[100-Fold_Return]

zero about free speech. This is staged production to show sheeple that the socialists are back, and old, white baby-boomers better toe the line, or else!!!

[Alter Kaker]

There's an obvious difference between rappers and Imus. Rappers may well use the same words he used generically in songs (I don't know, I don't listen to rap) but Imus directed the words against specific young women, who were not public figures, and who had done nothing to attract his emnity. I do see a difference between referring generically to "hos" and whatnot and singling out specific individuals.

Imus' remarks might have been excusable against a public figure -- after all, if you're well known, you can just call a press conference and attack Don Imus. But 18 year old college girls can't easily do that. That's bullying, and that's why he should be fired.

[redgolum]

You can’t even criticize the rappers. If you do, you are either a racist of a “wannabee” white.

[SirLinksalot]

I posted this in another thread, but am reposting them here :

This is just an observation and isn’t meant to pass any moral judgment.

I observe that in today’s PC climate, there are certain “rules” you have to follow :

1) It is OK to racially disparage people of your own “race” but not people NOT of your race. Hence using the word -— “Nigga” is fine, BUT ONLY IF YOU’RE BLACK, BUT NOT IF YOU’RE WHITE.

2) If you are to call people Ho’s, don’t BE SPECIFIC about it. Make it “general” as in -— “women I date are ho’s”, “women who come on to me are ho’s”. Imus’ PC problem was this — HE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED IDENTIFIABLE WOMEN. That’s a no-no. Worse, he targeted women who did NOTHING wrong ( on the contrary, they were honorable athletes ).

Hence the observed rule -— Being general/generic, tolerable, being specific, NOT ACCEPTABLE.

But then again the question goes -— would it be acceptable to call Anna Nicole Smith a “HO” ? ( Ann Coulter asked that question ). Maybe not, that would be speaking ill of the dead.

3) Minorities get more leeway in using racially insensitive terms than those in the majorities. I don’t need to even explain why.

4) When you hide behind the word — PARODY -— somehow, using racial ephithets or insulting words, become OK. Hence, rappers like Ludacris or EminEm can get away with it because they can always say that it’s ART and PARODY and we shouldn’t take them too seriously ( just as they themselves don’t take it seriously).

Understanding this unspoken “rules” of society goes a long way towards explaining why Imus got crucified while rappers and even Al Sharpton get away with their remarks.

[trisham]

I hope Imus makes millions on this, and I don’t even like him.

[GSWarrior]

My next door neighbor may be listening. He may take seriously some of the things these morons say and do. He may also be viewing violent child pornography that could lead him to victimize some near him. His kids may listen to Imus and share his disgusting comments with my children. While I may police what goes on in my house, my inability to control the filth and degradation in my neighbor's house puts me and my children at risk.

Farah lost me with this paragraph. Equating "hate" speech with child abuse is a bit of a stretch, IMO--if I am reading this correctly.

[massadvj]

Understand I am not laying this all at the hapless feet of multimillionaire radio personality Don Imus. He is simply one of the countless grotesque and essentially talentless figures who has profited immensely from the notion that "pushing the envelope" makes for good entertainment that will generate big bucks.

Imus was merely complimenting the team in their own language -- Ebonics. If the team had been mostly French, would it have been insulting to say "tres bien"? Certainly not. In the language of Ebonics "nappy headed hoes" is one of the highest compliments one can give a group of overachieving young ladies. It's right up there with mensch or hombre sincero.

We are told that Ebonics is a rich language on a par with classic Latin or Greek. As such, it is taught in the finest colleges and universities, including Rutgers. See, for example:

http://72.14.205.104/u/rutgerz?q=cache:0QxR5C0JQaEJ:anthro.rutgers.edu/courses/312Ahearn2007.pdf+ebonics&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&ie=UTF-8

So, if Ebonics is such a rich language, worthy of study in taxpayer-subsidized institutions, why is it racist to use it?

[Loyal Buckeye]

Rappers can make racist comments because they are just representing their community against whitey because whitey is an oppressor and capitalist.

(Heard it directly from a rapper on Neil Cavuto’s show.)

[Esther Ruth]

The whole world’s watching for our example of decency, civility, brotherly love of one another in spite of skin color and skin shades - and most (even on the right) have decided instead it’s finally time for a big ol ugly cafeteria food fight, what great timing.

[George W. Bush]

Crying over Imus or the coming firing of Rosie is a little like crying over the deposing of Saddam.