Rutgers Coach Tells It Like It Is. (updated and extended)

C. Vivian Stringer, the Rutgers coach of the women's basketball team is speaking now on CNN, delivering a most eloquent statement in response to the racist and sexist remarks made at the expense of these talented and still hopeful young women.  There's a video link here: Rutgers reacts to Imus

Ms. Stringer is offering a clear, calm and withering review of our society as relates to race and gender. Needless to say, her words speak to the bigger issue of a cultural and societal failure that threatens to destroy the very fabric of democracy.  It's time for this to be dealt with, politically and personally.  One need only to remember the ghastly scenes from Katrina to be reminded of how devastating a problem it is that we face.  

I'd also like to point you to anaother diary posted earlier.  It covers a further outrage that has received scant attention and suggests the problem of racism in our society is far more serious than a single "shock jock" whose admirers have been averting their eyes from his crypto racism for years and years.

Check it out: Imus Gets Suspended, But Worst Comment Gets Swept Under the Rug

I'll becoming back to add to this diary.  I realize it's brief, with little of my own comments.  I'd appreciate yours.  Please check out the CNN video if the offer a link.  Coach Stringer has finished speaking now.

Here's another diary that might interest you:  Harold Ford, Where Are You? Imus wants to know??  I don't watch Imus and so I didn't know that Harold Ford was a frequent guest during his campaign.  It does seem odd the the new leader of the DLC would not have a comment about this.

I'd also direct you all to Bob Herbert's op-ed in yesterdays NY Times: 6-Year-Olds Under Arrest. It's behind a subscription wall, so I can't offer a real link, but I'll type out a few excerpts from my print edition:

"The student became violent." said Frank Mercurio, the no-nonsense chief of the Avon Park Police.  "She was yelling and screaming - just being uncontrollable.  Defiant."

"But she was 6"  I said

The chiefs reply came faster than a speeding bullet: "Do you think this is the first 6 year old we've arrested?"

and this:

Ultimately, the 6 year old was no match for Avon Park's finest.  The cops pulled her from under a table and handcuffed her.  The officers were not fooling around... the 6 year old was a criminal... and would be treated like any other felon.

There was a problem though.  The handcuffs were not manufactured for kindergarten kids in mind.  The chief explained:  "You can't handcuff them on their wrists... so you have to handcuff them up by their biceps."

and:

... an outlandish trend of criminalizing the very young... spreading through many school districts and police agencies...

A highly disproportionate number of these youngsters are black...

It's depressing to read, but worth it if you can find it.  And don't forget, SCOTUS Cheif Roberts upheld the arrest of a young black girl for eating a candy bar on the DC metro.

Update: here's a better diary by Gorette -

Wonderful women of Rutgers: "I'm a woman, I'm not a ho..."

THIS WAS NOT A PICK-UP GAME.  IT WAS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND THESE TALENTED AND BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMEN ARE SOME OF THE FINEST ATHELETES IN THE WORLD.  THEY DESERVE ENORMOUS RESPECT.

•  Rutgers Women’s Basketball-What Beautiful

  young women!

  by leonard145b on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:45:36 AM PDT

•  Coach Stringer

  was wonderful and heartfelt.  These are impressive women who didn't deserve this.  They make me proud as a woman, a mom, and an american.

  Very proud. <sniffle>

  by demkat620 on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:46:47 AM PDT

•  Thanks for the video

  Will watch it later at home.

  Been waiting for a response from Rutgers.

  Can you put up some quotes and a short summary?

  by jimraff on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:47:34 AM PDT

•  Terribly impressed by Ms. Stringer

  Wow.  To say she was impressive would be a huge understatement.  It is not surprising why she and her team are so successful.  I particularly liked how her statement covered a more broad base than the specific Imus incident.

  by Tony on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:48:27 AM PDT

•  Non Story

  What a non story this is.

  There is a war in Iraq, and this has been on CNN for a half hour.

  by malonw on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:54:54 AM PDT

  •  Disagree.

    Racism is not a "non-story." And bringing it to the forefront eloquently as the coach and her team have here is an opportunity to move the debate forward, which is exactly what I see Stringer and her team attempting to do. It is not about them. It is about society.

