[Rhodes22-list] Don Imus

[Todd Tavares]

 Dave,

No one changed the spotlight from Imus to Sharpton and Jackson, they did
that themselves.   I am not trying to change the subject any more than
you by changing the focus to what shock jocks say and get away with. 
This is not about shock jocks in general.  This has less to do with FCC
rules and everything to do with political correctness. It is about how a
white man made a disgusting and vile comment about a team of mostly black
athletes.  It's a racial issue. PERIOD!  It's all about victims and
victimization. You don't see white "reverends" complaining in the media
on behalf of  the couple of white girls on the squad do you? The kind of
grandstanding that Sharpton does perpetuates that role as a victim. They
(Sharpton and Jackson) gave these women no options; no voice of their
own. These women did not deserve what Imus said, but also it shouldn't
have affected them that much either.  I'll say it again; They cause the
controversy, then jump in to stand up for the victimized  Black folks. 
That is why they have more support in the (vocal) Black community than
someone like Whitlock or Bill Cosby.

As for Imus, the focus of this argument, he has to follow rules enforced
by the FCC.  Calling a group of women basketball players names is
offensive, degrading, and morally unacceptable.  If it violated the FCC
rules, then they should take what ever action is at their
disposal......fines..... taking away the radio station's
license....whatever!  But there is still a First Amendment and you still
have a knob on your radio.  Howard Stern and others are offensive without
a doubt, but they bring in tons of money for their stations, regardless
of what sewage pours out of their mouths, and their listeners love them
anyway.  When they cross the line, the free market (within FCC
guidelines) should prompt the action. Remember Doug Tract?  If sponsors
started cancelling and/or ratings dropped, MSNBC would have taken
necessary actions to protect their bottom line.  But it is not, and
should not be, up to people like Sharpton to stick his nose in it and
make it national scandal.  Like I said "If a tree falls in the woods,
does it make a sound?"

Todd T.

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: DCLewis1 at aol.com
  To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
  Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Don Imus
  Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2007 23:45:36 EDT


  Todd,

  With all due respect, I think the people that have made this a
  Sharpton/Jackson issue are being a little devious. The issue is
  Imus, MSNBC and CBS, not
  Sharpton/Jackson, black women, rap, or
  certainly-any-other-issue-than-Imus.
  The argumentation technique is called change the subject, put the
  burden on
  someone other than Imus. The issue is Imus and his behavior. I think
  we
  could stop spending a lot of time focusing on
  Sharpton-did-this/Jackson-did-that
  and keep narrowly focused on Imus and the effect he’s had on these
  young
  ladies, and whether they deserved it.

  As to your statement “ there is no positive outcome from the
  trouble Al
  Sharpton started...unless you consider getting Don Imus fired a
  plus.” I think
  you’re wrong. The present dispute can resolve a long festering
  need to curb
  abusive behavior by all shock-jocks and the networks that support
  them. Today
  networks understand that if they can get a suitably offensive
  shock-jock on
  board they can make $XM. The shock-jock can make even more. If
  tomorrow they
  understand that they can make $XM, but they have a legal liability
  risk of
  $YB (or $y100M) they will reasonably reconsider their efforts and
  perhaps
  temper their enthusiasm. One tangible positive result from this
  present flail
  would be to clearly establish that there are substantial risks and
  costs, not
  just profit, associated with shock-jock behavior.

  As to your thinking Whitelock makes a lot of sense: you are not the
  issue,
  the issue is the black community. What do they think? Who has more
  support
  in the black community, Whitelock or Sharpton? I don't know the
  answer to
  that, and you don't either, but I'd bet Whitelock has precious
  little support.

  JMO.

  Dave



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