I actually feel bad for the guy. My husband thinks he was probably always a closet racist. My poor husband is super jaded and thinks that about most people. Hemight be right, but I think Imus suffers more form stupidity than racism. The man has been on the air stating his thoughts about everything under the sun for like 40 years now. He was bound to say something really stupid. After all that time clocked in as an established radio personality, he probably mistakenly thought he was "down" enough to use more ebonically-centric language to speak his mind. He forgot for a second that only people of certain skin colors are permitted to use that type of vernacular. You see, had he been black, no one would notice if he used the term "nappy-headed hos".
So what is the result? The Al Sharptons (most especially Al) see an opportunity to cash in and make a mountain of a mole hill and set us all back another 20 years in race relations.
I am not saying Imus should not have been reprimanded, his language was wrong and offensive. He most certainly should have been. Racially charged or not, offensive language should not be acceptable. But his comments are not an example of everyday racism that injures the average American. And the circus that ensues contributes more to the average, everyday racism. I could be wrong, but I have a feeling that when white people see so much attention being drawn to the remark "nappy headed" they are baffled and think minorities love to make mountains out of mole hills. I have heard white people say that black people use these situations as an opportunity to get something for nothing. I think that is true for Jesse and Al. Not for me, or my family.
Recently my husband was up for a promotion at his job. He was passed up before he was even offered the position for a white person with much less seniority and a number of write-ups (where my husband has none) by a manager that has no compunction by freely calling people "Buckwheat" and using the 'n' word. I doubt that Imus using the term "nappy headed" has any influence on this manager's ignorance, and Al Sharpton has done nothing to improve race relations for the everyday average minority.
The "nappy-headed" thing was stupid and offensive and if not genuine racism slipping out seems like juvenile envelope-pushing. But I thought "hos" was at least as much, regardless of the race of the women being described. I would like to live in a culture which reacted at least as harshly to labeling women who are not behaving in any lewd manner as whores as to a stupid reference to ethnic hair characteristics. Shouldn't that be something that fills fathers and brothers and honorable men in general with righteous indignation? Even actual prostitutes have human dignity and are probably in need of more gentle treatment than that, but these women were just college athletes. I didn't notice any reporting of lewd behavior. I guess the term "ho" may take on a racial connotation as well if it is thought that a demeaning description associated with rap slang is automatically acceptable to be "lightheartedly" applied to black women. (I first heard the term from that song "Poison" by Bell Biv Devoe back in 1990 when I was not yet 12, btw.)
I've never liked Imus and I think that his words were thoughtless and mean-spirited, just like many other things he's said in the past. I thought the suspension was a good idea, but I'm not so certain about having him fired. That's going to set quite a precedent, especially in the heyday of political correctness.
And here's what Snoop has said about the whole thing, (dismissing any comparisons to the language used in rap music):
"It's a completely different scenario. (Rappers) are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We're talking about hoes that's in the 'hood that ain't doing **it, that's trying to get a n***** for his money. These are two separate things. First of all, we ain't no old-a** white men that sit up on MSNBC going hard on black girls. We are rappers that have these songs coming from our minds and our souls that are relevant to what we feel. I will not let them mutha******* say we are in the same league as him. Kick him off the air forever."
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Okay, so you can call women hoes as long as they actually are "hoes?" But who is the judge of whether or not they are? And there goes the N word again, in a statement made against Imus no less!
Sorry, I didn't mean to change the subject. Really, I think Imus was wrong, wrong, wrong, but this quote of Snoop's was just classic and I had to share.
ro,
I think unacceptable language is unnacceptable language period. I think that it should not be ranked by racist or sexist but just plain ole rude.
Patty,
I don't think you changed the subject, but proved my point exactly.
Pansy, I was glad to read your take on this. When I heard about the uproar, I had to go and read about it, because I never listen to him on the radio.
My first reaction was that this was a guy who thought he was "in" enough with the "in crowd" to use language that wasn't appropriate. I'm sure that he was surprised that it caused such an brouhaha, because I think he was clueless that he wasn't part of a group that could use that language.
I'm not saying that the language was right. I don't think anyone should use it, including the above-mentioned Snoop. Nasty is nasty, no matter who says it.
But I do think that Imus probably woke up to a firestorm that he completely didn't expect--because he thought he was "cooler" (or something) than he was.....
Does that make sense?
Mama,
Yep, that's exactly my thought. And I think everyone else probably knows that too, yet see an opportunity for ...I don't know, whatever.
*kicks self for not checking the blog before putting up Imus post*
What ro and MamaT said.
Snoop is TOTALLY the go-to person for relevant and respectful social commentary. Anyway. I think Imus was that white guy who thought he would sound funny saying things only blacks say.
But like MamaT says, why is it ok for black people to call anyone hos? I think this outrage says as much about black people as it does about whites.
I recently watched an excellent documentary on the misogyny in rap culture on PBS: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/film.htm
It opened my eyes to a lot of things, I really recommend it. (It's not white-people-trying-to-"explain the phenomenon" - type of film)
Hmmmm. I have no idea who this Imus guy is, but we have people over here who sound a lot like him and I don't listen to them either...
I also can only guess that nappy headed in some way refers to a black person's hair without really knowing why this would be something horrible and what the connotations are, and I have NO IDEA what a ho is. How's that for culture shock? :)
As a self-proclaimed humanitarian I am aghast at the descriptors Imus used, but equally appauled by the vengeful acts called on by Sharpton for 'retribution.' The women of Rutger's basketball team gave example to all of us, white and black (yellow, red or blue) how to respond to the issue and not react then behave to the history. It is always a problem when a third party (Sharpton)-the most emotionally hijacked and least personally attacked, encites the crowd and calls for vindication. In my humble opinion, Sharpton did nothing to help the cause. The ladies on the team, however, should be given much more publicity on 'HOW TO RESPOND' so that others may follow their example!
p.s. Why are we even considering Snoop-Dog in this context. He only magnifies the double standard he claims to abhor. Blacks can use the words to refer to themselves but the whites can't because of the history? Our society needs examples for the rules, not exceptions to it!!!!!
"Snoop is TOTALLY the go-to person for relevant and respectful social commentary."
LOL Exactly. He's just playing the role of useful idiot.
While I maintain that Imus was completely offensive and should be called out for his statements, I think that way too much has been made out of this. What ever happened to the whole "Sticks & Stones," thing? Again, I'm glad that Imus was called out on this, yet it upsets me that the words of one shock jock could carry so much weight. (I agree that it must have been a slow news week). One of the young women in the Rutgers basketball team, claimed that Imus had ruined/tarnished her (can't remember the actual words used). Sure, I understand being angry and hurt, but to give Imus any more power than he deserves, is just plain silly.
I would just like EQUALITY in condemnation. People are afraid to attack people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for the retarded things THEY say because we all know if you attack a black man/woman, and you're white, you're a racist. *rolling eyes* And the fact that our society allows this to happen is also retarded.