Jason Whitlock: Imus isn’t the real bad guy

My friend Brian e-mails an alert that Jason Whitlock, a columnist with the Kansas City Star, has written a strong column about the Imus controversy, saying that black leaders are unnecessarily lynching Imus while ignoring the bigger problem of black pop cultural figures who degrade their own race.

http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/66339.html

Imus Not the Only One

Marc Fisher of The Washington Post writes in his blog on April 11 about a Stroudsburg, Pa. radio host who was fired after referring to Don Imus' now infamous three seconds of racial insensitivity (nappy-headed hoes), as "the phrase that pays."

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2007/04/the_phrase_that_pays.html

The Pocono Record has more on the story, though the clichéd lede and paucity of pertient details creates confusion as to the context of the local host's remarks — though it seems like he made a poorly premeditated attempt at humor, much worse than anything Imus said.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS/704110348/-1/NEWS01

The Record reports, "Bill Sheridan, programming director at WSBG and WVPO, said he didn't hear Smith's show Tuesday, but that he is looking into the incident." Sounds like the same snap judgement that the people calling for Imus' removal are using — reaction without deliberation, understanding or context.

The Record continues:

Robert Hillman, the head of the Pennsylvania Relations Commission's Monroe County Advisory Council, said he didn't hear the show but has received numerous phone calls about the comments.

"This is just the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Hillman said. "With everything that is going on with Imus, to say that is just plain unbelievable. I can forgive Imus a little more quickly, it was a slip for him. This seems to have been thought out."

While Hillman is probably right, his logic is troublesome. The comments by the local radio host, Gary in the Morning, might have been the dumbest thing he has ever heard — but it's also something he never actually heard. There is also a case made for an increased diversity of choices in local radio — something that leans against the convergence and consolidation minded ways of the mega corporations that own the stations.

Banks said what makes the comments worse is the lack of local radio choice — WSBG is the only major FM station based in Stroudsburg — means impressionable ears may have heard it.

"That's what kids listen to on school buses," he said. "It's also the only station we can pick up around here that has weather and road conditions."

Stay tuned.

An Outpouring of Context

Don Imus deserves better. After hearing his impassioned apology from Monday morning, you will think so too.

http://podcast.wfan.com/wfan/380341.mp3

No Capital Crime

A two-week suspension for three off-hand words — nappy-headed hoes. Seems about right in the United States in 2007, where freedom of speech and expression has been obliterated by outcry from self-proclaimed political leaders and the fear of corporations from losing listeners, viewers and advertisers. Don Imus is a radio legend, the winner of three Marconi Awards for excellence in broadcasting and a member of the Radio Hall of Fame. And he made a mistake, trying to squeeze humor from an admittedly stupid remark about the women’s basketball team at Rutgers University. But, three words do not a career make. And three words should not a career ruin. Black leaders such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, both of whom have made provocative, racially-insensitive comments about white men and women without redress throughout their careers, have called for Imus’ firing. CBS and MSNBC, the radio and television networks that air Imus’ program have responded with a two-week suspension, the start of which has been delayed until Monday so that they may air a radio-thon Imus is participating in to raise money for the Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund and the C.J.’s Foundation for SIDS. Yell. Scream. Shout. Call for the cranky old cowboy to fade into the sunset. But, don’t ruin his life. Don’t kill his career for an off-hand remark, the way the legacy of Howard Cosell was tarnished by the utterance of “Look at that little monkey go,” or how the football prognosticator Jimmy the Greek Snyder lost his job and his reputation for intimating that black athletes were superior to white athletes. No. To do that would be ignorant. To do that would be more disgraceful than anything Imus has ever said or done.