Comments on: Revisiting Don Imus

Amid The Current Controversy, Mike Wallace Looks Back At His 1996 Interview With Don Imus

[dickrob]

When the first report of Imus' comments was aired, the quote was censored and I had no idea of what was said. But if it was so egregious and so hurtful, why has it been necessary to repeat it in every piece written or aired about Imus without masking it? I've read or heard the term at least a thousand times since Imus said it and he only said it once. Does it somehow lose its racist and sexist overtones in the repetition? It apparently is less serious that the 'n-word' which is always masked, yet the punishment is far in excess of using that term, notwithstanding what everyone feels was a heartfelt apology from Imus. Just seems to be a dual standard - if you report it, it's OK, but if you use it, you can lose your job.

Imus will be back - MSNBC, CBS, and Sharpton will have lost the opportunity to continue any meaningful dialogue with one of the more powerful media personalities in America.

[toldyouso21]

put imus back on he said sorry rutgers belives him forgiveness is what we do
Posted by snappy71 at 08:45 AM : Apr 17, 2007


Imus has been saying he is sorry and he promises not to be racist again for the past 40 years. this is not the first or even the 10th such comment. So really, when does "sorry" stop cutting it? When someone apologizes we want to give them the benefit of the doubt--the first time. when they do it again, we say they may have fallen off the wagon--so we sigh and try to forgive them again--when someone keeps doing it though and has a history--at some point you have to realize the "i'm sorries" are NOT sincere and the person has no intention of stopping. That is where Imus is. As MSNBC and others stated--they did not just consider these remarks, they also considered many more over many years. This one was just the last straw.

Unfortunate that this one event should bring Imus down--but here is the crux---this one event was in Imus's own hands--but he blew it. Why? Because he was allowed to get away with so much for so long--that it never occurred to him he would ever have to pay a price. Sort of like a spoiled, undisciplined child.....I do feel sorry for Imus and do think this was blown out of proportion--but it was inevitable--either that or Imus would have just kept going until he went too far with another group. And it is not rap's fault. Imus was making racists remarks before most rappers were even born.

[enaudnalla]

silent_mjrty


I understand this is an American problem , but the media who is owned by majority whites does not. Look at all the town hall meetings about the state of the black man.........we know this and have mobilized in efferts against a money driven corportation who promotes more to denigrate black/black women or whomever. My point is what about the town hall meeting for whites? Arent they ravaging our schools and shooting our kids? John Mark Karrs and white priests on every corner. When do whites have a town hall meeting on domestic terror in their community? Is so obviously hidden. Oprah is not an activist as would be Martha Stewart. She is a talk show host concerned with ratings as she should be.

[toldyouso21]

Blacks may have a starring role in this industry and black artists may use their misogynistic and racial remarks--but they are selling a product and it looks like a lot of America is doing a lot to promote it. These artists could not sell their music like they do, if people were not buying. These artists have NO say who it being played on the airwaves, these artists do NOT legitimize their music---the entertainment industry does. So what is the point? Blacks are NOT responsible for what other blacks do, not for welfare, or gang banging, or drug selling, etc--any more than each white or Bush is responsible for white serial killers, or mass killers or child rapists. If Whites do not assume collective guilt for the bad among the race--why do we expect blacks to do it? I can see those points. (shared by Tavis Smiley) Et you?

[toldyouso21]

Lately, it has become fashionable to blame the victim or other guy for what someone has said or done. for Bush's acts, Clinton is trotted out. For Imus's acts, we blame or also point a finger at rap but what race or group enables rap the most? To recap the other post--70% of all rap music is purchased by white youth in suburbia. White corp. put rap on the radio and promote it, Imus was saying horrible things about other races before rap existed and .... In 2006 the academy award (which has over 6000 white members and ~ 120 black members voted to give an oscar to Three Six Mafia (a rap group) for a song entitled "It's hard out here for a pimp" for best original song. The obvious majority votes came from whites. So although most of the artists are black, the ENABLERS of rap and those lyrics are primarily white--so why are blacks held accountable for an industry that is run, perpetuated and exploited by whites? This is a concern because whites supposedly are trying to blame blacks for rap--as if they control the industry--but blacks for the most part WORK in the industry only a few blacks control portions of the industry but even then--they do not control the media or sponsorship. Upon closer examination, negative rap has been enabled and promoted by BOTH races and BOTH races should bear some responsibility for its ascendancy.

[snappy71]

put imus back on he said sorry rutgers belives him forgiveness is what we do

[toldyouso21]

Today I heard an interesting commentary about Imus and rap music. I wonder how most people will address these points:

1. Don Imus has made racist remarks for 40 years. Rap has been around for about 25 years and been derogatory for the past 20 or so. Who inspired Imus before he could blame rap?

