Don Imus, How Dare You!!
April 9th, 2007 at 11:58pm Manchild
Today, my wife, KWiz, and I have similar posts and have shared some of the same resources and information. So don’t think that your mind is playing tricks on you if you frequently visit both of our sites.
During last week’s nationally syndicated talk show, “Imus In The Morning,” Don Imus and executive producer Bernard McGuirk (and others), commented on the Rutgers women’s basketball team the following. Click here at MediaMatters.org for a detailed account and video of what Imus said while the Rutgers University Women’s Basketball team played the University of Tennessee in the NCAA championship last Wednesday.
IMUS: That’s some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and –
McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.
IMUS: That’s some nappy-headed hos there. I’m gonna tell you that now, man, that’s some — woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like — kinda like — I don’t know.
McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
…ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors.
As the father of a 3-year old pearl of a girl, I got angry because that could have been my daughter Imus was talking about. My wife just happen to be styling our daughter’s hair this morning while listening to Rev. Al Sharpton during his nationally syndicated talk show, “Keepin’ It Real.” This civil rights activist addressed Imus’ racially-charged criticism of women who didn’t deserve to be disrespected.
During the Michael Baisden show (a nationally-syndicated Black radio talk show airing weekday afternoons), a young Black girl called and expressed herself in the form of a powerful poem. She cried as she passionately read her soul stirring poem on air. I want to personally thank Mr. Baisden for posting the following poem on his forum at MingleCity.com.
Violent
By Yvonne Espinoza
We’re violent because this is all we know
You taught us this along time ago
We’re violent because you made us this way
You beat us naked, you hung our people,
Raped our kids and stripped us of our pride
And you now wanna ask why?Give us a reason not to beYou can’t, it’s impossibleBecause to give us a reason, you’d have to right all the wrong you’ve doneBut you can’t and if you could then
You’ve only just begun
You’d have to beg for mercy, plead and cry
You’d have to feel the pain we feltThe pain that took livesYou go through the hardships,
The trials and tribulations,
The suffering, the heartache, the dying babies
You sit on a boat full of hundreds of sick,
Old people living to die
How about you dance to make money
Look ignorant on t.v.
Go to jail for nothing
Harassed because others don’t like what they seeHave your people get beat to death
By those who get paid to protect
You eat trash to survive
How about you watch your people and babies die
Get sold for a dimeKill themselves because they don’t want to live this lifeWe went through it then and we go through it now
And you know it’s true, and you still ask why?
How dare you have the audacity
Who made you king?Despite common belief and despite what you think
There is only one king, one God
And he walks with me, with us
The ones who were forced to live in grief
Who were cut, killed, raped and beat
Like animals, brainwashed to think like youYou hacked away, pulled and dragged us down
Until we didn’t want to be Black or Brown
We didn’t want to be Colored or Negroes
We wanted to be High, Suddity, White Folk
We though if we looked, smelled, and act like you
We could live a regular life, and though we tried
You still continued to beat and lay us out
To hang us from our necks, to laugh at our bodiesYou could never blame us for being this way
Because you taught us violence
So how dare you think of forming any kind of alliance
Now we know that two wrongs don’t make a right
But since we have none,
Why should we spare your life?It’s your fault for all of this
And if you didn’t teach us violence
Then who did?
It couldn’t have been us
Because, remember, we’re ignorant!You should be careful what you say
Because your words have power
Say it enough and it’ll come true…
I know you’ve heard of karma
God have mercy on you.
As the father of a pearl of a girl, I’ve been struggling since last Thursday to “intellectualize my emotions.” But my efforts have been in vain. Hence, I’ve been praying about my public response to the egregious remarks Mr. Don Imus espoused while on the air for millions of people to hear. Once again, this “shock jock” has deeply hurt the feelings of the beautiful women I love. For the women who know me, I will not hesitate to protect them with my life as every man should.
During Rev. Al Sharpton’s talk show, Imus did offer what he referred to as an “apology” for his ugly remarks. Since this is not the first time Imus has put his foot in his mouth, an apology is not enough. As Sharpton emphatically stated today, Imus must be held accountable for the damage he’s done to the image of the women he referred to as “nappy headed hoes.” Unfortunately, the damage has already been done as evidence by the aforementioned poem. Imus could have been talking about your daughter.
Today’s post should get the attention of the real men who love, honor, and respect all women. Matters not the colour of their skin, I honestly believe that every woman should feel safe and secure when in the presence of a real man. I’ll be the first to admit that one too many men have done a lousy job of protecting women.
Nevertheless, the focus of today’s post is Imus, a man who has developed a reputation for making insensitive, racist, remarks about Black women as evidenced by Ms. Terry Howcott’s “Imusinbordinaition” article. This type of inexcusable behavior must stop. Men, our women and daughters deserve better. Don’t you agree?
“Don Imus, how dare you!!”
© Copyright by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
Popularity: 13% [?]
Entry Filed under: Cultural Diversity, Male-Female Relationships, Self-Esteem, Social Justice
23 Comments Add your own
1. Tisha | April 10th, 2007 at 2:57 am
That’s so degrading! He should be ousted for disparaging women like that!
