lemme weigh in with my two pounds about this whole situation:
i don't think Imus should be fired...in fact, i think he should be allowed to carry on with what he was doing in just the same ways he normally does it...
here is why...people like Imus makes it easier to fight racism...
there is a segment of the american population that loves to think that racism died when slavery was abolished...when the issue of racism is brought up by the victims, this segment is first to imply that the "racism is perceived and not real"...this is when you hear charges of "free speech", "it was just a comment", "it was harmless", "i am not a racist", "i have black friends" being thrown around...
there is also a segment (and it probably overlaps with the segment previously mentioned) that believes if you close your eyes, racism will disappear...they crinch when the topic is broached and scamper away as quickly as possible... their scampering may be hampered by their physical surroundings...in those cases you get silence or a response that clearly indicates their discomfort...
but dialogue is what we need - and of course actions and resolutions that go beyond dialogues...we need to talk about it...we need to let those who think it is dead know that it is alive and vibrant...we need to let those who are in their comfort zones realize that if you close your eyes it won't go away...this is where people like Imus comes in...they keep the issue alive and remind those who forget that racism is real...they catch those who like to close their eyes, with their eyes wide open...
a lot of outlets refuse to tackle or address racism until "something" they deem news worthy happens...people like Imus make sure that this "something" happens, and when it does, it will make the news...
just the ammunition needed to take to the battle field...
i don't think Imus should be fired...in fact, i think he should be allowed to carry on with what he was doing in just the same ways he normally does it...
here is why...people like Imus makes it easier to fight racism...
there is a segment of the american population that loves to think that racism died when slavery was abolished...when the issue of racism is brought up by the victims, this segment is first to imply that the "racism is perceived and not real"...this is when you hear charges of "free speech", "it was just a comment", "it was harmless", "i am not a racist", "i have black friends" being thrown around...
there is also a segment (and it probably overlaps with the segment previously mentioned) that believes if you close your eyes, racism will disappear...they crinch when the topic is broached and scamper away as quickly as possible... their scampering may be hampered by their physical surroundings...in those cases you get silence or a response that clearly indicates their discomfort...
but dialogue is what we need - and of course actions and resolutions that go beyond dialogues...we need to talk about it...we need to let those who think it is dead know that it is alive and vibrant...we need to let those who are in their comfort zones realize that if you close your eyes it won't go away...this is where people like Imus comes in...they keep the issue alive and remind those who forget that racism is real...they catch those who like to close their eyes, with their eyes wide open...
a lot of outlets refuse to tackle or address racism until "something" they deem news worthy happens...people like Imus make sure that this "something" happens, and when it does, it will make the news...
just the ammunition needed to take to the battle field...
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