Imus unspoken

This will be short and sweet. The issue is being raised that many in the black community use words, degrade women that is misogynistic in nature and utterly vile. So Imus should get a pass. Black men and women and some Latinos spew out of their mouths the words "Nigga" as frequently as "The" and "Nah mean". So Imus should get a pass. He apologized to Al Sharpton on the air and asked for forgiveness. And Imus should get a pass. He met with the Rutgers players and coaches to discuss it and apologized they accepted. So yea Imus should get a pass.

Now if you pay attention network television. Right wing activists masked as journalist are on a crusade, the Michelle Malkin's and Laura Ingraham's of the world, both Fox News contributors are on the bounty looking to attack hip hop and blame it for the ills of the world. All because Imus didn't get a pass. The problem is they are mad at Hip Hop and black people and their language because of the efforts and the role in his firing from CBS and MSNBC. Ultimately, its more because of the continued class warfare that this country is engaged in but thats a topic for another day. Here is the brief back story, a group effort with many organizations and supporters including Sharpton spoke about their disgust with Imus's vile comments and both companies decided to part ways with him.

The way I see it is CBS and MSNBC drew the line in the sand. They decided that the content and value of Imus was not worth any backlash. They had every opportunity to dig in the dirt and entrench themselves and stand by there "guy". The effort for Imus's firing just presented the company with possible backlash of him staying. Like any special interest does with any company they have issue with. I'm sure there are countless Green-esque organizations that protest and lobby countless companies about their issues and demand change or they will take their money elsewhere. Do they fold or do they ignore? I'm sure many parent organization lobby and threaten CBS about content violence,etc. I'm sure General Electric the parent company faces threats every day and yet with Imus they chose to let him go. I think the issue was Imus. They felt any backlash was not worth him and his history of more than just controversial redirect.

Lets ask why. The backlash and the Imus supporters spew that he apologized and he said things that black rappers and artists say all the time. But as I think its ingenious how they marginalized this issue and now that argument is used to justify his(Imus) actions. Hip Hop supporters or even Sharpton who is the face of the effort for some reason has realized that they are defending the wrong argument. Imus felt it appropriate to use air time to denigrate, disgrace, insult, and verbally rape the innocence of college student athletes following an amazing run that they had that was historic for their university. Their story was joyous even though they came up short in their final game. Many of them will never play college ball again. Maybe never play organized ball again as they graduate start careers, families etc. And there moment was tainted because this man felt it appropriate that his free speech should be used to take from them an admirable moment in their lives. It is forever overshadowed by this hurtful mans choice to acknowledge them and categorize there accomplishments referring to them as "Nappy Headed Hoes".

Do I think he should be fired for using the phrase Nappy Headed Hoes. I have to honestly say No. I don't get offended by him saying that phrase. And you have a right to free speech. I practice those rights and I think they should be protected. HOWEVER, (in an emphatic Stephen A. Jackson tone) I think that CBS and NBC and all of their affiliates made a sound decision to choose any threat of lost of advertising dollars, listenership, and public backlash by distancing themselves from a man that saw it appropriate to attack our young college women athletes. A segment of our population that should be celebrated and honored. Every soccer mom, mother and father of their student athletes across the country should have been equally outraged with any one in the black community that spoke up. This saga has been marginalized to race when the issue is far more prevalent to many reaches outside of a black woman. Should our college athletes and students be subject to that sort of abuse. Following the Virginia Tech Massacre when we saw the resolve of college students in a time of peril is it fair that these young women be subjected to that abuse. And those in his defense hide behind his free speech rights. The masque their obvious disregard to our young college students attack by preceding their support for Imus by saying "I think what he said was vile. BUT he said he was sorry". I'm equally disgusted with them I can't see how anyone would care if this man had a job or not. At some point politics and racial divides should take a back burner to attacks that are grotesque in nature. Maybe if they were Hollywood socialites, or pro athletes would my outrage possibly take a different view. But the murder of their innocence and joy of an amazing road they took attempting to be champions was tainted by his selfish hurtful remarks leaves me relieved that he's gone. I'm sure Fox will pick him up later. They give people a chance fair and balanced. Look Mark Furman is respected as guru on his show and we all heard the tapes of how uses the word "Nigger". And trust me folks he wasn't rapping. Maybe Cuban at HDNet will give him a shot and there is always satellite radio. So he'll be back to sounding like an idiot in no-time flat. But at least the Rutgers women and student athletes around the world will know that there were consequences to his actions other than him saying sorry getting a couple weeks off as if there innocence meant nothing.

Furthermore, Imus is suing because verb age in his contract infers that he was hired to be controversial and as vile as he was. I have not read the contract and in my opinion it would come down to good litigation. However, I feel that CBS shouldn't even fight it. They should settle or just pay him because the $40 million he's owed should be an even pay off just to be rid of him. And the world will respect them for that. I know my view is Utopian in nature and only in a perfect world did morals alone play a role in their decisions to fire him but its nice if were. I'm sure they looked at the bottom line of what they could lose money-wise was the issue but we can dream.

I laugh at you Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Malkin, Coulter, Geraldo, and anyone else who slightly wastes brain power to defend that man. Whether u fear your words may come back to hunt you. Just food for thought don't attack those who are indefensible and pure for a laugh and/or ratings and I'm sure many will rally behind you if you respectfully make a statement that could be controversial. And just so you know Imus I forgive you. But I am also glad you got fired. Good luck with the $40 mill you are in my prayers.