Racial slur gets Imus 2-week suspension

[mikesilvia]

For some reason this story has been the main story on CNN, Fox news and every other major news outlet.

Don Imus' morning talk show will be suspended from CBS Radio and MSNBC for two weeks following protests about his reference to members of the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos," both networks said Monday.

Of course all the African American leadership is up in arms.

Imus, who has made a career of cranky insults in the morning, was fighting for his job following the joke that by his own admission went "way too far." He continued to apologize Monday, both on his show and on a syndicated radio program hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who is among several black leaders demanding his ouster.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson said that Imus' suspensions would not halt the protests.

What I would like to know is why is this such a big story? I can't listen to a rap song with out a rapper calling a black women a "ho" or the N-word shouted out dozens of times. Why is it that we can denigrate women in our music, but a radio show host can't?

I have never heard this guy's radio show and know very little about him. I just turned on the news and there it was on every channel and I thought to myself, "are they serious?"

So, I thought and did a search on a recent, popular rap song. The first that came to my head was the sold "Gold Digger" by Kayne West. You know the guy who won Grammy after Grammy for this music. Here are the lyrics, let me know if any words stand out.

[Jamie Foxx]
She take my money, well I'm in need
Yeah she's a triflin friend indeed
Oh she's a gold digger way over time
That digs on me

[Chorus:]
(she steal me money)
Now I aint sayin she a gold digger (When I'm in Need)
But she aint messin wit no broke ™™™™™s (she steal me money)
Now I aint sayin she a gold digger (When I'm in Need)
but she aint messin wit no broke ™™™™™s(I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head


[Verse 1:]
[Jamie Foxx's Lyrics Repeated across verse]
Cutie the bomb
Met her at a beauty salon
With a baby louis vuitton
Under her under arm
She said I can tell you rock
I can tell by ya charm
Far as girls you got a flock
I can tell by ya charm and ya arm
but I'm lookin for the one
have you seen her
My psychic told me she'ya have a ™™™ like Serena
Trina, Jennifer Lopez, four kids
An I gotta take all they bad ™™™ to show-biz
Ok get ya kids but then they got they friends
I Pulled up in the Benz, they all got up in
We all went to din and then I had to pay
If you fuc*** with this girl then you betta be paid
You know why
Take too much to touch her
From what I heard she got a baby by Busta
My best friend say she use to f**k with Usher
I don't care what none of y'all say I still love her

[Chorus:]
(she steal me money)
Now I aint sayin she a gold digger (When I'm in Need)
But she aint messin wit no broke ™™™™™s (she steal me money)
Now I aint sayin she a gold digger (When I'm in Need)
but she aint messin wit no broke ™™™™™s (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head


[Verse 2:]
[Jamie Foxx Lyrics Repeated across verse]
18 years, 18 years
She got one of yo kids got you for 18 years
I know somebody payin child support for one of his kids
His baby momma car, crib is bigger than his
You will see him on TV Any Given Sunday
Win the Superbowl and drive off in a Hyundai
She was spose to buy ya shorty tyco with ya money yeah.
She went to the doctor got lipo with ya money
She walkin around lookin like Michael with ya money
Shoulda got that insured, GEICO for ya moneeey(your money)
If you aint no punk holla We Want Prenupt
WE WANT PRENUPT!, Yeaah
It's something that you need to have
Cause when she leave yo ™™™ she gone leave with half
18 years, 18 years
And on the 18th birthday he found out it wasn't his

[Chorus:]
(she steal me money)
Now I aint sayin she a gold digger (When I'm in Need)
But she aint messin wit no broke ™™™™™s (she steal me money)
Now I aint sayin she a gold digger (When I'm in Need)
but she aint messin wit no broke ™™™™™s (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)
get down girl go head



Now I aint sayin you a gold digger you got needs
You don't want a dude to smoke but he can't buy weed
You go out to eat, can't pay ya'll can't leave
There's dishes in the back, he gotta roll up his sleeves
But while yall washin watch him
He gone make it to a Benz out of that Datsun
He got that ambition baby look in his eyes
jamie foxx comes in
This week he moppin floors next week it's the fries
So, stick by his side
I know his dude's ballin and yea thats nice
And they gone keep callin and tryin
But you stay right girl
But when you get on he leave yo ™™™ for a white girl


Get down girl go head get down
Get down girl go head get down
get down girl go head get down
get down girl go head
[she take my money]
Let me here that back

So, we reward "artists" for using terms like the N-word and swearing, but we slam a guy because he says, "nappy-headed hos,"?

I can search and find much worse rap songs. I am just showing you a Grammy award winning one. We broadcast this garbage on all our radio stations so all our children can hear it, but when a radio show guy says something far less hideous we go all crazy.

Am I the only one that finds this news to be crazy?

