[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Don Imus and the First Amendment (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 4/11/2007 4:15:38 AM EDT
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I don't like Don Imus. I think he is a jerkoff. I think his views are stupid. I think however that he has been fucked by the left something fierce. His appearence with Matt Lauer brought up an incident where he called a black woman a "cleaning lady". Now if someone called my wife a "cleaning lady" I would not think that the person is being a racist, just an idiot. Unfortunately for Imus, he went the a huge apology spiel back then. Now they bring it up, because in apologizing, Imus by default admitted that it was "racist" Now it seems that if you reference a person of color, in any manner other then their given name and title, you are a racist. "You People" is now considered a "racist" term by Al Sharpton, per the show that Imus was on with him. This is becoming a case where thought policing is reality. Of course the ACLU is nowhere to be found as Don Imus' First Amendment rights get trampled by the SAME people that call Jews things like Kike, Hebe, and evil. They SAME people that say vile things about white people are now saying that if you call someone "nappy-headed" you are the same as a cross-burning, sheet-wearing, lynch mob. What say you??? |
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First Amendment does not apply because he made a comment, viewed insulting by people, some of which were NEVER affected by the horrible institution of slavery in the United States. He said what he said, and it should fly. If people don't like it, they'll tune out. But the good Reverend Al should STFU 
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Right... except that you can call them that, if your skin is a particular color which isn't white. The uproar is that a gringo said it.
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I believe in the Bill of Rights, but the "Imus Bruhaha" isn't realy about the 1st Amendment in my view. Imus works for a radio station, a commercial business. The business of that radio station is entertainment. Frankly, if I owned the station, I'd probably fire Imus' worthless ass. He gets paid hugely and is IMO, just another windbag who is getting paid far more than he's worth. If he doesn't know his business well enough to not step on obvious land mines, well then I'm cryin' no tears when one blows up underneath of him. My view of his comments are that they were gratuitous, cruel and demonstrably untrue. In any other business, anyone else would immediately get shown the door for what he said. I know that would happen here where I work and I'd agree with the HR Department when they handed the dope his pink slip. |
I say they are a bunch of hypocrites...............I think the next time that someone takes a poke at whites or latinos, then everyone should call for his head as well
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Imus obviously made ignorant comments, however there is a double standard in this country when it comes to the whole race thing, its ok for Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle to make raciest remarks all day about whites and every other race for that matter but the minute a white slightly uses the word African American out off context Sharpton is on the TV an hour later calling for their public execution followed by the media outcry. Yes Imus was very wrong but singling him out is also wrong, start with the habitual offenders first. |
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While Imus should probably be reprimanded BY HIS EMPLOYER for saying something insulting and stupid; this is not about that. He is being told that he CAN'T say things like that. Major difference. If Rev. Al and Rev. Jesse were being honest humans, they would not try to make it to where Don Imus loses his "voice" such as it is. What is being done is that ALL Americans now will have to "watch what they say" which is thought policing pure and simple. I should be able to stand up infront of a crowd of people and call them nappy headed hos and a bunch of cleaning ladies and not get crucified as being a racist. I might get called other names, I might lose my job, but just because I offend someone does NOT mean that I am a racist, such as they are painting Imus and by default ANYONE who says something similar. ETA: which, for the slow students, means that the First Amendment now is only going to apply to special victim groups. |
How long do you really think it is going to be before certain words or phrases are "BANNED", thus involving government. How many times have we seen government pandering when Al and Jesse speak? This is really about that Thought Police train that we are now all on and where it leads. Oh yeah, and plus I don't beleive that he was being a "racist", he was just being an "asshole" |
| I have Imus on every morning while reading the paper, and yes, he is a little stupid. I just wonder why nobody wanted him fired when the story broke about Walter Reed hospital conditions and he was screaming everyday for someone to be fired over that.He had the 2 women who broke the story on every other day for 3 weeks. He called Govt. and Army officals every name in the book he could get away with then. He kept that story on everyday for weeks. He helped build with private funds the center in San Antonio, did a nice show from there when it opened, had many Iraq vets with lost limbs, blinded, etc. etc on that day. If I recall, not one offical from any political party was there, except John McCain, maybe I am wrong. A couple weeks ago, he ranted on and on about a little Asian girl who won the calf roping compition at his ranch, and had never ever roped before, and beat out kids who had. I am gonna guess that the kids with cancer who attend his ranch without any cost to there familys don't think he is a racist, they are just happy to be there.The guy is a dick, no doubt sometimes, who is'nt? Maybe Sharpton and Jackson should check that part in the Bible about forgiveness sometime. |
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I hope Imus gets eventually fired, not because of what he said, but because of the way he handled it. He and the people on his show are acting like giant pussies. Instead of saying "I fucked up, it was a bad joke," he is groveling to anyone who will listen and falling all over himself to show how much he appreciates and respects black culture. It's not just Imus, it is even regular guests who are jumping on the "I am so pious" train. I was listening on the way into work and Imus had Mike Barnacle on and Barnacle was even going on and on about how he's fought against drug use and violence in the black community. Christ, it is sickening. |
Exactly. His getting fired does not equate to being prosecuted by the .gov. |
| Don Imus said what was on his mind and in his heart. Does he have a right to? YES. Does that mean the public and his employer have to accept it? NO. It was a wrong, mean and stupid thing to say. Is there a double standard for the likes of Sharpton and Jackson? OH YES!!! |
Agreed except I think I'd like to see him keep his job because of the whole double standard thing. |
some where even somewhat hot in the later interview.
