IMUS IN THE MORNING?
The recent brouhaha over Don Imus is something I find quite incredible... I, like many, have listened and laughed to Imus and his cohorts in the early morning during our commutes many times. Imus, although exaggerating things here and there to be funny and entertain, is/was pretty much a straight shooter and genuine guy, in my opinion. Being in the entertainment business myself, I (and hopefully everyone must) realize that "shock value" and "staging" are part of the game to garner ratings and keep oneself employed, most especially in mass media.
I find it appalling that Imus, after apologizing profusely and sincerely over and over publicly, lost his radio show over the remarks he made about the Rutgers Women's College Basketball team runners-up in the recent tournament). Were the remarks out of line? Sure... Uncalled for? Sure... But the end result is a gigantic Big Brother, "political correctness" witch hunt in which Don Imus served as the easy target and scapegoat. Our society is one characterized by "political correctness" run amok. We have much more important things to spend our time worrying about: Iraq, the larger "war on terror," the massive federal budget shortfall, growth of new industries with decent jobs (and concommitant wage growth), etc.
Who hasn't said things that he/she wishes they could call back? I have; you have, et.al. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans. The point is that none of us is perfect. I realize that Imus is making a profit on federally-regulated airwaves. This seemed to be the major objection to his use of otherwise free speech (repellant or not). HOWEVER, let's realize that MANY other entertainers, vocalists and musicians, actors, radio personalities, comedians, et.al. also utilize those same federally-regulated airwaves to make their outsized, handsome livings spewing filth, hate, prejudice and the like on a daily and weekly basis. Have any of you turned on your big screen TV and flicked through some of the channels lately? Your satellite radio?
Who could possibly be more offensive to women (and so many others) than Howard Stern? Yet he is never called into account. Moreover, comedian Dave Chappelle made ca. $50 Million pretty much by clever use of the "N" word in his Comedy Central show. Not to mention rappers. et.al., in their constant disparagement of women in general and black women in particular... None of these people is called into account.
Moreover, you have people like the ubiquitous media hounds Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton chiming in right away asking for Imus' hide. Funny thing - a few years ago Jackson got away with a nasty racial slur against Jews, labelling New York City "hymie town." Of course, you may remember Rev. Al in the now infamous and totally frivolous Tawana Brawley trial...
The Imus fiasco underscores the incredible moral hypocrisy rampant in our country today.
Basically, the argument goes like this: it's ok for some people to do this or that, or say this or that, but it's not ok for others... (specifically in this case, a white male, usually the prime targets of hyper criticism in affairs like this).
Should we now try to legislate free speech?! Appalling... And who will make the rules? Who will draw the lines? How will we arrive at lines which to draw? Whose set of ethics will be the guidelines? Perhaps we should make laws about what people can think, too??
Amazing...
Of course, GE and CBS, spineless bunch of hypocritical wussies though they are, never took serious moral umbrage about Imus until the threats of "boycott," etc. started. What is their loss will be satellite radio's gain. Look for the I-man to reappear, after this dusty brawl settles, on either Sirius or XMSR...
Then your morning commute will be funny again...
TTC
I find it appalling that Imus, after apologizing profusely and sincerely over and over publicly, lost his radio show over the remarks he made about the Rutgers Women's College Basketball team runners-up in the recent tournament). Were the remarks out of line? Sure... Uncalled for? Sure... But the end result is a gigantic Big Brother, "political correctness" witch hunt in which Don Imus served as the easy target and scapegoat. Our society is one characterized by "political correctness" run amok. We have much more important things to spend our time worrying about: Iraq, the larger "war on terror," the massive federal budget shortfall, growth of new industries with decent jobs (and concommitant wage growth), etc.
Who hasn't said things that he/she wishes they could call back? I have; you have, et.al. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans. The point is that none of us is perfect. I realize that Imus is making a profit on federally-regulated airwaves. This seemed to be the major objection to his use of otherwise free speech (repellant or not). HOWEVER, let's realize that MANY other entertainers, vocalists and musicians, actors, radio personalities, comedians, et.al. also utilize those same federally-regulated airwaves to make their outsized, handsome livings spewing filth, hate, prejudice and the like on a daily and weekly basis. Have any of you turned on your big screen TV and flicked through some of the channels lately? Your satellite radio?
Who could possibly be more offensive to women (and so many others) than Howard Stern? Yet he is never called into account. Moreover, comedian Dave Chappelle made ca. $50 Million pretty much by clever use of the "N" word in his Comedy Central show. Not to mention rappers. et.al., in their constant disparagement of women in general and black women in particular... None of these people is called into account.
Moreover, you have people like the ubiquitous media hounds Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton chiming in right away asking for Imus' hide. Funny thing - a few years ago Jackson got away with a nasty racial slur against Jews, labelling New York City "hymie town." Of course, you may remember Rev. Al in the now infamous and totally frivolous Tawana Brawley trial...
The Imus fiasco underscores the incredible moral hypocrisy rampant in our country today.
Basically, the argument goes like this: it's ok for some people to do this or that, or say this or that, but it's not ok for others... (specifically in this case, a white male, usually the prime targets of hyper criticism in affairs like this).
Should we now try to legislate free speech?! Appalling... And who will make the rules? Who will draw the lines? How will we arrive at lines which to draw? Whose set of ethics will be the guidelines? Perhaps we should make laws about what people can think, too??
Amazing...
Of course, GE and CBS, spineless bunch of hypocritical wussies though they are, never took serious moral umbrage about Imus until the threats of "boycott," etc. started. What is their loss will be satellite radio's gain. Look for the I-man to reappear, after this dusty brawl settles, on either Sirius or XMSR...
Then your morning commute will be funny again...
TTC
posted by thoughtful conservative at 3:57 PM
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