So, here's the promised Imus post. A couple of things about Imus. Yes, his comment was out of line and ridiculous. I have only listened to him on a few occasions, when radio reception was failing me and all I could pick up on the way to work was 1420AM out of Pittsfield. I never understood the celebrity he achieved. The politicos and celebrities he courted (Joe Lieberman, John Kerry, Andrea Mitchell, Maureen Dowd, Christopher Dodd, etc) couldn't wait to appear on his show. He was your standard issue shock jock, some say the "father" of shock jocks. If you were 18-29, borderline stupid, or a liberal, you found him amusing. Racism and misogyny are not funny anymore. Of course, since the comment, Imus has spent his time apologizing to men of high standards of morality, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who called New York "Hymietown" and the Reverend Al Sharpton, whose resume' includes the Tawana Brawley, Crown Heights and Harlem riots incidents. Sharpton is going to milk the Imus story to reinvigorate and rehabilitate his own checkered past. Jackson is just a hypocrite.
So now their aim is on rap and hip-hop music, or so "The Justice Brothers" say. And just what do some involved in the rap/hip-hop music industry have to say? Russell Simmons and Benjamin Chavis of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network say that "comparing Imus’ language with hip-hop artists’ poetic expression is misguided and inaccurate and feeds into a mindset that can be a catalyst for unwarranted, rampant censorship."
Then there is that bastion of morals, "Girls Gone Wild's" own spokesman Snoop Dogg. He told MTV from his Los Angeles hotel room "It's a completely different scenario..." and that rappers "are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We're talking about ho's that's in the 'hood that ain't doing sh--, that's trying to get a n---a for his money. These are two separate things. First of all, we ain't no old-ass white men that sit up on MSNBC going hard on black girls. We are rappers that have these songs coming from our minds and our souls that are relevant to what we feel. I will not let them mutha----as say we in the same league as him."
Intelligence personified.
Ali Eteraz had a far more intelligent comment, writing on "The Huffington Post" that... "Mainstream hip hop is replete with misogyny far worse than anything Imus expressed. In fact, mainstream hip hop is actually a toned down version of the truly predatory examples of hip hop patriarchy. Those that want to see such examples should watch BET's (Black Entertainment Television) "uncut" videos, specifically "Tip Drill" by Nelly (warning, nudity and explicit sexual content) which goes something like this: "It must be yo ass cuz it aint yo face" while hundreds of faceless backsides shake towards the camera. In other words, hip hop misogyny today is so bad that the first step will not be to affirm women's minds; it will be to affirm that a woman's face comes before her backside!"
So, here's my suggestion for MCLA: a few years back, MCLA decided to broadcast BET on one of the local access channels, available on all TV's on the campus. To me, the local access channel might have been a better choice, in that students might have a clue as to local city government goings-on and such. But I digress. I think MCLA can take the lead in a show of support that language such as this has no place on the airwaves, whether it be from the mouth of Don Imus or Nelly, Timbaland, 50 Cent or anyone else, and remove BET from the channels available on campus. Bring back the local access channel, or replace it with RFD-TV, G4, The Documentary Channel, History International, or anything but BET.
Be a leader in showing that this will not be tolerated, no matter the color of your skin or "poetic expression" you desire to speak.
Cue the "Free Speech" hordes in 3...2...1...
UPDATE:
Presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama (D-IL), in a speech the day of the shootings at Virginia Tech, compared the shootings to the "verbal violence" of Imus. This link will take you to the story, along with an audio link.
8 comments:
I am not speaking authoritatively on this-- but I think the BET is taken off satillite-- in which case the college is paying to have it on campus-- it is in effect (if as I say is true) being sponsored by the college--- the college blocked out local cable access 17 (the government channel0 and brought in BET (15 the regular local cable access channel is also blocked out in order to have a campus bulletin board)----BET on campus was the brainstorm of a former Dean of Students---in order to make minority students feel more welcome and connected------I also don;t know what the college provides in terms of access to the cable----but 17 is part of the basic package---maybe students have to pay extra for the standard cable or the other premium channels----------one question-- for the Rutgers hoopsters-- how many of them own CD's or watch music videos on BET or whatever-- that feature hip hop and rap music------what percent of our female minority population at MCLA "dig" this sexist and mysogynistic music---as an aged white man-- I am in no position to dictate what they listen to---but if female minorities dig this crap------then they have no bitch (oooops) read complaint-- with Imus---chbpod
Since I've already commented about this story on other local blogs when it first happened, I'm not going to repeat myself. But I find it funny that A) You think only liberals listened to Imus or appeared as guests and B) That Joe Liberman is a liberal.
One other question, why is it that conservatives always include Mr. Obama's middle name but never anyone elses? Are you all that desparate to try to knock off a leading candidate that you try to make some imaginary link to Saddam? Do you really think that people are that stupid? It really makes one look petty.
If you listen to liberals-- yeah people are stupid---they got us George W. Bush-chbpod
well Andy- I see no takers on your original post---yeah da snoop weighed in on the Barak Hussein Obama thing------but I guess they don't have anything to say about hip hop and gangster rap and ho's and bitches---why would they--- after all the liberal Democratic candidates----socialize with the producers and sponsors of this stuff--and get big bucks in campaign donations----let's not insult a brother---what's deafening in terms of silence- I have not had a reply from Steve Green or Mary Grant for my e-mail to them last week-- suggesting that BET be unplugged---not even a "we're looking at the issue"----I guess it's the same lame-brained liberal attitude--- it's THEIR cultural expression and it's OK--- God (oh that's right God is not allowed on campus) forbid that a white person use the lingo or try to interfere with their culture--chbpod
Wes commented on this (http://www.berkshireeagle.com/editorials/ci_5666198) editorial in the Eagle and I responded with the following comment and I consider myself very liberal.
I agree with most of what the editorial says. Had CBS and MSNBC lead the charge to fire Mr. Imus then I would agree with the firing as well. Instead the two corporations were crippled by the opporitunistic “Reverends” and overly politically correct threats of the advertisers. Mr. Imus’ firing was nothing more than a pure financial decision and as far and CBS and MSNBC were concerned had nothing to do with the abomible statements of Mr. Imus.
And since the reverends openned the door of past actions, certainly the Twana fiasco is relavent. I also wonder why the reveneds are not all over the media about the 3 falsely accused Lacross players who had their charges dropped. Is not falsely accusing someone of rape a crime?
Mr. Imus is guilty as charged, but the penalty was not a direct result of the “crime”.
Hey da snoop-- you had well better re-think your position---I agree with you on Sharpton and Jackson-----chbpod
Perhaps it is you who should re-think since you say I am always wrong.
Perhaps I should re-think--- except I am so sure that I am right on Jackson and Sharpton--that I won't bother---it's nice of you to have come to your senses--lol----and I will never again say that you are always wrong--chbpod
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