Imus
Don Imus has, once again, proved himself to be, if not a tremendous bigot, then a tremendous fool.
It is sad state of affairs for the Rutgers women's basketball team. Sorry ladies. No matter how much you achieve -- scholarships, college education, sports glory -- no matter how much you succeed in this society and distinguish yourself among your peers, there is a 60 year old white man who, with a few words, can put you right back in the prison of a racial stereotype, can wipe away your achievements and reduce you to a crude caricature for millions of listeners. Sorry if you had the mistaken belief that your accomplishments entitled you to any respect. (With all the media coverage here, we seem to forget the 18-21 year old women who were subjected to an ugly and racist epitaph in front of millions of listeners).
I suspect there are a bunch of folks out there moaning on about Imus' First Amendment rights and prattling on about "pc this and pc that." First, I am not sure those rights protect Imus from being fired by his private sector employer. Second, I would have a lot more sympathy for Imus if he got in hot water after speaking truth to power, or offering some startling -yet -unpopular insight on the world, or took a principaled stand on some significant issue. Instead, he may get canned for being a bigoted old man out of step with his listeners. Imus was not delivering words of unconventional delphic wisdom, he was just delivering a gutter variety racial slur. This was not 'Give Peace a Chance," "Free Huey" or even "Impeach Clinton."
Third, many of these free speech neophytes are the same types of folks who like to tell us that market forces should reign supreme. Isn't it these same market forces that drove away three of Imus' main advertisers? If market forces should be allowed to drive a man out of the factory, why not a man off the radio? Isn't Imus just trying to sell a product that few are buying anymore? And if that is true, doesn't his employer have the right to walk him Spainish?*
Lastly, there is something karmic here. Imus made his living by potraying himself as a straight talker unafraid to say what was on his mind. That shtick made him millions. Live by the sword. Die by the sword.
*(Keep in mind that I believe there is an argument to be made for a free speech protection for all employees public or private. I don't like the idea of someone being fired from their job for expressing an opinion contrary to their boss'. On the other hand, I can see why an employer would want to retain the right to fire an employee whose speech hurts their ability to do business.)
It is sad state of affairs for the Rutgers women's basketball team. Sorry ladies. No matter how much you achieve -- scholarships, college education, sports glory -- no matter how much you succeed in this society and distinguish yourself among your peers, there is a 60 year old white man who, with a few words, can put you right back in the prison of a racial stereotype, can wipe away your achievements and reduce you to a crude caricature for millions of listeners. Sorry if you had the mistaken belief that your accomplishments entitled you to any respect. (With all the media coverage here, we seem to forget the 18-21 year old women who were subjected to an ugly and racist epitaph in front of millions of listeners).
I suspect there are a bunch of folks out there moaning on about Imus' First Amendment rights and prattling on about "pc this and pc that." First, I am not sure those rights protect Imus from being fired by his private sector employer. Second, I would have a lot more sympathy for Imus if he got in hot water after speaking truth to power, or offering some startling -yet -unpopular insight on the world, or took a principaled stand on some significant issue. Instead, he may get canned for being a bigoted old man out of step with his listeners. Imus was not delivering words of unconventional delphic wisdom, he was just delivering a gutter variety racial slur. This was not 'Give Peace a Chance," "Free Huey" or even "Impeach Clinton."
Third, many of these free speech neophytes are the same types of folks who like to tell us that market forces should reign supreme. Isn't it these same market forces that drove away three of Imus' main advertisers? If market forces should be allowed to drive a man out of the factory, why not a man off the radio? Isn't Imus just trying to sell a product that few are buying anymore? And if that is true, doesn't his employer have the right to walk him Spainish?*
Lastly, there is something karmic here. Imus made his living by potraying himself as a straight talker unafraid to say what was on his mind. That shtick made him millions. Live by the sword. Die by the sword.
*(Keep in mind that I believe there is an argument to be made for a free speech protection for all employees public or private. I don't like the idea of someone being fired from their job for expressing an opinion contrary to their boss'. On the other hand, I can see why an employer would want to retain the right to fire an employee whose speech hurts their ability to do business.)
posted by Jack Reed at 11:52 AM
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