The following can be found at my blog, Liberal Journal
One of the biggest national stories recently has been the racist comments made on the Imus in the Morning show about the Rutgers University Women's Basketball Team. The exchange went something like this:
Imus described Rutgers as "some rough girls from Rutgers. They got tattoos," and then called them "some nappy-headed hos."
He compared them to Tennessee, saying "The girls from Tennessee -- they all looked cute."
The conversation then went on to compare the game to "the jigaboos versus the wannabes." Media Matters reported that the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, made that comment.
This block quote was taken from an MSNBC report on Friday April 6. But if you click on the link now, you'll notice that the jigaboo quote has been completely removed. If you notice how the media across the board is reporting this, they only refer to the 'nappy headed ho' comment made by Imus and not the 'Jigaboo' comment made by his producer, Bernard McGuirk.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, it is "used as a disparaging word for a black person." Its synonyms include nigger and coon. Why is the media united in ignoring such an important detail?
As John Ness points out:
CNN simply lamented the fact that Don called the players 'nappy hos.' That, while obnoxious, isn't nearly as repulsive as the use of the j-word.
Watching them put the air of thoroughness over just half of the story is so aggravating. By underplaying what was actually most repulsive about the segment, the CNN broadcast played into all the most obvious complaints about political correctness. 'If Snoop Doog can say hos, why can't Don Imus?' Point, sir. Point.
Maybe CNN and AP just ignored the j-word because Imus himself didn't say it, but that's wrong. When folks hear the host laughing along with this awful crap, they know it's sanctioned. And answering for that should be part of Imus's impending self-flagellation.
Firstly, folks need to understand that the corporatization of our media has resulted in five media conglomerates running the show in America, making it very easy for elites to manipulate the masses. 'Market theory' is failing here. If these were independent actors truly competing with each other, one of CNN, MSNBC, Fox (haha, ok, maybe not Fox) would be running wild on this. The fact that they are blatantly covering up the jigaboo comment and rewriting history is damning evidence of a greater scheme.
Imus is making the mea culpa rounds over his nappy headed ho comment, which is at least a step below a synonym for the N-word. The downgrade in severity is critical to the larger goal--which is to play at the strongest divisions of society and force people to ignore the rape of Iraq, the theft of our freedoms, etc.
Imus now becomes the poster child for the 'average white guy' in the 'overly politically correct society' which is 'being run by PC liberals.' Imus then gets a groundswell of support from people who hate the idea of him 'cowering down' to big, bad Al Sharpton. One internet forum provides sterling examples of this:
"Imus is no more racist than the next guy. we all make remarks in bad taste a time or to. the world is just to thin skinned, iman keep on keeping on"
"Oh give ne a break. First of all, it's only a TV/Radio show !! Entertainment should be at the very least entertaining, and it is in Imus's case. I've been watching him on MSNBC for over 10 years and I would'nt want to start my day any other way.
Keep the faith Don !!!!
Gregory"
"Some of the stuff bein said against Imus on this thing is just as ignorant as what he said..."
It's as if the same people who wrote the book on the Republican party's 'Southern Strategy' were in charge of the media.
In the meantime, Bernard 'Jigaboo' McGuirk is wiped from the pages of history. Unbelievable.
The aforementioned revised MSNBC article