2. Rap music is NOT put on the air by blacks, they have no power. White corporate executives put rap on because it makes money, why are blacks held responsible for what America wants? Because the artists are black?

3. 70% of all rap music are purchased by WHITE people, not blacks. Why are whites not held complicit in the sale and promotion of rap also?

Part 1

[markster6]

People have posted that Sharpton had nothing to do with Imus's firing, and that Sharpton is not that powerful (Read post by Misspp at 11:28 PM: Apr 15, 2007). Also, when Sean Hannity brought up Sharpton's role in the Imus firing on his radio show yesterday, one of his on-air guests said to Hannity, "What does Sharpton have to do with this?"

Sharpton had everything to do with Imus's firing, and is that powerful. The media hangs on Sharpton's every word and action. He uses his power to 1)bully, berate, and vilify from the pulpit/microphone, 2)lead marches 3)organize boycotts.
He did all three of the above in the Imus flap.
You can be sure Sharpton's invective speech about Imus, his march on CBS headquarters, and his call for boycotts had a major impact on the decision making of advertisers and media heads.

[silent_mjrty]

enaudnalla -

yep. listen to the black establishment - on oprah. it's THEY who are calling for the change. they're calling for uplifting our COUNTRY'S COMMON DENOMINATOR ... all colors.

it's a U.S.A. problem, not a black-white problem.

you've mentioned several other issues - different topics. more effective to address one at a time.

whites and blacks have mixed fr the beginnings, asians and whites, etc. - people do that. we're the HUMAN race.

yep. i'll be listening this pm. and thinking.

black arts have impacted (others) always. hi-art AND street-art. always. always. same as asian, indian, etc.

we're of the HUMAN RACE. we do that.

not long ago - the fight was to allow black arts to be accepted "main-stream". now, black main-stream is fighting to pull in the reins.

yeah. i'm listening.

probably been listening a bit longer than you. however, where i am, you will be.

one day at a time.

[mark-ira]

In my religion %u2013 Judaism - words have so much substance that the Hebrew word for %u2018word%u2019 is the same as the word for %u2018thing%u2019 or %u2018object.%u2019

I mention my religion because in December of 2006, Don Imus labeled my wife, my son, me, and all Jews %u201C%u2026thieving Jews.%u201D

To be precise, on his show of December 8, 2006, Imus referred to the publishers of a new book called "The Christmas Thief" as "thieving Jews," and his subsequent "apology" on the same program, where he said (of thieving Jews), "I apologize %u2026 I realize that's redundant."

This came after his November 30, 2006 show, on which Imus and his co-hosts self-righteously referred to the "Jewish management at whoever we work for, CBS," and whom he later referred to as "money grubbing ***," one of the classic canards of the Jew-hater.

Nice guy!

[silent_mjrty]

TO OTHER FORMER-CBS FANS.

YEAH. i'm a third-generation 60 MINUTES fan. formerly encouraging my young-adult kids to become the 4th.

adding to that - FACE THE NATION. OPRAH. DAVID LETTERMAN.

NEVER AN IMUS FAN. NEVER.

However. I was shocked CBS fired IMUS. for doing his job. a shameless railroad. (via oprah. i've been writing about it.)

the day following the firing - i didn't watch CBS at all. (man! it's tough to change old habits, isn't it.) i was sad.

by Sunday evening - i was ready to watch 60 MINUTES.

as soon as i heard m wallace start on that 10-yr-old so-called "report" - i switched channels at that moment, i swear.

i couldn't shake the disgust. (as i read, i have LOTS of company.) ...

so - (first-timer) - i found cbs' webpage - and i've been 'a-writin. and reading.

Yep - i see an "Oprah connection" - i'm the one.

you see, i watch a lot of tv. i'm a caretaker for my severely disabled spouse. i watch. i listen. and, i think. yes i do.

it's something i add to my solitaire and crossword puzzles.

it's not acceptable that Oprah has determined that IMUS should be COLLATERAL DAMAGE in her battle against gangsta rap (see, i listen.)

CBS - WHAT ARE YOU DOING.

you appear to be "runnin' scared". that doesn't generally have a good outcome.

good luck with that.

[enaudnalla]

So tired of White AMerica UNDER THE RADAR.
When have you ever heard of a black male commiting domestic terror.........I was surprised the Virginia shooter was Asian which identifies with Whites anyway , but Blacks are tired of the Moral upright too less impathetic white men who decide to Go off and do a Columbine attack , Omish school attack and should i go on? You have the highest number of child molesters who convienently now have their own prisons and then come out to go to rehab so you can save face for your White Trash. White Media, we are tired of the talk about rap and indentity crisis on black men which you actually are promoting. Next Town Hall Meeting: Status Of White Men and how Rock and 24 is impacting their community

[silent_mjrty]

THE DRAFT. THE DEMS.

