You are absolutely correct. In no way was Imus trying to be racist or derogatory (although it ended up that way). He was doing what he usually did and that was make crude jokes to get cheap laughs. Not that Imus couldn't be real nasty when he wanted to be. But conservatives like Mona expressing joy at Imus's demise miss the point. His program was not just crude remarks and jokes. His critics want some sort of bland, dull program like Good Morning America or some other twaddle.
Imus's show was basically the only show that simulated adult men talking about (and yes, making crude and vulgar remarks about) the daily occurrences of life in the U.S. But it wasn't all that. I haven't watched Imus for several years because of his attitude towards the president, but at his best, Imus's program was far more entertaining than all the fatuous dogbleep that passes for entertainment on most networks. That includes FOX.
Exactly, you said it all! If we are to bow, kotow to every idiot who feels “offended”, the ultimate result can only be fear. And from fear there is only more seperation, more prejudice, more people living in cowardice and what is the ultimate result of that? TRUE offense like physical fighting.
Free communication is what solved civil rights, free communication is what brings people together, and if we can`t talk like normal human beings instead of robots, then all it will bring in the end is fear and rot. We are all brothers, and the day someone tells me I can`t tease my brother, then the anti-human rot of fascism and fear will get it`s foothold.