When I wrote my column at Don Imus’ firing in April, I got an avalanche of e-mails. I’m sharing a few of the 363 I received. As I mentioned my Sunday’s post, I argued that instead of jettisoning the shock jock off into cyberspace or somewhere else where he wouldn’t be accountable, we should give him a chance to prove he’d learned his lesson. Well, if we are to take him at his word from his first new broadcast, he has become much wiser. He not only has a black woman, as I suggested in my column, but a black man as well. Since Karith Foster and Tony Powell are both comedians, we'll have to wait and see if their voices measure up to the mega watt that heir boss projects.
Time, of course, will tell the tale but the I-Man seems to have become a new man. As you read the e-mails that I received (all were addressed to me, some assumed from the argument I made that I was white) after my April 15 Chicago Sun-Times column, the notion that he’d be a new, improved shock jock was not universal.
Bob Herbert wrote in the NY Times, "The real question is whether this controversy is loud enough to shock Americans at long last into the realization of just how profoundly racist and sexist the culture is." You bet. You go to the court of public opinion with Al Sharpton as the judge and you're going to get lynched.
Imus got lynched. OJ is playing golf. Case closed.–KC Remington
THANK YOU! For having the stones to go against the grain and put into print what most of us feel. Imus is a grumpy old foul mouthed ass, which is why i subscribed to MSNBC (and have cancelled since last thursday). I'm sure this will be a huge victory for that idiot Sharpton at the "Ebony-Awards". I wish i could speak up for Imus at the "Whitey-Awards". OH, wait a minute, there is NO Whitey-Awards, cos that would be racist against Blacks. Thanks again for your courage to write this article.--Dana Olsvik
Had your child worked hard to attend college and in the process was a runner-up in a national championship, then was referred to as a stringy haired cracker bitch, you might not have the same attitude.–Oscar Brewer, Jr.
Don didn't cull anybody or anything. He called an ace an ace, a spade a spade. I too don't care for tattoos, especially on women. Hate that women try to be a man; women should not be allowed to play any sport. America is the only country that supports, promotes women sports activities. The name of the game is money!
The most unruly member of our body is the tongue. In the good U.S of A. our Constitution allows the American populaces freedom of speech.
The King James Bible and the Torah blacks are mention in an uncomplimentary manner. The Bible, Torah written by men inspired of GOD.–Doug
I have to thank you your article gave me a much needed chuckle. What black woman in her right mind do you think would go on that show? After how he has talked about Maya Angelou, Gwen Ifill and the girls on that team he has shown a contempt for black women in general. No black woman had been on his show for years because he had a bad reputation. Why would you expect that to change after this mess?
And do you think people wouldn't be able to see past the desperate tokenism involved in having this woman on his show? You may not feel he should have been fired however to think that the black community that never supported this man would work to save what was left of his career is crazy.–Valerie Logan
Thank you for your article on the firing of IMUS. I have watched IMUS every morning for years and have come to depend on the show for my news. It is the only show where you can actually get to know political figures and get some honest, real dialogue. I disregarded his vulgar side (as a non, stick thin white female), and have to admit that I laughed at some, like Cardinal Egan. In any event, his show was personal to alot of people. Guests told stories about themselves and their families and their views on politics and other subjects. It was obvious that IMUS was a caring person and I think if brought out some caring viewers rather than the Howard Stern types. I also think it educated alot of viewers on issues they would never hear anywhere else, while also entertaining them and starting their day with a smile.
It happened so fast, so unfairly. What other choices are there for his viewers? Fox and Friends? I don't think so.
I wonder how African Americans would feel if one day Tom Joyner disappeared for a mistake that discovered as a gotcha moment?
Once again, thank you for your thoughtful and courageous and honest opinion.–Mary Cass
imus got fired...and? who cares, this isn't a blow to freedom of speech, heads up, there is no freedom of speech. it's just another asshole out of a job, but don't worry. he'll be back someday making more money than you and i, doing not funny things for not funny people. and his cancer ranch, wow, those kids must be sooooo stoked to sit on a horse after chemotherapy!--Jonathan Heckman
I couldn't agree with you more. The crusade lead by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton was disgraceful. They should clean up their own act first. The sensible way to have handled this was a suspension followed by a restructuring of the Imus in the Morning show. No one is excusing what he said. But take a look at this man. He is not a racist. Left to handle it he would have turned this around to have a positive influence on race relations in this country. All that has happened here has fanned the flames of racism that lie just under the surface in far too many Americans. It has been a total over-reaction on the part of too many people. Thanks for your column.--Pat O'Brien.
