Let me first make my stance completely clear. As a member of the proud, yet possibly coarse foundation of American society I wish to make an open declaration based on my First Amendment right of free speech: Don Imus has made himself a broadcast journalistic wimp of the highest order.
I DO NOT condone the words that Imus chose to spew in regard to a specific class of athlete, but I do support his right to open his mouth and forcefully insert his own foot. But somewhere along the line Imus must have missed the memo which clearly explained that it's one thing to denigrate a class of athletes with whom you do not associate and who are in no position to immediately refute you and it's a completely different thing to tell someone like Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) CEO Rex Tillerson to sit down and shut up. (Umm, yeah I blogged that).
I could end this rant right here and consider myself fulfilled in chastising Mr. Imus but I really haven't brought this full circle yet. It's not enough that I simply rake him over the coals for his poor choice of wording. For me, there's yet a larger issue.
For those of us who have the courage to place ourselves in front of an audience to examine the human condition and state our opinions thereof, there is an intangible responsibility to back up our words with at least the appearance of understanding and believing what we have stated.
Yes, there will be times when we are wrong and we will occasionally need to apologize for misstatements, but to completely vacate our own original thought in the face of pressure from those who may have been offended by it reeks of an impertinence which will ultimately destroy one's credibility.
Don Imus has done just that in failing to simply bear up under the pressure he created for himself and to take his lumps. Imus chose the route of a turncoat in battle by simply attempting to preserve his own comfort in the face of his own stupidly chosen words by claiming that it was a joke, a mistake or that it didn't play out as he expected. Excuse me Don but you should have taken ownership of your verbiage and thereby preserved your integrity on your way out.
My recommendation to Mr. Don Imus is that he find a new line of work where he can safely flap his gums and then claim immunity because he must have been mistaken. Perhaps he could be an manager for World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: WWE). Those guys backtrack on their words all the time.
Hey Don, you've been taking up space which can be used by real commentators who will stand by what they said. Why don't you just sit down and stifle yourself before I come over there... and apply for your old job.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-13-2007 @ 11:37PM
Mike Rath said...
Hey Gary--
Sorry I wasted my time reading your drivel.....
The only job you are qualified to take over was when he worked on the railroad--
4-13-2007 @ 11:37PM
jw said...
LOOKS LIKE IMUS HAS 1 FOOT IN THE GRAVE ANYWAY.WHATS WRONG WITH SAYING NAPPY HEAD ANYWAY.THE BLACKS CALL WHITES CRACKERS ALL THE TIME...GET REAL!!!!
4-13-2007 @ 11:38PM
Chuck said...
The Iman during hurricane Katrina was screaming about racism, and the fact that the people were being ignored because they were black. Now Iman during a radio comedy skit makes a non-intended offending humerous remark about some beautiful college ballplayers. He apologized sincerely, and after raising millions for kids with cancer, and helping others gets shreded to pieces by human piranha in the names of Sharpton, and Jackson who in their pasts spit on peoples food, wrongly incited race riots causing the deaths of four people, conscientiously admonished other races, and lifestyles, and never once apologized! Hey Iman how does it feel to be lynched by a black mob, with the help of you're fellow advertisers.
4-13-2007 @ 11:39PM
Holben in Denver said...
I got it!! I got it!! How Mr. Imus can capitalize on his (minor) brain *#@!. He can copyright his words "kinky haired hos" and sell it as a song (?)title to one of those disgracefully terrible black rap groups who are able to say those kind of things and get away with it...because they're black. Hypocritical (of the rappers)yes, but a possible means of making lemonade out of lemons for Mr. Imus.
4-13-2007 @ 11:40PM
john said...
I think it's a bit of a double standard here with "does the punishment meet the crime?" Listen to the Dave Chappel show a few times and tell me why HE'S still on the air??? And for the record, I think Dave is very talented and funny... but again, the double standard... One's got a job and the other doesn't.
4-13-2007 @ 11:42PM
John Sutherland said...
Imus is a good and generous man, committed to some excellent charities. He has done a lot for both blacks and whites. His program, however, was a mess. It alternated between very low-brow humor and very high minded political and social analysis (mainly by the NBC news staff. I will miss him and wish him well. I think it terrible that anyone pays any attention to the Reverends.
