Where's the outrage from the powerful?
The controversy over the racist remarks by Don Imus has drawn a flood of traffic to the app.com forums section. Most of the responses have fallen into three categories: those saying Imus was wrong to say what he said, but too much has been made of it; those attacking the Rev. Al Sharpton for exploiting the situation for personal gain; and those who say there is a double standard when it comes to racist remarks - it's OK for blacks to make them, but not whites.
Only a handful of posters offered unqualified criticism of Imus and his show. Too many lightly dismissed the negative impact of a national radio talk-show - one who converses on the air daily with the nation's most powerful politicians and journalists - making racist remarks. For Imus, it wasn't an isolated incident. Racism, homophobia and sexism are regular features of the program. And this wasn't some two-bit small-market shock jock trying to make a name for himself.
It's unfortunate that someone with as little currency as the Rev. Al Sharpton is the one who got out on front of this story. It would have been nice if some other prominent black leader, or just one powerful journalist or politician who thinks tolerance and civility on the airwaves matters, had stepped forward first. Or, for that matter, at all. Their silence has been deafening.
Only a handful of posters offered unqualified criticism of Imus and his show. Too many lightly dismissed the negative impact of a national radio talk-show - one who converses on the air daily with the nation's most powerful politicians and journalists - making racist remarks. For Imus, it wasn't an isolated incident. Racism, homophobia and sexism are regular features of the program. And this wasn't some two-bit small-market shock jock trying to make a name for himself.
It's unfortunate that someone with as little currency as the Rev. Al Sharpton is the one who got out on front of this story. It would have been nice if some other prominent black leader, or just one powerful journalist or politician who thinks tolerance and civility on the airwaves matters, had stepped forward first. Or, for that matter, at all. Their silence has been deafening.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 11:21 AM
2 Comments:
I think they did not want to sully their reputations with this. It's too easy for others to say things like "you're doing it for publicity".
Al Sharpton
I have been seeing you almost everyday now on our national networks
with your opinions about white America. It appears you only focus on
the white's of this country, why don't you go to your local gas station
and listen to what I have to hear almost ever time I fill up and as far
as that goes just sitting in traffic listening to what for the most part come from
your own peoples broadcast for everyone to hear ? I hear ever name you can imagine
plus the f word over and over for all the young and old to hear. I hear it everyday
and you think we aren't offended too ? OPEN YOUR EYE'S or just SHUT THEM and
listen ! You are really making people take a second look at your motives as a
person who claims to have faith. I hope you use that same zeal to correct your
black American problems . Thanks for reading
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