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It's *not* a First Amendment issue. Repeat the above to yourself as often as needed. Without commenting on Imus's words, let me just say that he does not have any more free speech while on his employer's clock than I would if I worked for you in your gun store and told a customer he looked like an idiot who shouldn't own a gun, or told a woman, "With tits like those you need this Desert Eagle." Also, it's not unknown for people who are in the public eye to have their employment be conditional on keeping a "clean" public image. For example, celebs who are paid spokespersons for products and who do something outrageous and negative in their private life, can be let go from their contracts. Again, not a 1A issue. K |
| Imus is an ass but so are Sharpton, Spike Lee etc. Double standard over and over again. Does anyone recall "Tawana Brawley"(not sure if I spelled her name right)! Sharpton made national news over a hoax blamed on white men and a young black girl duped into playing on racial tension. Politically correct sucks. The only valid "rainbow" for Jackson is the color of the money he gets for his holier than though speeches. |
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Where did the government infringe upon his free speech rights? Last time I checked, MSNBC is a private company that is allowed to hire and fire people for a wide variety of reasons, including racial slurs that they use in public in the course of doing their job. I don't think Imus should be fired, or should have apologized to anyone except the Rutgers girls, or permitted this to become such a big issue, but it isn't a 1a case. Was it the liberal left who fucked Jim Zumbo over his ill-thought-out comments? Is it the liberal left that bans people from this privately owned website? |
He wasn't calling the athletes nappy-headed hoes.... he was calling the whore cheerleaders at Rutgers nappy headed hos. And his point wasn't that they were black, but that this particular college had a strong black population that has a substandard value system. The fact of the matter is that they have one of the trashiest cheerleading teams known, they act like whores, and had he left out 'nappy headed' he would've been right on the money. If he had referred to some other group as 'redneck hoes' or 'whitey hoes' nobody would be making any stink about it. I don't think his remark was racist at all, as racism is suggesting one race is superior to another... I think his point (whether he knew it or not) is that the black population in that geographic location appears to have a very poor value system and chooses to reward black women who act like whores in their society. To me, it's a pittiful realization of the culture there (NJ?) Perhaps they wouldn't have been called nappy-headed hoes if they would conduct themselves like real women do, instead of whores. The race doesn't matter - if this was a bunch of white girls, or mexicans, or whatever... it doesn't matter. This one particular geographic location's values are clearly screwed up, and Imus called them on it. They need to get their crap together, and be offended at themselves for being such a disease in the way they conduct themselves. |
I understand that, but what is happening is Al and Jesse are trying to have a law by proxy where if certain things get said a person gets completely punished. The Chris Rock comments are correct along with Louis Farrakan, etc get away with verbal attacks which coming out in reverse would start riots. The double standard is just THAT a STANDARD in society with is not really law (yet), however it is a muzzle on people. "Many of the Jews who owned the homes, the apartments in the black community, we considered them bloodsuckers because they took from our community and built their community but didn't offer anything back to our community." Louis Farrakhan "Is it wrong for me to remind you that you have suffered at the hands of white people? If I don't remind my people of what you people (whites) have done, you might get the mind to do it again" You wonder why I call it Jew-nited Nations...Jew York City...Jew-niversity. Because you control it Everybody talks about what Hitler did to you. What did you do to Hitler? What made that man so mad at you? I don't give a damn what you say about me, you bagel-eating, hook nose, lox-eating so-called Jew. The so-called Jew is Jew-wish--he wishes he was a Jew....You wanna-be Jews, we're gonna strip you buck naked before the world. There's no place for you to hide. You lied for too long telling that you are the chosen people.( Where is the media outrage at these statements?? Albeit they are some older ones, but he still has his job, he still runs around speaking his mind... What the FUCK? Side note: DO NOT HOTLINK THIS: http://www.radioislam.org/quotes/index.htm LOOK AT THE HEADERS. |
A: Zumbo was not making a joke. B: He was an ass that got punished and apologized and even around here people are letting him off the hook C: Imus apologized for something he SHOULD NOT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE for and he is still getting railroaded. D: The implications are that if YOU said the same thing at work to a Co-worker you could lose YOUR job. For a comment that was NOT even overtly racist. I am wondering where the ACLU is in this???? |
A) Why does it matter if he was joking? He said something that angered and offender a lot of people, he got canned for it. B) Imus got punished and apologized - what does this have to do with 1A? c) He ought to have appologized to the basketball team he called hos, but not to anyone else, since no one else could rightly be offended. D) That is up to my employer, since it is his company, and his dollar which is paying for his time while I'm there - not mine. Sort of like how it is up to the Avilas what you are permitted to say on their website. Why would the ACLU intervene in a private dispute between an employer and and employee, when I would wager a lot that his contract stipulates that he not make racially offensive remarks, &c. Why would the ACLU have anything to do with this when it isnt a question of civil liberties or any law? |
The First Amendment always applies IMO......IMUS has freedom of speech and his bosses have freedom of expression and employment at will.......he's canned.
