" and "hilarious." Apparently intentional, inflammatory racial commentary shouldn't be performed by amateurs in the Poconos. Best leave this to the professionals, Gary.
One of the Rutgers players indicated that this would be a permanent scar on her life, and no matter what we think of Imus or Sharpton we can certainly see that as sad. Maybe you think she's exaggerating or will "get over it." It's not my position to tell her how to feel, and aside from sports this is likely her first time exposed to the pressure and emotion of concentrated publicity. This girl, and her team, worked to reach the pinnacle of success in a very difficult tournament. That success is what should remain of this season for both Rutgers and the Lady Vols. Political correctness, which I usually despise, is not to blame here. Exceptionally bad judgment by an historic broadcaster and the usual machinations of a serial self-promoter collided, with expected results.
I will be interested to see the outcome after Imus' whirlwind apology tour actually puts him face to face with Rutgers players. These women are the ones that matter, and their race should never have become a place for some ancient blowhard like Imus to push his rapidly-diminishing envelope.
Jason Walker
Ringgold
ringgold@gmail.com
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What Don Imus said regarding the Rutgers team was insulting and over the line.
Until today, at least Imus had a legitimate, genuine 'job'. He filed and paid his own income taxes. How much do you think his principal opponents - Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson - have paid in taxes of any sort?
Yet another case of the punishment not fitting the crime. And the FCC investigating this instance simply because Sharpton and Jackson called for it?
Please, somebody tell me the FCC has better things to do with their time and the taxpayers money.
Chip Chapman
cschapman@bellsouth.net
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I just do not understand the big stink over what Imus said. Hurtful and raciest? Sure it was. But where did these words originate? In the black community, that's where.
The black community needs to police their own first. How often have you pulled in to a filling station or convenient store only hear the vulgar and crass "music" coming from the automobile at the next pump?
The jailhouse/hip-hop life style that has engulfed our younger blacks has become the norm. The black community is teaching the white community bad things through their own language and actions.
Let's get Sharpton and Jackson to focus their attention where it needs to be instead of some old radio talk show host that just repeated what he was taught by a young black male.
Rick McCashin
Chattanooga
crmccashin@comcast.net