Such Remarks Cannot Stand
posted April 16th, 2007 at 10:57 am by Betty
I am so proud of my sisters who have responded with dignity and broad vision to the unconsciounable remarks made by Don Imus on his radio show. The coach and women of the Rutger’s basketball team have presented themselves magnificently after the outrageous remarks. Though still finding his remarks “unacceptable,” as well they should, they graciously accepted Imus’ apology and said they were working through a process of forgiveness. How beautiful is that!
The National Congress of Black Women have quickly joined in with support, calling for tougher fedederal regulations to protect the airwaves. Such “demeaning, vitriolic, mean-spirited work on the part of many who use our airwaves”, they stated, ” cannot stand.”
One young woman from Spellman College in Atlanta in her response gave expression to some of the deeper effects of racist and sexist remarks: “when you constantly have these images attacking us and tearing us down, it is hard to prove that you are anything but that!” Another said entertainment should not “degrade any other person.”
How long do we have to wait to move beyond such scathing remarks as entertainment? How long do we have to wait until everyone sees that such attitudes are not the least bit funny but hurtful and harmful to the well being of all? How long do we have to wait to take VERY SERIOUSLY the value, worth, and dignity of every human being? This is far more basic than reading, writing, and arithmetic.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/
http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f=00&g=6a70fdd9-a17f-4a99-a0fb-922b77c2141e&p=Source_No_Ad_NBC&t=c1149&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/&fg=
http://www.npcbw.org/
imus
don imus
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rutgers women’s basketball team
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national congress of black women
vivian stringer
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April 16th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I agree that Don Imus’s remarks were outrageous and he deserved the punishment meted out to him. Having said that, however, I am even more disturbed by the degrading, even violent, lyrics in popular music. The artists, managers, producers, writers, et. al., who are responsible for such expression are making multi-millions, yet there is not the outrage expressed over that issue as there has been over this. Just because one group is making such remarks aimed at essentially itself does not make it right. Freedom of expression does not give anyone the right to say/sing hurtful, demeaning, degrading things.
Bridgitt
May 5th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I think of Sojourner Truth’s quote, “Ain’t I a Woman?” as I write my comment.
Imus has been an equal opportunity offender for years. When I heard of his latest emotion, I took it with a grain of salt. Because I had heard him say worse. And from what I’ve learned, worse was said by his co-horts sitting with him. Calling the dignified women of the Rutgers basketball team ‘jigaboos and wannabees’ totally outdid the ‘nappy-headed ho’s’ comment in my opinion.
I am a black woman. I do not identify with the term ‘ho’, even when my black brothers say it. ‘Nappy-headed’? Well, that’s a different matter altogether. I have no problem saying I am nappy-headed when it is time for my next beauty shop appointment. My predominant heritage is African. I have nappy hair. I choose to chemically straighten it, but it’s still nappy to begin with. So what? I have long since ceased to find that to be a negative. What I find interesting is that many of my black sisters do that to be negative. Like it’s a fault or something. Puhleeze… Oh, and I’ve heard the argument that it was bad because a white man said it. Puhleeze… again! Most times even if a black person says it, either offense is taken or the person it is said to runs to make it not be so.
When Imus made that comment, my first thought was that he was somehow mocking black rap musicians who use the terms quite frequently. Why was that my first thought? Because I know my share of white people on a more than casual basis. I don’t know one white man who would call a black woman that. Many white people I know still can’t figure out the meaning of ‘nappy.’ I have a feeling Imus knows now (bless his heart!) but even when he said it, I can’t make myself believe he really knew what he was saying. I do believe he knew it was not the right thing to say. And I believe he knew it was especially wrong when black rap musicians said it and worse. I wouldn’t be surprised if he said it, not only to boost ratings but to challenge those black rap artists at their own game.
I have gotten heat about my opinions from most of the black women and men I know. My question to them has been, ‘where was your outrage when he was offending other groups of people?’ Why does he now deserve to be neutralized? The response I get is that they never heard of the guy until they learned of the comment. I’ve heard it from some whites too. But that makes me even more discouraged. Because while I never listened to Imus’ radio program, I certainly do watch the news. The man has been throwing out newsworthy offenses for a decade or more! When people are uninformed, they are prone to react out of context. I believe black people behaved out of context here, and it made them seem like a selfish people. I don’t like that.
And why should I get heat from black folks anyway?
Ain’t I A Black Woman,too?