    There is certainly room for this discussion in America.

    by Bob Johnson on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:57:52 AM PDT

    •  I agree with your disagreement

      Not to mention that most of the same people who think nothing of these racist remarks... also say very derogatory things about Arabs. Comments made that paint Iraqis as less important than Americans when it comes to deaths...some wars are fought because one side thinks it is better than the other...This is a very important issue in the world and will probably always be.

      by jigsaw68 on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:08:30 AM PDT

      •  Forms the foundation of everything from...

        ... war policy to immigration policy.

        The Pat Buchanan-style rhetoric of this country being "founded on Judeo-Christian principles" is KKK chatter dressed in a Brooks Brothers suit instead of white robes.

        by Bob Johnson on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:11:13 AM PDT

        •  Very well said. n/t

          by jigsaw68 on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:13:27 AM PDT

        •  now I am in the Klan?

          Jump to the conclusion that I am some sort of Racist.  Thats fine.

          I am as progressive as many folks on this site, I have been against the Neo-Con agenda for years.

          But the reality is, this is a manufactured news story.  Spare me the PC garbage.  This is dominating a news cycle because Sharpton (much like Biden) just wants his mug on TV.

          BTW, Sharpton was a hell of a debater in 04.

          by malonw on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:17:40 AM PDT

          •  You?

            I was talking about Imus and my response was not to your comment but to a comment about Imus.

            Sorry if you are confused by the string of comments.

            by Bob Johnson on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:20:39 AM PDT

          •  By the way...

            The issue exists whether or not Sharpton latches on to it for his own benefit.

            The incident is between Imus and the Rutgers womens basketball team.

            You think Sharpton's involvement is somehow central to the story and it's not.

            by Bob Johnson on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:25:43 AM PDT

  •  that's rather narrow minded, don't you think?

    by bigchin on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:58:19 AM PDT

  •  I can multi-task

    in thinking and discussion the myriad of world and local issues.  And, I don't get my news from CNN so I don't care how long they spend on other stories.  Except for Michael Ware and Christina Amanpour, cable news is worthless.

    So, if it is a non-story to you, turn off the t.v. and don't read related blogs.

    by gchaucer2 on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:03:08 AM PDT

  •  It's not a non-story for

    the simple reason that shared antagonism, whether its aimed at blacks, browns, yellows, reds, women, fags, commies or whatever, is an enduring organizing principle in our society.  Perhaps we resort to it because there is so little commonality; perhaps it's just because it's cheap (antagonism doesn't cost those who take part in it anything); maybe it's because, being based on no reality, it's impossible to refute.
    The targets are innocent and they suffer.  The people of Iraq suffer more, but the genesis of the suffering is the same.  It's time that the perpetrators be called to account.

    by hannah on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:14:37 AM PDT

  •  We all live on planet earth

    we know there is a war in Iraq. We know the death count of American soldiers, we know the war was a lie, we know from daily exposes and news clippings, and documentaries and front page headlines and daily talk shows since 2003. Obviously, this is a non-story for you, you'd rather deal with your own issues because your daughter or sister was not called a whore by Imus. I'll make a deal with you. I won't call your issue bullshit if you don't call mine bullshit. OK?

    by tazz on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:18:11 AM PDT

•  Vivian Stringer proves that she and her team

  ... are much bigger people than Don Imus can ever hope to be.

  I would hope he would be shamed by their clear, unequivocating and insightful words, but I am not sure a person of Imus' ego can ever hear anything but his own voice and that of his "sponsors" telling him that he is risking losing money.

  Sad and sick. That goes for a great majority of talk radio from all sides.

  Vile, unrelentingly negative trash. What a waste of time and energy.

  We have too much work to do as a society to waste time listening to the bigoted rubbish of people like Imus, as Vivian Stringer has so eloquently pointed out.

  by Bob Johnson on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:55:27 AM PDT

  •  His apology on news sounded as abuser justifying

    his actions.  

    by drmah on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:12:29 AM PDT

    •  He is certain of the rightness of his own opinion

      Like so many egotistical jackasses who are worshipped by their just-as-bigoted audiences.

      A primary example of why racism is still a monumental issue in this country.

      by Bob Johnson on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:15:35 AM PDT

•  the 'worst comment'

  was a reference to School Daze by Spike Lee.