4-13-2007 @ 11:42PM
rwp said...
$$$$$$$ thas what it is all about. advertisers as well as players one comment i am scard for life
give me a break and get over it. cbs caved in like the yellow bellies they are.
4-13-2007 @ 11:43PM
John Sutherland said...
Imus is a good and generous man. I will miss him and it appals me that anyone pays any attention to the Reverends.
4-13-2007 @ 11:44PM
robert lavoie said...
i watched the imus show that morning. a poor choice of words, but i dont think it was in any way fatal for anyone. ted kennedy was responsible for a young ladies death, no penalty. jesse jackson for his monetary endevors , al sharpton for his antics. don imus has done a hell of a lot of good. get real
4-13-2007 @ 11:45PM
lindseydean said...
two pots calling the kettle black, so to speak. The reverends should be exposed to the public for anything untoward in their history...see how they feel about being torn apart by the american press...
4-13-2007 @ 11:46PM
trukfilth said...
yep
4-13-2007 @ 11:57PM
Al Keys said...
The issue is not the "reverends". The issue is not blacks calling whites "crackers". The issue is a high profile white media type with the ability to address a large segment of the population and publicly degrade a race of people for ratings and profit. Imus made a critical moral and marketing mistake. Advertisers bolted, not wanting to be associated with brand damaging publicity and justifiably moral outrage regarding Imus's racial comments. Future, not past profits, dictate a company's success. Imus was dumped because his stupid comments offended moral codes and threatened future profits of advertisers and associated broardcast media. Like any other executive who royally screws up, you get the axe. What's the big deal, it's the risk of living in the fast and highly compensated lane. Don't cry for Imus, there's always SIRIUS.
4-14-2007 @ 11:32AM
ted osborne said...
Why don't you get a real job. ASSHOLE
4-15-2007 @ 10:53AM
sal Ira said...
Its not imus you jerk. Its the jerks and cowards at CBS NBC etc. who are afraid of facing up to the black leaders.
4-19-2007 @ 2:32AM
richarddwlison said...
what ever happened to free seech fo all.
4-23-2007 @ 12:22AM
erica simeon said...
First of all, Don Imus should NOT have been fired. There are many other appropriate punishments such as suspension or fines. Firing him was not the appropriate way to go. Just because you are black doesn't mean you have nappy hair. Just because you have nappy hair doesn't mean you are black. However the only part I think that made people use the race card was when he said "jiggaboos". I feel bad for the Rutger's women but it was a huge overreaction. Rappers, actors in movies, other black people can all make the same comments and everyone thinks thats fine! In my opinion Al Sharpton is an instigator, not a human rights activist! He should lose his job. And this is a comment made by one of the Rutger's players: ShamiquaJoNelle Johnson, black reserve forward for the team, said that she was not personally offended for herself. "I know it ain't true fo me, but I'se still mad fo my teammates. I knows that some of the white girls is offended by this cuz they's don like people sayin' that stuff about they hair. One of them whiteys is still a virgin to and don like bein' called no ho. So, if it's bad fo my team, it's bad fo me, cuz we stick together, even if them honkeys can't jump or shoot or nothin'." Excuse me? That is equally offensive. Maybe we don't want to be known as honkeys who cant jump or shoot or nothing. By the way did she ever hear of Larry Bird?
5-03-2007 @ 2:32AM
DONNA MARTIN said...
I MISS DON IN THE MORNINGS HE WAS THE ONLY NEWS SHOW THAT WASN'T BORING... BRING HIM AND HIS CREW BACK HE SAID HE WAS DARN SORRY SO THATS ENOUGH COME ON NBC GET SOME GUTS BRING BACK THE MAN HE WILL BE TWICE AS GOOD... WHY HE EVEN CALLED HIS WIFE THE GREEN HO SHE DIDN'T GET PISSED SO COME ON.....
5-03-2007 @ 2:34AM
Ray Garrett said...
What is a racial comment? We the white people do not have any rights when it comes to the first ammendment we are so guarded in what we say in order not to offend a minority that it is unbelievable. Stand up folks the white race is the minority in America and it's time we demand our rights.
5-03-2007 @ 2:38AM
R. Mac said...
Where did this "writer" come from? Under a rock? Please stick to stocks. I won't buy any of your picks.