THEY'RE BRINGING IT BACK - HAVE YOU LISTENED? LISTEN!

ANDY ROONEY ON 60 MINUTES. BOB SCHIEFFER MORE RECENTLY ON FACE THE NATION. (IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LAST ELECTION (a black congressman spoke up and called for the draft the DAY after "America spoke" - to end iraq asap. sorry, i'm bad with names.)

THEY ARE SAYING THE WORDS OUT-LOUD. ARE YOU LISTENING?

[booyaw_77]

Its big mouthed big shot loud mouthed radio yappers like this that sparked the lunatic right wing "lets go to war with iraq" american psychosis in the first place. Fire all the shock jocks. They're has-beens.

[rdrnrs]

We have watched 60 Minutes for many years.After Mike Wallace's report about Imus,we will no longer watch your show.That was the most biased,one-sided report I have ever heard.Shame on Wallace and shame on CBS and MSNBC for firing Imus.I guess it is okay when the black people refer to caucasions ans whitey,crackers,my man, and many other not so nice names.Most of us just ignore them.We want to thank Mike Francesca and Chris Russo for standing up for Imus.Also thanks to Geraldo for his support.To Tim Russert,Sen.
Ford,Joe Biden,Barnacle,and all the others that so willingly went on the Imus Show and pretended to be his friend just to get the air time, you will never get our support for anything.There were a lot more that were not willing to speak up, but too many to mention.This was definitely mob mentality actions and we will no longer support MSNBC,CBS, or any of their sponsors.May the sound of their ratings be heard nationwide.Why don't Sharpton and Jackson get a life and legitimate jobs like most of us? They are too busy stirring up racial hate, and shame on them.

[samthetvcat]

If Imus isn't able to keep up the cancer camp with his name associated with it, he ought to transfer it over to somebody else like Hannity and contact the corporate sponsors to secure continued pledges of their funds. It could just be in name only with oversight remaining in his hands. He might not still get public credit but if he's doing it out of the good of his heart (and I do believe that he was) then that won't change and the children won't have to be affected at all.

On a completely different note, what's with all the hypocritical drug use by the right-wing pundits? Limbaugh, Imus, that gay minister, etc . . .

[recallgwbush]

Imus was railroaded out by the racists. In a really deep way, Sharpton and Jackson appear to be the racists! You don't see them protesting black recording artists or encouraging blacks to stop blaming their condition in life on their dead forefathers. Of course I had to laugh because once again a black report reports the racists news! The only people that get hurt with Imus being terminated are children with cancer! The funds are dried up and those children who aquired cancer will not have anywhere to ride a horse for the first and possibly the last time. Sharpton and Jackson should be proud of their racists selves.

[samthetvcat]

Part 2
Now I'm not saying that I think Al Sharpton demanding Imus' firing was the best call, or that the Rutger's women's basketball team didn't need to develop a thicker skin, or that CBS parted ways with Imus in the best way or at the best time, or that I wouldn't like to see rap music be held accountable, but now I'm more inclined to believe that if all Imus has brought to the table over the last 40 years is the level of discourse displayed in this segment then he ought to be counting his blessings that he lasted as long as he did and that even if the means wasn't ideal the end result suits me just fine. He ought to just enjoy his retirement and perhaps ask people to continue to support his charities via donations to his website if he has one.

PS Oprah is in the middle of doing a 2-part series on 'After Imus: What Next' . . . she's no friend of many 'gangsta' rappers so it ought to be interesting to see her discussion with Russell Simmons tomorrow . . .

[samthetvcat]

Part 1
Okay, so this 60 Minutes segment and the Dateline segment were not-so-subtle PR campaigns to justify the firing of Imus . . . normally I don't like to appreciated feeling manipulated in this manner, but the reporters for these shows are good and they made a compelling case.

I didn't know about Imus humiliating Hillary like that by rubbing her face in Bill's infidelities and then calling her Satan - maybe he should have been worried instead about the true threat in town named KARMA!

It wasn't just hearing about Hillary that got to me though - hearing Al Roker say that he had known Imus for years and that he had urged him to do the right thing and resign on his blog spoke volumes to me. Like I think Al Roker's truly got a kind heart and for him to not demand Imus be fired but for him to believe that it was no longer in the best interests of society for Imus to continue on with his show did a lot to sway my opinion.

[martyjudge]

"OK. Well, then I used that word. But I mean, of course that was an off-the-record conversation. But...," Imus said.

"The hell it was," Wallace remarked.

what a joke this show 60 minutes has become! here they are trying to look like heroes for exposing imus...when actually the old boys at cbs filed this part of story away until it served them well to use it this week, you think they would have learned a lesson by now.

too little too late 60 minutes/wallace...your part of the problem not solution...MARTY judge