[Noahmyboy03]

This is such a sensitive subject and I in no way want to come across as being a racist (Especially since I am myself Hispanic) but there is one major difference between Imus and Kayne West. That's skin color. There is an unwritten rule among minorities that it is alright for hispanics, blacks, asians, etc to make fun of or use racial slurs about their own race but if it's done by a member of another race, then all hell breaks loose. I'm speaking from experience. I have relatives that are constantly calling themselves (And other Hispanics) deragatory names and as long as it stays between them then it is alright (In their eyes). But if someone of another race was to do it they would get all bent out of shape!!! Personally I think everybody should stay away from using deragatory names when it comes to others. Even if you are talking about your own race. Eventually it will only lead to trouble. Heck, I am even trying to teach my 3 1/2 year old son not to call people anything but man, woman, boy, girl, etc. I know that eventually he will hear racial slurs but hopefully by then he will know right from wrong and use good judgement. The bottom line for people like Imus, and even rappers, is to use common sense before opening your mouth. Too many times people open their mouths before thinking.

[doniceage]

I agree with BOBBY that it a total double standard. I used to be hang out with a ton of friends in high school and there was only two white guys and the rest where black or mixed. Of course if either one of us white guys said the N word it was taken offensive especially by those that truly did not know us. As it was something that I have always said why is it okay if you say it (black or mixed friend) but when the two white guys say it people would get up in arms.

Just better left alone and to toe the line of course I find that we all have our language that we use which is never 100 percent politically correct. As for IMUS he been pushing the line for a long time so people finally are up in arms. You keep saying stupid stuff it going to come back and haunt ya and this is his time. 2 weeks what does that truly accomplish as he is not going to change looking back at his track record.


p.s. I believe it will blow over sooner or later. But if you want to talk about another story why did the People go Nuts when the Master won by Zach as he dropped the G and JC bomb (GOD AND JESUS CHRIST). HMM, it was Easter Sunday and they didn't let him say much about it and tried to steer him to other things besides that. Go figure!!

DON

[abnascar22]

Al Sharpten wants Imus fired, saying that a two-week suspension is not enough. For a guy that's been doing this since 1968 and didn't say this in anger, it was in comedy, I think he should be given a break. A two-week suspension is fine (if not too harsh). It is a horrible double-standard, but that's America. Home of the free and home of the All-American Double-Standard. To quote George Carlin, "We were founded by a bunch of slave owners who wanted to be free!"

This issue is way overblown and receiving too much media attention. What? Paris Hilton hasn't done anything recently? What about Britney Spears? Come on! Let's focus on the REAL news here...

[NiteWolf777]

this brings back memories of the Grease Man and his antics about a decade ago that got him fired from his DJ job down in DC...His comments were a bit rougher though and i'm not gonna repeat them, but they resulted in him working radio in my area and i live out in the boonies near rural West Virginia...and i think they even fired him not long ago for engaging mouth before brain. I actually watched the show when Imus made the comments. He's probably gonna get fired, i'd say within the next month at the most.

[stewart20rulz]

I feel what IMUS did was wrong, even if the intent was not racial. However, with that said, you never here about Al Sharpton or any other minority leaders going after their own for racially insensitive slurs. I watched him on an interview last night and he claimed they stand against what some hard core rappers put in their lyrics, but why are they not shouting it out....it's much like a whisper if they are protesting any of that at all because I for one and many others never hear them publically protest rappers and their lyrics. Even so, IMUS had no excuse and cannot use the fact that rappers or other idiots use insensitive language all the time and get away with it. It's just easier for Sharpton to get his fat head on tv since it was a white guy who made the remarks. I'd like to see him call out rappers and folks like Kanye West or Snoop Dogg on national tv and call for a boycott of their music by all people of all races...yeah...that'll never happen!

[doniceage]

What about this for a double standard (As I think Al and Jesse) both want Don Imus fired.

Here a take by Jesse 20 plus years ago as I remember this well. As the link belows talks about

Jesse Jackson's 'Hymietown' Remark – 1984

Washingtonpost.com Special Report: Clinton Accused

Nothing like calling Jews Hymies and New York HYMIETOWN.

I guess there was a difference.

DON

[Bondsaway]

First off what Imus said was completed stupid. Should have been taken off the air as soon as he said it! PERIOD! ARe you kidding me??? Wheres the FCC when you want them? It was wrong and apologies won't work for him!

Look at what happened to the golfer (whats his name) that called Tiger Woods a boy! A BOY!!!! The man was older than Tiger and did not mean it in the way it was taken. But all hell broke loose and he lost all his sponsers.

But that brings me to what Mike said. I don't care what color your skin is! You don't want to hear it stop saying the words! Its time for the double standards to stop and minorities to get off their pedastals of being down troddened! I can persoanlly say I have never owned a plantation or any slaves! I'm pretty sure no one owns any slaves either!

Imus if you only get the 2 weeks you got off lucky!

As for the greaseman I remember exactly what he said that got him the boot,
but he referenced Martin Luther King and his assassination. So he definately over stepped the line there!

[NiteWolf777]

oh there's more examples...look at John Rocker, he went from being one of the best closers in the game to being the subject of battery sales following him when the braves went on a road trip...

[mikesilvia]

Just take the Duke LaCrosse case. Jesse Jackson and Sharpton were calling for the kids to go to jail. When are they going to say sorry for being so quick to judge some innocent college kids?