I'm writing this at around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Less than an hour ago it was announced that not only has Don Imus' simulcast on MS-NBC been cancelled, but that CBS radio has fired him. Thus, it's the end of the "Imus in the Morning" radio show.
Some of my readers may infer from my posting entitled "Take Heed" that I'd support the firing of Don Imus. I don't. I DO think the originally proposed two week suspension was reasonable.
Imus' remarks about the Rutgers players were WAY out of line and offensive to me. He should have known better, as Bernard McGuirk should have. All that said, I think that firing Don Imus is a bad precedent.
One of my church members e-mailed me that he believes James chapter three in the Bible is a Scripture that really fits this situation- about sins of the tongue. I agree.
My piece "Take Heed" indicates that I've said things in public that are ALMOST as stupid as Don Imus said. I've done other things like that which I later regretted. About eight years ago, I mimicked a female member of our church in a somewhat derogatory manner. I had no idea how much it upset and offended people. At the time, it seemed cute and funny, but later I realized it was stupid and immature and insensitive and something I just should not have done. I'm glad nobody fired me!
It's pretty unlikely, but if Don Imus and his family are ever visiting the MetroWest suburbs of Boston, they're welcome to attend our little church's Sunday morning service. He has said he was sorry and has tried to make things right. What else can he do?
On a practical and realistic note, this is an opportunity for FMTalk 96.9 to make some very positive changes to their lineup. I'd like to see either Michael Graham or Jay Severin doing the morning drive slot, AND one of them doing the afternoon drive slot!
EMMYS 1970: My World...and Welcome To It
1 year ago
2 comments:
I think the firing of Don Imus was overkill. I agree that two week suspension was fair. He repented, apologized sincerely, yet the two men leading the charge against him are two men of God, supposedly, yet unwilling to forgive him. They insisted that he be fired not just from the tv portion of his show, but also the radio. Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton are both hypocrites, themselves having been guilty of egregious remarks in the past, something people seem unwilling to mention.
I have heard some talk show hosts say that it is not the hip-hop rappers with their filthy lyrics that will be targeted next. It will be conservative talk show hosts like Michael Graham. This will have a really chilling effect on what they will be able to say. I'd be willing to bet that the one talk show host who is probably the most obscene, insulting, foul mouthed person on the air, Howard Stern, can rest assured that his job is safe. Why is he allowed to continue to spew his garbage on the air? If it turns out that he too will be taken off the air, then I'll believe that there's a real effort to clean up the airwaves. But that isn't going to happen. I just wonder who will be next.
Jennie
Jennie,
Howard Stern is on satellte radio and I think will just go on unscathed because technically paid satellite radio is NOT considered "the public airwaves". I do believe conservatives such as Michael Graham will be targeted by the politically correct far left, and I agree with what you said about Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
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