No Exception
I can't think of one. Not ONE. I've been thinking it over for the last couple of days, amidst all the hoopla and I cannot think of one.
There is no word in my "white, 30-something, single, Christian mother" vocabulary that I think is appropriate for me to use, but not for some white, 30-something MALE, or some black 30-something female, or whatever.
What Don Imus said was wrong. Horribly, unapologetically wrong. It was insulting. To women. To African-Americans. To anyone with a sense of decency. It was wrong.
And it is equally wrong for rappers, for the rich and famous, for star athletes, for my neighbor down the street, for ME, to use such terminology to describe another human being. It is NOT okay for some African-American to use the terms Imus used but no okay for Imus. It is, across the board WRONG.
Should Don Imus be fired? Well, I suppose that depends on the goals of that company. If they are in the money-making business with morality aside, then follow the likes of Howard Stern and give him a promotion. If you are in the business of trying to be a role model, trying to raise our standards in this nation, of trying to demonstrate a level of decency towards one another, then fire him.
But as consumers, we can take a stand no matter what happens at the corporate level. Sponsors are pulling their dollars from Imus' show - that's in response to consumer backlash. If we refuse to buy rap albums, movies, magazines, products of any nature that support or promote violence, discrimmination, abuse, ignorance - they will cease to exist.
It is not up to the radio to decide for us what is decent and kind for humanity.
It is up to us.
There is no word in my "white, 30-something, single, Christian mother" vocabulary that I think is appropriate for me to use, but not for some white, 30-something MALE, or some black 30-something female, or whatever.
What Don Imus said was wrong. Horribly, unapologetically wrong. It was insulting. To women. To African-Americans. To anyone with a sense of decency. It was wrong.
And it is equally wrong for rappers, for the rich and famous, for star athletes, for my neighbor down the street, for ME, to use such terminology to describe another human being. It is NOT okay for some African-American to use the terms Imus used but no okay for Imus. It is, across the board WRONG.
Should Don Imus be fired? Well, I suppose that depends on the goals of that company. If they are in the money-making business with morality aside, then follow the likes of Howard Stern and give him a promotion. If you are in the business of trying to be a role model, trying to raise our standards in this nation, of trying to demonstrate a level of decency towards one another, then fire him.
But as consumers, we can take a stand no matter what happens at the corporate level. Sponsors are pulling their dollars from Imus' show - that's in response to consumer backlash. If we refuse to buy rap albums, movies, magazines, products of any nature that support or promote violence, discrimmination, abuse, ignorance - they will cease to exist.
It is not up to the radio to decide for us what is decent and kind for humanity.
It is up to us.
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