Don Imus Rutgers Comments

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

For those of you who haven't heard about this story (hard to believe), I have copied the entire incident below to view. People are calling for Imus's head. I want to see what people think of this whole incident. I believe a suspension is appropriate but to fire the guy isn't right. What he said was absolutely idiotic and he has a history of making totally inappropriate comments. I think he should be suspended and also be under close watch for future comments he might make. I happen to enjoy Imus's program, he has great guests, and he gives a lot back to the community as well as good causes. He has a ranch in Texas where kids with cancer can hang out and live there too. He's donated millions of dollars to charities and holds radio telathons every year to support different charities. People who have no idea who this guy is are calling him a biget and a racist which isn't true, he mad a moronic comment and should be repremanded for it. But this guy does incredible work and gives back to the community.What do you guys think of this?<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>On his "Imus In The Morning" show on 2007-04-04, Imus referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." Imus initially dismissed the incident as "some idiot comment meant to be amusing"[13] but apologized on April 6, 2007 after hearing calls for his dismissal.The remarks occurred on Wednesday, April 4 while Imus, Sid Rosenberg, Bernard McGuirk, and Charles McCord were discussing the 2007 Women's NCAA Championship Game in which Tennessee defeated Rutgers 59-46. Rutgers had previously defeated favorites No. 1 Duke in the Sweet 16, No. 3 Arizona State in the Elite Eight and No. 3 LSU in the Final Four.Imus described the Rutgers women as "rough girls" with "tattoos" and added, "That's some nappy-headed hos there". McGuirk described them as "hard-core hos" and compared the game to "The Jigaboos vs. The Wannabees," apparently referring to "School Daze," a Spike Lee movie that addressed racial divisions on historically-Black colleges through a look at fraternity and sorority life. Rosenberg added: "The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors".Media Matters for America, a left-leaning media watchdog group, posted this transcript of the conversation on their website:? DON IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final. SID ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --BERNARD McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.IMUS: Yeah.McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes -- that movie that he had.IMUS: Yeah, it was a tough --CHARLES McCORD: Do the Right Thing.McGUIRK: Yeah, yeah, yeah.IMUS: I don't know if I'd have wanted to beat Rutgers or not, but they did, right?ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors. [14] ? MSNBC issued a statement regarding Imus saying, "While simulcast by MSNBC, 'Imus in the Morning' is not a production of the cable network and is produced by WFAN Radio. As Imus makes clear every day, his views are not those of MSNBC. We regret that his remarks were aired on MSNBC and apologize for these offensive comments."Imus issued a statement on Friday to apologize for his remarks."I want to take a moment to apologize for an insensitive and ill-conceived remark we made the other morning regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team, which lost to Tennessee in the NCAA championship game on Tuesday," the statement read. "It was completely inappropriate and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry."The apology was not enough for some, as calls have continued to be made for his dismissal.[15][16] By far the brunt of the criticism fell squarely upon Imus' shoulders, despite the fact that both Sid Rosenberg and producer Bernard McGuirk had made what were arguably the most offensive declarations.Imus appeared on the Rev. Al Sharpton's syndicated radio talk show on Monday, April 9, 2007 to address the Rutgers controversy. He said, "Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far. Here's what I've learned: that you can't make fun of everybody, because some people don't deserve it."[</div>

 

[MaRdYC26]

For those who don't listen to Imus, this isn't anything unusual. I like him, he's pretty interesting to listen to most of the time. I guess this was a little over the line, but people are making a way bigger deal out of this than it should be made. He was more on the kidding side with his comments, and it got blown out of proporiton. I'm not supporting his comments, I'm just saying that's the whole point of his show really...he always has insults.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

I pretty much agree with you MardyC but I can totally understand where people are coming from to hate on Imus. It's not like this guy is making fun of Bobby Brown or some idiot. He's making fun of women's college basketball players, people that work their ass off to get somewhere, and he shamelessly makes a racial comment. I hope he doesn't get fired but he was on the Al Sharpton Radio Program today and from the anger that was displayed, this isn't going to fold over like his other incidents. People are dead serious about punishing him.

