Can we talk about Don Imus

[hippietim]

Go check out all the nappy hair websites. Dammit, they need to be shut down. Who knew all these black people were so hateful towards other black people?

http://www.nappyhairaffair.com/

These folks have T-Shirts - I was going to get one until I found out I'd be a racist:

http://www.nappyhair.com/

Imus isn't the only horrible white bigot either:

http://www.adversity.net/special/nappy_hair.htm

And Amazon needs to be shut down too:

http://www.amazon.com/Nappy-Dragonfly-Books-Carolivia-Herron/dp/0679894454

CBS and MSNBC suck for suspending Imus on these grounds. Last I checked this is the United States of America and we have these things called freedoms. I suppose freedom of speech only applies when it's convenient.

[danastas]

Yeah, Tim, but that's not my question. I can really care less what happens to Imus. I'm just talking about people spouting double standards and white male anger.

[rjohnstone]

Do any of the white guys on here honestly feel offended when someone calls them a cracker? Can you honestly compare that to calling a black guy a N?

Depends on the context of the conversation and the intent behind the comment.
Most cases... nope. But there have been a few incidents in my past where I new damn well what the intent behind the remark was.
Did I let it slide... hell no.

I can take a joke and I can understand when someone (See Chris Rock example) is saying it as part of a bit.
I like Chris and he has some valid observations about "whitey". Am I offended... fuck no.
I know it's part of a bit... it's who he his as a performer.

What offends me is the double standard applied to these types of comments when they're made by white comedians.

If this was Don's example of a joke... well let's just say he should stick to commentary and leave the comedy to the pros.

[danastas]

What does this have to do with freedom of speech? Is the FEC stepping in? What about freedom to advertise on shows you approve of? You don't think this is a money issue? When the advertisers start bailing, then and only then will the decision on Imus be made, not that I even care.

No one claims freedom of speech is being abused when advertisers bail on other shows, and the show gets canned. Same thing here. look at the NBA and Tim Hardaway. The guy said he hated gays, and he was chucked from his job by the league. Does that mean the league is quelling his freedom of speech? Heck no, he can say he hates gays all he wants. He's just out of a job. Big difference.

[markD]

Do any of the white guys on here honestly feel offended when someone calls them a cracker? Can you honestly compare that to calling a black guy a N?

yes, as a matter of fact, i AM getting tired of it. i am tired of the PC idea that because i am of the "majority" that i CAN be ridiculed by others. i am tired of the double standard. calling me a cracker is NO different. it is a racial slur, and believe it or not, it IS offensive. and the PC attitude that racial slurs only apply to blacks or other minorities is a huge part of the problem. a racial slur is a racial slur.....N-word, cracker, gook, etc....either everyone can say it or nobody can say it.

i shouldn't have to "accept" it because i am white.

[markD]

No one claims freedom of speech is being abused when advertisers bail on other shows, and the show gets canned. Same thing here. look at the NBA and Tim Hardaway. The guy said he hated gays, and he was chucked from his job by the league. Does that mean the league is quelling his freedom of speech? Heck no, he can say he hates gays all he wants. He's just out of a job. Big difference.

true, and that is how this should be handled, within the organization. having all these civil rights groups jump and BULLY their way to a decision THEY want is the problem.....because it is founded on a double standard.

[hippietim]

What does this have to do with freedom of speech? Is the FEC stepping in? What about freedom to advertise on shows you approve of? You don't think this is a money issue? When the advertisers start bailing, then and only then will the decision on Imus be made, not that I even care.

No one claims freedom of speech is being abused when advertisers bail on other shows, and the show gets canned. Same thing here. look at the NBA and Tim Hardaway. The guy said he hated gays, and he was chucked from his job by the league. Does that mean the league is quelling his freedom of speech? Heck no, he can say he hates gays all he wants. He's just out of a job. Big difference.

This is a freedom of speech issue because you have a few folks manipulating the situation to squelch the freedoms of another. I fully understand there is no Consitutional violation occuring here.

