I think alot of people are missing the underlining issues of this thing. I've avoided this issue for a while because it's been overblown in some areas and underblown in others. I dont know where to turn. I could try calling Air America, I could try Jesse Jackson, but I rather just post a thought here and get a few reactions. The reason why what Imus and "friends" did on their show was offensive and borderline racist was not the actual words, it was the whole interaction. This wasn't a skit, this was obviously natural reactions. Here's a snip below and i'll explain the problems and the underlining racism behind it.
IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.
ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.
IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --
McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.
IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.
McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
IMUS: Yeah.
McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes -- that movie that he had.
IMUS: Yeah, it was a tough --
McCORD: Do The Right Thing.
McGUIRK: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
IMUS: I don't know if I'd have wanted to beat Rutgers or not, but they did, right?
ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers; they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors.
IMUS: Well, I guess, yeah.
I'll start with each statement.
IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.
This means nothing really except Imus watches, or pretneds to watch, womens basketball. The stutter shows he might have not really watched it, but is just reading a note, then again, he might just be old. Kinda funny since, I'm guessing the majority of viewers of womens basketball are women. I have no idea why they are mentioning this, except for a lead into a joke or message. "So," is a great way to change a subject and start a new topic.
ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.
Just the facts I guess, Tennessee really did win. Great game. Three cheers for Pat Summitt.
IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --
Where the hell did this come from? Tattoos? Rough? Did some women from Tennessee get bodyslammed during the game? Hell, its not even Imus running this ridiculous act, the other cant even wait to cut in.
McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.
That's where the line was broken and it wasn't the racist line. It was the sexist line that was crossed first. Why kind of person would refer to athletes as hardcore hoes? Doesn't matter the sex or race. Would you say the same for the womens lacrosse or softball team? People keep bitching about Imus but, the record shows, it was his WHOLE crew. Hence, the show. More than racism was going on here.
IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.
The infamous statement, Imus sucked in, hook, line, sinker. This was the joke that was helped out by two of his crew is almost beyond understanding and ignorance, but, I will try break it down.
First, "nappy headed hoes." Ok, what white person has this phrase in their vocabulary? Zero, none, ziltch, nada. Well, until now. This was an obvious attempt at immitation. This is the REAL problem of the Imus thing. Immitating black people is not cool, is not fresh, will not make black people like you, jokes or not. We are sick of it. Step and Fetch, Al Jolson, Minstrel shows, all those attempts at immitation. That's what's offensive. If you dont know the meaning of a phrase used in another culture, DO NOT USE IT. Period.
Second, when have rappers been the stardard for moral decency? Why are people saying? The rappers say it. Oh really? I'm sick of Americans of all creeds pointing to the worst of humankind to point out why they are superior. Oh, the rappers say it, so can we. Well no, you can't. N word included. Not that I hate rap, I love rap. If one day you want me to break down its meanings, I'd be happy to.
Third, Freedom of Speech. This was the ironic thing. I told my brethern during the Muhammed cartoon thing, this was offensive and explained why I thought so. 99% of my friends said this was Freedom of Speech, even my black ones, even my liberal hippy ones. I told them I didn't think so and I explained why I thought so.
Freedom of Speech doesn't mean you can say or blurt out anything you want to, anyplace you wish, especially on an individual level. Freedom of Speech was intended, and hopefully properly defined by the Supreme Court, as political freedom of speech. Meaning, you have the right to speak against or about any political topic or entity. You cannot yell out in a theater, fire.
If you wish to waste your Freedom of Speech to insult people or have another agenda, you will face consequences. You gave up your right for protection, you preempted, you called me a name, you gave up the high ground, you tempted me to a fight. We have the law, so I wont take your bait, so I wont kill in return, so I wont sink to your level. This is why America doesnt look like Iraq right now. We have the same ethinic, religious, and sectarian differences. We have a law better than God's, at least I think so. Rant over.
McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
This statement is interesting. It's an obvious lead into a Spike Lee movie. Whats weird is, its an old Spike Lee film, when he was still independent. School Days. BTW, this is a deep film after you get by all of Spike Lees crappy filming styles. It represents critical differences in the black community about ethinic backgrounds and the relation of skin color in american black culture. There was a scene in this movie that was broken down into a musical called good and bad hair. About the difference between black hair growth thats either curly or straight. Hence, curly was "nappy heads" or more defined, natural.
IMUS: Yeah.
Obviously, Imus kissing ass and leading into another offensive joke.
McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes -- that movie that he had.
Outstandingly racist and ignorant. It's obvious, they saw the movie but didn't get the meaning. The skit was really, the Jigaboos (Black people with natural hair) vs the Wannabees (black people who have white hairstyles or straight hair or good hair.) The arguement is really deep in the black community and causes alot of rifts, I would be on the good hair side and it does relate/matter.
IMUS: Yeah, it was a tough --
This is when Imus himself realized he went to far. He's trying to relate to the basketball game but its all downhill from here. His "boys" tried to save him, but its all over. They already buried themselves.
McCORD: Do The Right Thing.
Another crew member trying to save Imus. Too late. Still trying to insult Spike Lee now instead of the Rutgers womens team. I guess, insulting rich black people is OK, since this whole skit was a dis at Spike Lee. I dont know why though, has he even done a movie lately?
McGUIRK: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think they know they fucked up now. No, wait, he's agreeing with it. Poor guy didn't understand the musical skit either.
IMUS: I don't know if I'd have wanted to beat Rutgers or not, but they did, right?
What? Is Imus lost? Because his crew went overboard? You dont know if you wanted to win a national championship basketball game? Why wouldn't you want to win this game? Because they are nappy headed hoes on the other team? This makes no sense. He's lost. Would he want to lose becauae he's playing against "nappy headed hoes?" When have "Nappy Headed Hoes" won a National Championship? This statement has so much underlining racism its not even funny.
ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers; they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors.
What the hell does this mean? The Toronto Rapters? First off, the Toronto Rapters is full of foreign players. Hell, they may have like 4 black players, by far the least in the NBA. How does this relate? Where are they going with this? Why not talk about about how womens basketball is boring to watch? Why not just say that? WTF? BTW, womens basketball is very boring to watch, there, I said it.
IMUS: Well, I guess, yeah.
The guy has no clue, Im glad he is buried.
KDNLA
The final word is; Don't immitate other cultures. It's not funny. Now, if you want to imitate other cultures, there's one acceptable place. IN FRONT OF THOSE CULTURES. Don't go behind their back.