Monday, April 09, 2007

Nappy Time

Don Imus is an idiot. As you probably already know, the radio personality called the Rutgers Women’s basketball team “Nappy-Headed Hos.” A remark that’s not only derogatory, but also infused with a piquant hint of racism.

Now, I’m a little young to remember when people used the term “nappy headed” as a slur. Don Imus is significantly older than I am, so he should have known better.

The question is however, should the jock be fired? Is using a racist slur – even on the radio (the last bastion for taste and grace and home of Howard Stern) – unforgivable? Rev. Al Sharpton is out for blood. We should have known it was coming. Al Sharpton is always out for blood when someone uses a racist term.

Al Sharpton should be pissed off at racists. Racism is terrible. It’s idiotic. It’s irrational. It’s hurtful. It’s completely without merit.

Is it unforgivable?

Apparently Al thinks so. The Reverend who “forgave” the man who stabbed him feels that a racist epithet is a career destroying offence. He’s demanding that Imus be fired. The man who, on more than one occasion, has used anti-Semitism to “rally” his “troops” thinks that “Nappy-Headed Hos” crosses the line. Where does Al Sharpton draw his line? Who really knows. I’m not sure that Al could answer that question for you.

But one thing I do know is that Al Sharpton has done about as much for race relations as a Mississippi lynch mob.

It seems odd to me that a man of God should be so into vengeance. Now, don’t get me wrong, Don Imus’ remarks were stupid, hurtful, wrong and bafflingly inexplicable. But you know how I get back at people like Don Imus? I turn them off. I don’t listen to them. I don’t lend credence to their words by declaring their actions to be a blight on the world. I’ve seen Don Imus all over television this morning. Shamed. Groveling. Begging for forgiveness. Truly humbling himself.

Is this the time to kick the man? Why not let public opinion take care of Don Imus? If people are willing to forgive him then they will (and I actually do believe that Imus wants to be forgiven. I feel that there’s real regret there. Not like Mel Gibson. Who, by the way, I’m still avoiding. Not like Al Sharpton, who has referred to Jewish people as “bloodsucking Jews” among other things). If people are unwilling to forgive Don Imus then they won’t.

Methinks Rev. Sharpton needs to head back to his Bible and Don Imus needs to shut the hell up every once in a while.

Imus’ glass house has a huge stone-hole in it at the moment; I just can’t believe that Sharpton’s place has stayed so pristine.



Fun Fact: I Got Milk…glass. I’ve got a milk glass. I've gotten a milk glass.

I won it online from gettheglass.com. I played the dairy council’s little game and I won! Take that Beef Association and Chicken Growers!

Here’s my prize:

I’m such a winner!

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