2. James Walton | April 10th, 2007 at 11:36 am
well put,Imus has shown us how white folk think, I have watched with interest and wonder why more white people are not critical of Imus. He is not the only one and I think a very long suspension is in order, but if he is fired it would not be out of line.America was shocked when Tim Hardaway made his comment about gays. It appears the only people shocked this time are black
3. christina | April 10th, 2007 at 11:46 am
not a fan of Al Sharpton or Don “anus”… what a racist.
4. sally | April 10th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
well said- there are times when you cannot overcome your emotions because they have been too badly bruised- that this is one of those is OK- what terrible comments from a horrible man. The true apology will come when he changes his ways!
5. Paula Mooney | April 10th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Yes, I believe Imus will learn the importance of focusing on love and not hate, and hopefully he’ll learn his lesson as a result.
Paula
6. Dave | April 10th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I wish I shared your knack for keeping cool and delivering your view subtly. In my opinion Imus is an unmitigated idiot.
7. Kali | April 10th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Being also a Mom of a soon-to-be 3 year old, it infuriates me to hear men referring to women as “ho’s”. Its one thing if its a SNL sketch, but its not. Using “ho” as a casual reference in all cultures only
impels the use of the slang term.
8. iamnotstarjones | April 10th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
it’s good that your wife and daughter have you.
9. Jim Legington | April 11th, 2007 at 12:16 am
Hey Manchild,
This is a case of real arrogance these haters
are spitting out hatred in public airways as
such. It’s a shame that mankind thinks he has
found some better way than the love of God.
This is the kind of attitude that saturates
the heart of man when the words man hear did
not come from God Almighty.
Every spirit uses words to communicate with a
vessel of clay as is mankind, this is why we must
put on the whole armor of God, this is spiritual
warfare. As Paula said prior to this writing, You
can call on the Right Hand of God Almighty in
prayer and use His word to gain control of
situations God Wills to be corrected.
God raised Jesus from the dead, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. God sent His blessing in Jesus as Lord. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so.
Everyone knows that God is waiting for the sons
of God to really understand that all Power is in
His Hands, by the Spirit of the living God, ask in
the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord that the very
Love of God would overcome every person used
by the enemy in this dialog disparaging women
over the airways referring to women as “ho’s”.
Don Imus and executive producer Bernard McGuirk (and others), commenting on the Rutgers women’s basketball team, Our God heard every word and the children of the living God will pray that God has mercy and teaches you the Power of the love of God.
Children of God, Pray God’s will be done
in earth as it is in Heaven. Be Blessed always!
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Amen!
10. Jim Legington | April 11th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Hey Manchild,
Hear this message, it’s very important…
Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer spoke Tuesday about radio
commentator Don Imus’ remarks about her team. CNN Source!
“Would you have wanted your daughter to have been called that?”
“It’s not about women’s basketball, it’s about women”
“It has never just been a basketball game here for us.”
Coach blasts defense Imus uses that his show is just comedy
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/10/coach.comments/index.html
11. Hammer | April 11th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Talk about overreacting. And who the hell appointed Al Sharpton as the spokesman for all black people? And puhlease, Jesse Jackson. What an opportunist.
Imus made a joke folks. Sure, it was tasteless, but pulling advertising and suspending him? Ridiculous.
12. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Hello Tisha and James,
Thank you for commenting. What’s so sad about this whole scenario is that Don Imus has felt comfortable saying in public what a lot of people have been saying in private.
Our generation must address the cultural conditioning that has enabled Imus to earn a living at the expense of another person’s dignity. This shock jock is getting paid millions of dollars to do what he does.
13. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Hello Christina,
Thank you for commenting. You didn’t elaborate on the reasons why you’re not a fan of Rev. Al Sharpton or Don Imus. So I won’t assume. You’re welcome to come back and speak for yourself at any time.
Most people don’t like Rev.Sharpton because he has the courage to take a bold and courageous stand while “keeping it real.” Sharpton speaks truth to power in love. This civil rights activist makes people feel uncomfortable because he shines a light in areas of our American culture to expose the truth about the reasons why this great nation is still emotionally divided.
Most people don’t like Don Imus because of his apparent arrogance and insensitivity towards women. Listening to women has taught me that real men don’t make fun of women, don’t hurt women with our fists or the words we speak, don’t sexually objectify women, and don’t profit at the expense of any woman for any reason.
14. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Hello Sally,
Thank you for commenting. I’ve learned that bad behavior doesn’t always mean that the person is a bad person. Good people do make bad decisions.
With Imus, however, his bad behavior is “habitual.” That’s why an apology won’t fix the millions of hearts his words have harmed. With power comes much responsibility.
15. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Hello Paula,
Thank you contributing to my growth as I endeavor to understand women.
When the pain we feel becomes greater than our fear of the unknown, people will change. Don Imus has no reason to change because the consequences of his bad behavior and poor choice of words have not been painful enough to inspire him to change.
16. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Hello Dave,
Thank you for your comment and kind words. It’s still a struggle for me. I have prayed for Imus and asked God to show him how much harm his words have cause to the women who did nothing to deserve to hear such disrespectful and dehumanizing rhetoric.
Personally, I’ve survived a lot of ugly situations because of the ignorance and hatred of people who hated me because of the colour of my skin. I have learned that two wrongs still don’t make one right. I still fall just not as often.
17. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Hello Kali,
Thank you for sharing your response to such an offensive, sexist reference to a woman by a man who apparently lacks the ability to control his tongue. Alas, Imus is not the only man guilty of humiliating women just to earn a living.
I share your pain because I’ve seen my wife’s tears and understand why so many women have become “emotionally unavailable.” No wonder so many good women are living single lives. We, as men, must fix this with God’s help.
Imus is the result of the cultural conditioning that tells men that it’s okay to sexually objectify women and disrespect women just to make a dollar. I believe it’s wrong to profit at the expense of another person.
18. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Hello iamnotstarjones,
Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it whenever a woman acknowledges a man’s efforts to swim upstream in a downstream world. The media seldom shine a light on the real men who do good in their neighborhood daily. But God knows.
We, as men, still have a lot of work to do before the women we love, honor, and respect feel safe and secure in the presence of men. Please keep me and all the men who are taking a stand in your prayers.
19. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Hello Jim,
Thank you for sharing your insightful commentary.
You’ve said it all. Reading the Book of Esther taught me that God can change any person’s adverse circumstances “overnight.” I honestly believe that Esther’s wise decision to speak truth to power in love made the difference in the lives of the people she loved.
The same power God holds in His hands is available to all His children. But we must “act” like we believe that we can achieve great things with God’s help. “To win, we must begin within. If not now, when?”
20. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Hello Lillie,
Thank you for such encouraging words. All God’s children know that love will eventually conquer hate when all’s been read, said, and done.
After hearing the emotionally explosive remarks of Don Imus, I now know why God delayed the release of my first reality-based novel.
21. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Hello Rate of Attrition,
Thank you for sharing my post with your readers. I’m honored and truly grateful by your gesture.
22. Manchild | April 12th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Hello Hammer,
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I do disagree with you. There’s a difference between provocative humor and offensive humor.
Both Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson have access to powerful people in positions of influence that most people can’t reach. I wonder why you have an issue with these 2 “civil rights leaders and activists.” Do you personally know either of these men?
As evidenced by the recent news media coverage, a lot of powerful people agree that Imus behaved badly. Per his own admission, Imus agrees that he crossed the line.
According to the “Court Of Public Opinion,” this shock jock exceeded the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior. I’m not surprised that people are mobilizing and taking a stand against what women have tolerated with dignity and grace for too long now.
23. velvethammer | June 15th, 2007 at 1:15 am
In all fairness…
1991: A Hasidic Jewish driver in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights section accidentally kills Gavin Cato, a 7-year-old black child, and antisemitic riots erupt. Sharpton races to pour gasoline on the fire. At Gavin’s funeral he rails against the “diamond merchants” — code for Jews — with “the blood of innocent babies” on their hands. He mobilizes hundreds of demonstrators to march through the Jewish neighborhood, chanting, “No justice, no peace.” A rabbinical student, Yankel Rosenbaum, is surrounded by a mob shouting “Kill the Jews!” and stabbed to death.
1995: When the United House of Prayer, a large black landlord in Harlem, raises the rent on Freddy’s Fashion Mart, Freddy’s white Jewish owner is forced to raise the rent on his subtenant, a black-owned music store. A landlord-tenant dispute ensues; Sharpton uses it to incite racial hatred. “We will not stand by,” he warns malignantly, “and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business.” Sharpton’s National Action Network sets up picket lines; customers going into Freddy’s are spat on and cursed as “traitors” and “Uncle Toms.” Some protesters shout, “Burn down the Jew store!” and simulate striking a match. “We’re going to see that this cracker suffers,” says Sharpton’s colleague Morris Powell. On Dec. 8, one of the protesters bursts into Freddy’s, shoots four employees point-blank, then sets the store on fire. Seven employees die in the inferno.
Rev. Jesse Jackson referred to Jews as “Hymies” and to New York City as “Hymietown” in January 1984 during a conversation with a black Washington Post reporter, Milton Coleman. Jackson had assumed the references would not be printed because of his racial bond with Coleman, but several weeks later Coleman permitted the slurs to be included far down in an article by another Post reporter on Jackson’s rocky relations with American Jews.
http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=435
The pot calling the kettle black, al sharpton
“exceeding the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior.???”
Now iregardless as to what Imus had stated. Why should anyone pay any mind to al sharpton? He is an ignorant race baiter.
imus was run off of the airways. sharpton should be run out of the public eye. The means? Ignore him, and maybe just maybe he will fade away.
Besides political correctness is taking away our freedom of speech. I think anyone should be able to say what they wish. No picking and choosing what is aceptable and what is not, by certain groups. Mark my words. It may not always be about what you are against, it may someday be about what ‘you’ say.
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