Nationally syndicated radio talk show host Don Imus recently made some disparaging comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, causing a national uproar. He referred to them as “nappy-headed hos,” a quip satirizing the stereotypical black male’s way of referring to a crew of manly black women.
The reaction, however, has been absolutely unbelievable. The level of righteous indignation, mostly drummed up and led by black “leaders” such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, has reached a pitch beyond ridiculous. These types of overreactions, especially those lead by charlatans such as Jackson and Sharpton, are beyond trite and exhausting, and need to stop.
Imus is, in essence, a comic. His show is just that: a show. He is an entertainer, and he puts on an act that many find funny. The majority of the people offended and upset at this comment have probably never even listened to his show at all, much less even heard of him before this incident.
He has made a living on controversial humor, and on a consistent basis has satirized black speech patterns and sayings (much as black comedians since Richard Pryor have satirized white speech patterns and sayings — both of these things are hilarious in my humble opinion). Those who find his humor too offensive should simply not tune into the show at all.
The fact that Al Sharpton has called for Imus’ resignation, and that Imus has gone on Sharpton’s radio show to apologize is surreal. Jackson and Sharpton are two of the singular largest fools this country has ever seen, and anybody who supports either of these two men is ignorant, racist, intellectually dishonest or confused.
If I were a member of a minority community, especially one that has had a tradition and history of struggling for its rights, I would fight to the death to avoid the level of embarrassment that these two men rain down upon the black community. These clowns have less intellectual credibility than George W. Bush and less moral credibility than Bill Clinton.
They are race-baiting bigots who derive their sole source of income from racial conflict — a lucrative business if you happen to be the right color for the job. (It’s one of the few employment opportunities in the country where racial quotas sway to 100 percent by sheer political expediency.)
Whenever any event occurs in this nation that has the sheer potential of being turned into a high-profile racial issue, Sharpton and Jackson practically elbow each other out of the way in a frantic race toward the cameras (and subsequently, their meal tickets). They are the first on a plane to get involved in issues that, by and large, do not concern them.
They are the Yasser Arafats of the American black community — they have no interest in alleviating race relations, but in exacerbating them. Without needless conflict, these talentless hacks would be without a paycheck.
The Rutgers basketball team would likely have never heard these comments if it hadn’t been for others making a huge deal over it. However, given their level of distress (if sincere), should Don Imus apologize? Sure he should — and he has. Let’s move on. The level of hysteria that these sorts of comments cause in our society is unreal.
I think that racial humor is, by and far, hilarious. I think for the most part, it should have a place in our society and in entertainment. It lets us examine the truisms in stereotypes, and lets us laugh at ourselves. In short, it lets us not take ourselves too seriously.
When I watch BET at 2 o’clock in the morning, I can’t help but laugh. The comics that come on have a lot of white-people jokes, and I find them hilarious. I chuckle when they lay out black jokes as well — and when the comic happens to be white as in the case of Don Imus, I laugh as well.
I don’t see the difference. If you do, then perhaps you should seek tolerance counseling. Racial double standards are something the civil rights movement opposed vehemently — let us not go back on that commitment now.
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