  From wiki:

  Musical performances are throughout, including the production "Straight and Nappy", "Be Alone Tonight" performed by Campbell (as Jane Toussaint and her Royal Court), and a dis-fest between the Wannabes and Jigaboos on campus. The go-go anthem "Da Butt" is performed by the group E.U. during the after-party for the Gammites.

  by pacified on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:55:48 AM PDT

  •  I'm not sure that mitigates. n/t

    by bigchin on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:59:51 AM PDT

    •  yeah, spike lee

      has some explaining to do.

      by pacified on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:00:50 AM PDT

•  Wow, I'll Bet John Gibson

  will be duly impressed by the "articulate young colored woman..." </snark</p>

  This whole affair is so depressing...but then again, I'm just a jigaboo...

  by TheManWithNoPoint on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:56:55 AM PDT

  •  Who is John Gibson?

    by tazz on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:19:44 AM PDT

•  Lovely young women

  And the coach was dead on in her statements. She made me very proud in her framing of just how damaging statements like Imus' really are.

  by high uintas on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:57:37 AM PDT

•  Thanks for the diary

  and the link to the one re: the other racist comment.  I hadn't read it because I thought, oh, no, not another Imus diary.  Others may think the same.  You've done a good service because that is the first I heard of the "j" word being used.  

  I'm on dial up and no cable -- I'll see if C-span repeats the statement.  Thanks again and rec.

  by gchaucer2 on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:57:48 AM PDT

  •  yeah....

    they are excusing McGuirk because it refers to  Spike Lee dialogue.  But context is everything and such non-chalant, cynical displays of racism are rampant and destructive.

    Thanks.

    by bigchin on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:16:26 AM PDT

•  put in text, please. i have a slow computer

  can't see or hear videos from my older computer.

  by renogal on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 08:58:18 AM PDT

  •  well, it was a long statement

    and the players are still speaking live.  If a transcript appears, I'll try to get it to you.

    Thanks for trying.

    by bigchin on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:01:16 AM PDT

•  It was a sad day @ U of Iowa

  when Vivian resigned. She is a great coach and a great person. We all understood her leaving, too many memories of her husband passing away near the basketball floor.

  Give that butt munch hell Vivian!!

  by UndercoverRxer on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:01:22 AM PDT

•  My heart aches

  for these ladies and their families and friends.  It's obvious how hurtful this was to them.

  "I am not a 'ho!"  The pain in her voice was heartwrenching.

  Fire. Him. Now.

  by demkat620 on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:11:48 AM PDT

•  I'm glad that you point out

  that his statement was sexist too. It seems that the racist part of Imus's comments are getting the biggest play, but I find the "ho" thing just as disturbing as the jigaboo and nappy comments.

  I've always found Imus pretty nasty anyway. He's like the bitchy gossip columnist of the political world.

  by Lena on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:16:28 AM PDT

  •  absolutely right Lena.

    Thanks for your comment.

    by bigchin on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:17:39 AM PDT

•  Is CNN going to charge for video content

  I keep clicking on the video link for this story and I keep getting a page to "start a free trial" period before I can watch the video

  by Prison4Bushco on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:20:56 AM PDT

•  WOW!

  Coach Stringer and the young women on the Rutgers team set race relations ahead today. What better example of showing the inanity of racism than revealing this team today to be comprised of thoughtful and wonderful people. I hope Imus caught this. If he has a shred of humanity he'll cleanse himself of his hate filled "comedy" routine and serve a larger purpose.

  by LI Mike on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:35:54 AM PDT

•  Coach Stringer

  I have been impressed with Coach Stringer for many years.  She has always exuded dignity and, for want of a better word, class.  Anyone who has followed women's basketball for a period of time knows she is a great coach and a remarkable individual.
  I was pulling for her to finally win a championship.

  by JaketheSnake on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:55:20 AM PDT

•  well

  And don't forget, SCOTUS Cheif Roberts upheld the arrest of a young black girl for eating a candy bar on the DC metro.

  The rules on metro are simple. No eating or drinking. In DC, a police officer must arrest a juvenile who has committed a crime. Also, you're mixing the incidents. The 12-year-old was eating french fries. The candy bar lady was 45 and stupidly talked shit to the officers.

  by Politburo on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 10:06:35 AM PDT