Don Imus at His Best

I have read a lot of comments on different web forums about the Imus saga. I'm sure you know what I am talking about. I have also overheard people talking about the incident. While some people seem so shocked that he said these things, others seem to think he said them in jest. Others even seem to be thinking "so what if he did say them? How many racial epithets have the likes of Chris Rock used, even in movies, that people thought were funny?" I think all these people have valid points.



Watching the video clip, with the ease with which the words seemed to be flowing out of his mouth, I think Imus was very comfortable saying these words; I think that he must have known that some people would find those terms odious, though I doubt that he knew it would generate this mush anger, but I also think he said those words in jest. Before you ask for my head, hear me out. I think that he really did feel like the Rutgers girls' looked a bit rough and said so in jest, because he really does deem them as Nappy Headed You-Know-What, and he had hoped to generate some ratings with the careless comments, but I think the jest was in bad taste. I also think that, going by his "rough hos" statement, he thinks other women are hos, but the black ones are Nappy Headed ones.

What I find most appalling is that people are shocked that he said these things. Was it not just yesterday that it was normal to use more derogatory terms to qualify "colored folks"? Why do we think that, because there are laws against discrimination, people don't still think these things in their minds? I think people should understand that Imus said what nescient, ill-cultured folks like him say when they are in their comfort zones. A lot of Blacks that are angry that Imus said these things should ask themselves what part they have played in denigrating themselves and their race. It's like using the N word. They say it's okay to use it depending on the person using it and to whom. How can it be okay that my brother refers to me in such degrading manner but it's not okay for someone else to? Isn't that discriminatory on its own? They say it is okay for Kanye et al to say the B word and the N word because that’s what the popular culture is about, but yet they go bonkers when the person they consider the wrong person says these things. I don’t know if these make sense, but they really do not to me.

I think people who are concerned about these kinds of degradation should stand firm for what they believe in. It’s not okay for anyone to use these words period! This should not be a selective battle. It’s not okay for the half of a dollar rapper to degrade black women, any more than it is okay for Imus to so do. As a Black person, I don't consider myself the N. word and would not allow anyone to refer to me as such. As a woman, I don't consider myself the B word or a ho so why should it be okay if someone else, regardless of whom it is, refers to me as such?

I think that the Black community would be better off fighting this cause if we can start in our community by educating the 50-cents in our communities on self-worth. I think we can start by teaching our young adults about morals and self-respect. I think we can start by refusing to be a part of the so called popular culture that diminishes our worth. The hip-hop culture is supposed to be the Black culture, but yet it diminishes our women to hos and Bs being used by Ns. It represents us as greedy, unintelligent, violent, gun-carrying nonentities. How exactly do we intend to gain respect from outsiders? How exactly do we expect others to regard us?

Some have argued that Imus got off easy with this 2-week vacation. I agree. His two-week vacation does not even start until after the ratings. Wasn’t it just yesterday that Tim Hardaway got fired for expressing his views on homosexuality? I heard Procter and Gamble have decided to no longer sponsor his show. Nice move. We need more organizations to come out and show that they will not condone such hateful vents on their territory. His employers are yet to demonstrate this, but I am not holding my breath until they so do.

Imus has voiced the thoughts of his ilk. I think those who feel aggrieved should do what they can to stop the degradation of women. It’s not enough to wait for an Imus to vent so that people can hear your voice, if only you’ll turn around and do exactly what you just admonished. You alone have the power to define how you want to be regarded. Imus did not just start thinking that Black women were Nappy Headed Hos in 2007.