YOU ARE A RACIST WHO IS JUST JUSTIFYING A LONG RECORD OF RACISM, STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND FOR ONCE ACCEPT RESPONSIBLITY FOR WRONG DOING! -KARMA WILL CHASE YOU DOWN LIKE THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST, BE IT THROUGH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS OR YOUR OWN
HEALTH AND WE BEING--BRITTANY walker
Monroe! God Bless You!! I read your piece on Imus on Google News. He is needed more than not, I agree. While I'm not a big fan of his, to have him removed from his post is beyond ridiculous. I think Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Louis Faracon are the worst things that could have happened to black Americans. Martin Luther King I put in the same light. Instead of trying to lead their people in a positive direction, they'd rather stir shit for their own glorification and gain. And what gets me is their people actually believe the crap they spew. I am hoping that this thing backfires on them, and even some of their own see them as the useless mouths that they are.
While indeed I think equal rights are for all, to me the whole civil rights thing teaches the blacks to not want an education, job, or fathers; just checks in the mail and any excuse to cry discrimination, racism, demonstrate, complain over nothing, and generate one more brain-dead resource-sucking generation after another. They are in reality it seems
to me to be sealing their own doom, along with our own.
What I see on BET and other black entertainment channels is about as vile, disgusting and sickening as anything I've ever seen. I'm 56 years old and that crap should be outlawed I think. What role models are they? The influence it has on young people of any color is evident in the way they now act, talk, look and think. I see America as I knew it when I was young gone forever, replaced by uneducated, lazy, fat, bent- valued, welfare-sucking, Godless, deplorable generations that are killing our country. The USA will fall from the inside out, not from conquering armies the way I see it. While I'm not racist I personally believe we've passed the point of no return, and if we don't wake up and call a spade a spade (no pun intended) real soon, our society is in deep shit.
I hope you don't get fired for putting your opinion in print, but chances are some are already lining up against you, to pin a racist tag on your butt. You and the few others who are coming out on this ridiculous crap are about all America has left. I hope some good comes from it all. Good Luck, and again God Bless You. I hope some kind of way you have time to read this, and keep up the good work.–Gene
Imus is wrong and should not have a show at all ever from the day he start his rampage of rude insults! I think that if you can even justify his actions.. then you also should be fired!–Wonderful Spendid
Monroe, Why would you make such an insulting admonition? Was your intention or motive centered around getting some much needed guidance for future responses to "folks who get second chances and really deserve them."
I grew up with you, I've watched you become the best at what you do in a number of areas of expertise in journalism one-up-manship. If you don't have it all, it certainly appears you have accomplished and maintained a level of integrity that should not be questioned by suggesting such a stupid utterance that implies "not putting a muzzle on a pitbull that could possibly rip your throat out if a careless owner felt he was harmless."
Perhaps you are working too many hours these days and should probably cut back ASAP.(lol) However, lets cut to the chase. Imus insulted a group of black women who did not deserve that kind litmus; attacking the winning ways of not only a team of skilled athletes but educated black women seeking their dreams of becoming something other than just an athlete.
Monroe, "What are you thinking....give this guy a way out and surely he'll take it". He deserves exactly what he got, "Fired." I'm still disheartened that his cohorts did not get the ax ,also. Maybe they are five minutes away from career ending assaults that are going to come in the form of "Imus inspired retribution to continue his bullshit message of inclusion and exclusion of straight haired ho's". Are you getting the picture...? You don't need anyone to wonder where it is that you are now coming from at this particular time. Always...accurate and to the point have you come across...Please don't change your ways now because of an idiot who demeaning remarks and worthlessness all of sudden can impact the moral fabric of not only how we feel about our mothers but equally our daughters. Cast the stone where it belongs. –Paul Griffin
As you stated, put a sharp tongue Black woman who perspective is totally different than Imus and his producer, and they will bow yieldingly to comprehending the derogatory remarks they make. First thing they would do is LOOK OVER at the Black Woman and think six times before saying it. Now there is no one to guard their mouths. If a person has been doing it for 30 years, some one else will find a way to pay them to continue to do so.–David Robinson
Amen!
Peoples anger often causes them to miss an opportunity to grow. After
9-11, it would have been very easy to sell this country on making personal changes to end our dependence on foreign oil. Instead of ending our entanglement with the middle easterners, we chose to kill them. Similarly, Imus could have ended up being the greatest example of
reformed thinking on the air. Instead we got more blood in the water. Its as if we never learn.--Corky Coreson
Stumble It!