 

[MaRdYC26]

Well, for the people who don't like him, it's a good reason for them to go off on him. Kind of like Clinton with the whole scandel when he was in the White House. It was made a bigger deal than it was (because it happens alot more then people think) but republicans bashed him for him because they couldn't find another good reason.So, it's the same thing here. They'll all make this a huge deal, when it was obviously another stupid Imus comment that people should have taken a lot lighter then they did, but like you said, I see where they are coming from.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

Don Imus is awesome, the comments were stupid but it's being blown way out of proportion.

 

[redneck]

Who cares? we have freedom of speach in this country and if he offends anyone so be it, don't lets. but don't throw this big tissie fit over what he said.

 

[the_pestilence]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (redneck @ Apr 9 2007, 08:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Who cares? we have freedom of speach in this country and if he offends anyone so be it, don't lets. but don't throw this big tissie fit over what he said.</div>we have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mandate letting a guy who's spewing hate keep his own personal show that you're paying him for.

 

[gentile]

Nobody can argue with people for deciding to get offended by this. Maybe that's the problem. It's too easy to f*ck with white radio personalities about garbage like this. It's like hunting a raccoon with napalm. When we truly address inequity in this culture, we need to be ready to hunt woolly mammoths with spears made of stone.I'm watching Vivian Stringer (Rutgers coach), and she just said that this isn't about black people, so much as it is about women. Educated black women hate that "bi*ch" and that "ho" more than anything else he said.I hate the attention that moronic statements from entertainers draw. They pull all the rage and frustration that most of us aren't articulate enough to fire at the structures and people that have the actual power to instigate racial or gender oppression. Stringer seems to get it. She says it's not so much about Imus as it is about all of us.

 

[SerbBojo]

eh it was stupid to say, but I dont see what the big deal is. There are more serious sh*t going on in this world than some idiot making a racial comment. I dont understand why everyone has to act so damn sensitive about this kind of crap

 

[the_pestilence]

John McKain, master of political suicide, says he stands by Imus' comments 100%

 

[ASUFan22]

To call a group of college girls nappy headed hos is just stupid and people should take offense to that. I wouldn't call him a bigot or ask for him to get fired, because I don't know him, but what he said was really wrong and he deserves a serious punishment for it.

 

[MaRdYC26]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SerbBojo @ Apr 10 2007, 03:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>eh it was stupid to say, but I dont see what the big deal is. There are more serious sh*t going on in this world than some idiot making a racial comment. I dont understand why everyone has to act so damn sensitive about this kind of crap</div>I agree. It's another one of his comments...He does this alot more than people think, it just doesn't usually get this type of attention.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tHe_pEsTiLeNcE @ Apr 10 2007, 02:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>John McKain, master of political suicide, says he stands by Imus' comments 100%</div> John McCain has balls. Balls as tough as diamonds.

 

[Michael Bryant]

It seems more sexist than racist. I seriously think this Double-standard is getting out of hand. A white person can't even call a black person black anymore. Yet black people don't get the sh*t that white people get whenever they talk sh*t on white people.

 

[ASUFan22]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ Apr 10 2007, 05:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It seems more sexist than racist. I seriously think this Double-standard is getting out of hand. A white person can't even call a black person black anymore. Yet black people don't get the sh*t that white people get whenever they talk sh*t on white people.</div>I agree with that, I sensed more sexism though. Randomly calling college kids hos is wrong. If he does this a lot then he should be fired.