NTM Freedom of speech does not mean you can yell "Fire " in a crowded theatre. NTMM there is the "fighting words" doctrine. IMUS F'd up and ought to be canned. |
| I don't watch imus, my only thought is he's a jerk who should lose his job. It's not even race from my point of view. If any of those girls were your mom or sister how would you take his remarks? I'd be steamed at the pr*ck. If he had made a joke without targeting the team it may have been funny as all jokes tend to pick on a group or behavior. This was, to me, over the top. Fire him. |
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(A) I hardley know who Imus is. (B) I am naive, what does "nappy headed" meen? Is it even race specific? (I get ho) (C) I am pissed, because the blacks get to sing about kill witey and shit like that, but they nail a white guy to the cross for anything. But.......... (D) It is kinda reminicant of what we did to ZUMBO  Zumbo exercised his 1st ammendment rights and we got him fired from every job he had.
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The Constitution is a limitation on government, not your fellow citizens. Government isn't doing anything to Imus. |
Don't you listen to ICE CUBE of NWA fame? "knappy headed niggah with a bone in your noze..." from the WHITE CAVE BITCH song. come on. Butt seriously, IMUS should fire the guy who led him into it...the one who said "tough hos" and then IMUS chimed in with the NAPPY BS,,,,,,,,you should surround yourself with better people and your people should take better care of you at those levels especially, but nobody is mentioning the underling who started it. |
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He said something stupid, was called on the carpet and is now off the TV airwaves (MSNBC) permanently and the radio waves for two weeks. A person has a "right" under the 1st Amendment to freedom of expression. No where in that is the right to speak in a manner that offends an individual or a group. What he forgot was the fact that his statements were uttered on a national stage, in a time-frame that was very well advertised and paid for by companies who do not wish to have their name associated with his. When the ad dollars started backing out the decision was made and made quickly. If the statements he made had not cost his company millions of dollars he'd still be on the air. The reason that other individuals can utter gross, malicious and racist statements is due to the fact that their comments do not cost a company millions of dollars. Remember, when Kramer (stage name of man I forgot at this moment) uttered his racist rantings he was not starring on a show, was not supported by a large ad budget and did not cost anyone big dollars. In that case he was on the radar screen for his 15 seconds of shame and is now a footnote in the history books. See how long it takes him to "star" in his own HBO comedy special or as a main character in a sit-com. Remember the golden rule.... He that has the gold makes the rules! JM2CW from the cheap seats (this statement was not sponsored by any multi-national conglomerate and is intended for the entertainment of me). 
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| BAH! The cinstitution and all that shit is over rated anyway. I mean come on, we dont really live in a free society anyway. IF you say something people dont like and you get fired that means you dont have freedom of speech. Sure maybe the Govt was'nt involved but so what? The effect is still the same. It is possable to have your rights taken away by non governmental entities so you end up with the same as no constitution anyway. |
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Imus makes his living off making fun of people. My dad watches the show every morning because he finds it hilarious, the views he expresses are not what my father or i agree with however his show is quite funny. I dont think he should have been fired, he did what he does on a daily basis criticize and make fun of people.... Whereas zumbo stepped on his own dick by outcasting his targt audience, Imus makes his living off of doing this. I personally dont find anything appauling about nappy headed hos. Im willing to bet somone (the reverend, or maybe the coach of the team) was flipping through the channels stopped on imus for a second and heard his comment and thought, hey i bet we could make some money (or free advertising) off of this shit storm. Adam |
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