My opinion on the Imus saga

I know that a lot of people who read this will disagree me. That's your opinion.

By now, everyone knows about the comments radio show host Don Imus and his producer made about the Rutgers' women's basketball team. Last night, MSNBC pulled their TV simulcast of the show. And this afternoon, CBS radio fired him. A lot of people agree with that decision. They believe Imus is a racist old man should have been fired. I do not. I am disgusted with these picketing activitsts (Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson). I am disgusted with MSNBC. I am disgusted with CBS radio. I am repulsed at the way this situation has gone down.

Now as a guy who listened to the show from time to time, let me explain the nature of the show. Because I think a lot of people don't know Don Imus' nature. It's a funny show and had been for over 20 years. He pokes fun at people constantly. He insults his family and friends. And he gets on politicians and public figures. He's been doing that forever. So of course, he's ruffled feathers along the way and he has his oppponents. And those opponents have been waiting for a chance to kick him off the air. And that's what this was. I believe this was a personal attack on Imus. While I do not believe there was any malice on Imus' part, there has been plenty of malice on these critics. And I think they don't have the whole story.

Now I am not one of these First Amendment advocates. I don't believe in free speech no matter what. Without a doubt, I was very offended by Imus' and Bernard McGuirk's (the show's producer) comments. Calling those young women "ho's" was stupid and insensitive. He deserved to be suspended from the show and people should have been offended.

But even if the firing was inevitable, other people are conducting themselves far worse than Imus. MSNBC (who has no ratings aside from Imus' show anyway) and CBS radio proved they have no class. Today and tomorrow, WFAN radio (the NY sports radio station Imus broadcasts on and I listen to religiously) is running their annual Radiothon to benefit the Tomorrow Children's Fund and the CJ Foundation for SIDS. Over the last 18 years, this event has raised over 50 million dollars. And the networks both fired Imus DURING the radiothon. They didn't wait until after the fundraiser. They hindered the potential of this event and fired him as soon as they could to serve their own agenda which was looking good to the public.

And what's the reason they give for the firing? The networks claimed they were offended by the comments and the content and they could not allow that to be broadcast to America. If you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Detroit I can sell you. They fired Imus because sponsors were pulling out and they feared they would lose money. It was about money and image. This had ZERO to do with concern for these young women or race or gender.

Now onto these "almighty activists." And I'm going to focus on Al Sharpton. This guy needs to just go away. As soon as the remarks were made, he immediately said he would never go on Imus's show again. Turns out Sharpton is hosting a show on satellite radio. Two days later, he has Imus on. What a hypocritcal thing to do. He got Imus in his own environment so he could rip him. If he and Jackson and Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey and all these people don't call for a firing, they look like sellouts to the black community. They care about themselves and hide behind God, peace on earth, and race relations to make themselves look good. Where were these people making a stand against drugs, hardcore rap music, and gangs? Apparently those are fine? Intent doesn't matter? I think it does.

I ask you: if Howard Stern, who is insulting by nature, had said this, would he have even gotten punished? A fine? A suspension. You'll have a hard time convincing me he would have been reprimanded in any way. Because that is what is expected out of him. So to me, while the message was a huge factor, it was not the only factor. The person who says something is almost as important, if not as important, as the words that are said. Because I've heard other public figures say far worse things about certain races, religions, backgrounds, etc. and not even get a slap on the wrist.

And I hope Don Imus hosts a radio show again in the future. That's my opinion.