 

[the_pestilence]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ Apr 10 2007, 03:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>John McCain has balls. Balls as tough as diamonds.</div>he has balls, but he also has a self destructive tendency

 

[gentile]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ Apr 10 2007, 08:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It seems more sexist than racist. I seriously think this Double-standard is getting out of hand. A white person can't even call a black person black anymore. Yet black people don't get the sh*t that white people get whenever they talk sh*t on white people.</div>Check it. The proliferation of niggas, and bitches, and hos is going to lead back to rappers undoubtedly. But when you look at who finances this craptacular music that embraces nothing but ignorance, the line leads to the major labels. Then look at the audience. If white boys wanted to buy music from culturally superior rap artists, this bi*ch and ho thing would be dead.70% of the "hip hop" audience is white boys. It's consumer driven stupidity. This derogatory stereotype blackface culture is being created and marketed chiefly to them. I'm surprised it took this long to get worked back up to Imus.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tHe_pEsTiLeNcE @ Apr 11 2007, 01:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>he has balls, but he also has a self destructive tendency</div> Eh, you are right, but he isn't afraid to speak what he feels or agree with the opposite party, that's part of the reason why I like McCain.

 

[MaRdYC26]

McCain blows. He's such a flip floppper. I remember him like a year ago speaking out about the war, now like 4 months ago he approves of the President's plan to send more troops.What a f*cking dumbass!

 

[BrewCityBuck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MaRdYC26 @ Apr 11 2007, 04:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>McCain blows. He's such a flip floppper. I remember him like a year ago speaking out about the war, now like 4 months ago he approves of the President's plan to send more troops.What a f*cking dumbass!</div> I don't like the war, but I supported Bush's move for more troops....it's not hypocritical at all....I was against the war and don't like it, but I realize we have to finish it...and I'm pretty sure that's McCain's position.I hate the flipflop accusations in politics, why can't someone change their f*cking mind anymore?

 

[Combs]

Well he lost his MSNBC job.Pretty lame if you ask me. Sharpton wouldn't forgive him so that was the end of it

.Guy is gonna lose his life for saying "Nappy headed hoes".

 

[BrewCityBuck]

Bottom line, Don Imus made a mistake, he's hardly racist, he called the Tennessee team cute and he's had lots of black people on his show. All this is, is a media witch-hunt. There's nothing going on in the news so they all go after Don Imus because it's got race issues and it's juicy.Don made a f*cking mistake, he didn't say anything I've never said, why can't he just say he's sorry, have a suspension and move on. Now you have all these black leaders, or as I like to call them hypocrites, using this situation to get on TV, it's a f*cking joke.Don's said he's sorry, he's been going everywhere talking about, has met the team, what else do you want? I saw the owner of NBC on talking about and being a complete fake, pretty much selling out Don because of all the pressure and email's he got. You know what, grow a f*cking pair. Everyone gives in to pressure, nobody fights anymore, as soon as there's a problem and people send mad emails people get fired and hated for making a mistake.Don made a stupid mistake but he doesn't deserve this and to have his name ruined over it. The news just ganged up on him/NBC and made this story bigger than it was.Ugh. Makes me puke. What happened to Imus offended me more than what he said to begin with.

 

[ASUFan22]

Didn't you say he says stuff like this all the time? If he does I doubt it was an honest mistake.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 11 2007, 10:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Didn't you say he says stuff like this all the time? If he does I doubt it was an honest mistake.</div> He says off the wall crazy stuff, nothing racist, but just speaks his mind....I've never heard him say anything real bad....

 

[Combs]

The only reason why I'd see why NBC would make this move..is because of advertising dolars. They lost so many advertisers, and it sounds like they'd have a hard time getting any more to sign on after this.But I agree with you that it was just some overblown horse-crap, with MLK wannabe's going after something that wasn't there.Imus did EVERYTHING so correctly after he made those comments. He should have been forgiven by these people. Yet Sharpton sat in his mighty chair knowing he was the judge and jury because he has the media eating out of his hands believing whatever he says is right.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

Al Sharpton is a f*cking crook, I wish someone would expose that creep for what he is. I should start an anti-Al Sharpton campaign.