[danastas]

yes, as a matter of fact, i AM getting tired of it. i am tired of the PC idea that because i am of the "majority" that i CAN be ridiculed by others. i am tired of the double standard. calling me a cracker is NO different. it is a racial slur, and believe it or not, it IS offensive. and the PC attitude that racial slurs only apply to blacks or other minorities is a huge part of the problem. a racial slur is a racial slur.....N-word, cracker, gook, etc....either everyone can say it or nobody can say it.

i shouldn't have to "accept" it because i am white.

I think white people are even more sensitive lately than black people.

[danastas]

true, and that is how this should be handled, within the organization. having all these civil rights groups jump and BULLY their way to a decision THEY want is the problem.....because it is founded on a double standard.

The outside pressure groups have never had an effect on anything. Iread the yahoo article this morning, and all the academics and pros that cover the media said this will blow over. And then I read that the advertisers are pulling out. Yeah, the pressure groups are putting pressure on the advertisers, but that's their right, no? That's part of their freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech is always a two way street. You say something, you have to expect to be called on it by someone. If that someone has more juice than you, then those are the breaks. I know that in my place of employment, I can't say ANYTHING because I don't have the most juice.

[hippietim]

Do any of the white guys on here honestly feel offended when someone calls them a cracker? Can you honestly compare that to calling a black guy a N?

It is 100% equivalent. If it is in some comedy skit then I don't give a flying fuck. Or, if someone wants to go make racist remarks about all white people on a talk show that's fine too.

But if some punk asshole on the street wants to call me a cracker, we have a problem. He is talking directly to ME. Odds are very good that he is trying to intimidate or abuse me in some manner. I will not have that.

[toejam]

Imus used the same words as Stevie Wonder did in his legendary song "I Wish". The opening line of that song is "Lookin' back on when I was little nappy headed boy". It is one of the greatest tunes of all time!

I never realized Stevie was such a racist. Someone should let Al Sharpton know.

I don't think Stevie actually knows he's black, though.

[markD]

I think white people are even more sensitive lately than black people.

maybe, maybe not. i just came out of a situation at work where one of my students was mad at me for writing her a discipline referral to the office. so she went and made a claim that i was a racist. a couple of her friends backed her up and "collaborated" her "story". they called my WHOLE class out to write witness statements, there were NO statements taken that supported her claim (other than what her friends said). yet i was STILL suspended without pay and "investingated" by an ethics board (for 2 weeks) before i was cleared of ANY wrong doing.

the funny part? EVERYDAY she would call me cracker, tell me she doesn't have to listen to me because "her mom told her that whites can't tell her what to do"....she and her friends got off totally free...AFTER lying about me and screwing up my life and finances for 2 weeks.

YEAH, i am a little sensitive about it. it is a double standard, and if i "whine" about it, then i get comments like yours!!

why do you think it is acceptable?

[danastas]

maybe, maybe not. i just came out of a situation at work where one of my students was mad at me for writing her a discipline referral to the office. so she went and made a claim that i was a racist. a couple of her friends backed her up and "collaborated" her "story". they called my WHOLE class out to write witness statements, there were NO statements taken that supported her claim (other than what her friends said). yet i was STILL suspended without pay and "investingated" by an ethics board (for 2 weeks) before i was cleared of ANY wrong doing.

the funny part? EVERYDAY she would call me cracker, tell me she doesn't have to listen to me because "her mom told her that whites can't tell her what to do"....she and her friends got off totally free...AFTER lying about me and screwing up my life and finances for 2 weeks.

YEAH, i am a little sensitive about it. it is a double standard, and if i "whine" about it, then i get comments like yours!!

why do you think it is acceptable?

You deserve to be sensitive about it after what you went through, but your anecdotal experience is about your confrontation with a girl who was a liar and had no bounds. Lying is one thing. It would be like me castigating the white race because a man in Boston lied and accused a black guy of raping and murdering his wife.

[hippietim]

Yeah, Tim, but that's not my question. I can really care less what happens to Imus.

I don't care about Imus either. I'm happy to see him fired. That doesn't mean that CBS and MSNBC don't suck for suspending him though.

I'm just talking about people spouting double standards and white male anger.

Are you really OK with the fact that you have fewer effective freedoms than other folks?

[danastas]

I'm talking about on TV or the media.