 

[The Captain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ Apr 11 2007, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Al Sharpton is a f*cking crook, I wish someone would expose that creep for what he is. I should start an anti-Al Sharpton campaign.</div>I'll join you.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Imus isn?t the real bad guyInstead of wasting time on irrelevant shock jock, black leaders need to be fighting a growing gangster culture.By JASON WHITLOCK - ColumnistThank you, Don Imus. You?ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.You?ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.You?ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it?s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.The bigots win again.While we?re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I?m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent?s or Snoop Dogg?s or Young Jeezy?s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos.I ain?t saying Jesse, Al and Vivian are gold-diggas, but they don?t have the heart to mount a legitimate campaign against the real black-folk killas.It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.It?s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud.I?m no Don Imus apologist. He and his tiny companion Mike Lupica blasted me after I fell out with ESPN. Imus is a hack.But, in my view, he didn?t do anything outside the norm for shock jocks and comedians. He also offered an apology. That should?ve been the end of this whole affair. Instead, it?s only the beginning. It?s an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda$.I watched the Rutgers news conference and was ashamed.Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for eight minutes in 1963 at the March on Washington. At the time, black people could be lynched and denied fundamental rights with little thought. With the comments of a talk-show host most of her players had never heard of before last week serving as her excuse, Vivian Stringer rambled on for 30 minutes about the amazing season her team had.Somehow, we?re supposed to believe that the comments of a man with virtually no connection to the sports world ruined Rutgers? wonderful season. Had a broadcaster with credibility and a platform in the sports world uttered the words Imus did, I could understand a level of outrage.But an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction.In the grand scheme, Don Imus is no threat to us in general and no threat to black women in particular. If his words are so powerful and so destructive and must be rebuked so forcefully, then what should we do about the idiot rappers on BET, MTV and every black-owned radio station in the country who use words much more powerful and much more destructive?I don?t listen or watch Imus? show regularly. Has he at any point glorified selling crack cocaine to black women? Has he celebrated black men shooting each other randomly? Has he suggested in any way that it?s cool to be a baby-daddy rather than a husband and a parent? Does he tell his listeners that they?re suckers for pursuing education and that they?re selling out their race if they do?When Imus does any of that, call me and I?ll get upset. Until then, he is what he is ? a washed-up shock jock who is very easy to ignore when you?re not looking to be made a victim.No. We all know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old white man with a bad radio show. There?s no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out.</div> Jason Whitlock is that big black guy from the sports reporters on ESPN. Awesome article.Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.

 

[gentile]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.</div>This is the only type of black man that white people will buy within hip hop. And it's the only type that major corporations will sell. And the gang culture isn't growing. It's diminishing.

 

[S_Gurad]

Nappy Headed(Racist) Hoes(Sexist). The comments by him seem more sexist to me. The fact that he said "Nappy Headed" brings al sharpton into the picture stirring up a whole race issue to boost his activist publicity. Black people listten to al sharpton and will back him up due to his contributions to the black community. In this case he needs to back off. He should have gotten suspened for a longer time.Women want power, and they ill back each other up to do so. Imus' comments infuriated them. but yo when someone says somethin bout white people well it doesn't really become a big issue as this. I kind of understand when white people say certain comments, because comedians and other blacks say sh*t bout white people like its nothing. Whether or not they are joking or not is a different story. I talk about u crackers and u curry niggaz all the time but I'm mainly just joking around if I say it out loud. In my head well(I dont really mean it.) Just like u crackers on this forum saying nigger likes its nothing, I could careless anymore. Move on through life and make your money, forgive but u don't have to forget, because payback can be a bi*ch. I aint talkin bout this sh*t all day but thats what I say about it, move on niggas and stop being repetitive.This story is like the rats found in KFC. They gon play that sh*t on TV every morning while im eating... This nigga dont wanna see that sh*t. Thats the Media though... They gotta make MONEY